How you could be living with rodents and not know it

Identifying pests in your home is not always an easy task. On your normal busy day, you probably don’t catch yourself wondering if there are any living creatures behind your walls or upstairs in your attic. Handling rodent issues in your home can sometimes be difficult, but you can do it yourself. First, you must know if you do have rodents living in your home. People don’t think about a pest infestation until they come across proof of it, which sometimes can take a bit longer than expected. You rarely can spot a mouse sneaking into your house or a rat looking for food in your basement. Unless you find signs of pest control activity, you can be quite clueless about the presence of rodents in your house.

How do rodents get inside your house?

Mice are capable of fitting into small holes and gaps thanks to their body build. This means they can get into our houses through cracks in the walls, floors, and foundations. It’s very rare to spot a mouse entering the house through such a small gap, therefore many homeowners don’t realize that mice are already inside until further infestation signs. Mouse holes can appear as just tiny gaps in windows or ceilings, so people do not even recognize them as entry points. Mice can also get inside through sewer lines and drainage pipes, which again is hard to observe. Many people don’t realize that rats, just like mice, can actually fit into small gaps and holes as well. Rodents can also get inside your house through holes in the roof, chimneys, and vents.

Due to this ability to squeeze into small spaces, homeowners usually don’t realize they have a rodent infestation problem until the signs become more serious and noticeable.

Can you be living with rodents and not know it?

This is possible, although quite rare. You probably won’t realize the exact moment when pests get inside your house, however, sooner or later their presence will leave signs that are hard to miss. Unless you never visit your attic or basement and constantly play loud music, you will definitely hear and see signs of a rodent infestation.

Signs of a rodent infestation

Identifying signs of a pest infestation is crucial, as early intervention is key to dealing with the problem. If you notice one or more of the pest activities that we discuss below, it is definitely the time to take action. Luckily

1. Pest Droppings

Rodent feces are the classic sign of a pest infestation. A house mouse produces between 40 to 100 droppings per day and if you are dealing with a mouse infestation there is a big chance you have more than one rodent in your house, so the excrement is pretty easy to spot. Their droppings are most likely to be found near food packages, in cupboards and under sinks, and any darker hidden areas. House mice also constantly give off micro-droplets of urine as they run around their territory during the day, so you may also notice urine trails on your floor.

2. Nesting evidence

Mice and rats are not very fussy about their nests, so they use almost anything that they can find to create a comfortable place to live. If rodents decide to move into your attic or basement, where you store your things, they are likely to use material such as shredded paper and whatever they can find on the floor for nesting. If they have easy access to the outside, they can bring grass clippings and leaves inside your home. Rodents often nest in hidden places, for example between the walls or underneath the flooring.

3. Noise

This is the main sign that gives away rodents. When they choose to nest in between walls or in the attic, quite often during the night you can hear their squeaking and their nails scratching the flooring or walls. We often hear it at night, when everything else is quiet – it’s harder to spot the soft running sounds during the day when there are many distracting sounds.

4. Physical damage

Unfortunately, a rodent infestation often leads to a lot of damage. Noticing gnaw marks and holes is one of the indicators of a pest infestation. Rodents like to chew on almost anything that stands in their way, so you can often spot gnaw marks on furniture or wiring.

For more information on how you can deal with rodents and the damage they can cause to your home, learn more at rat-control.com.