California homes are at risk for rodents, such as mice and rats.
These pests can get into homes from small openings in crawl spaces, air vents, pipe openings, and small cracks. Further, rats chew through wood, concrete, and brick to make an opening into the home, while mice are able to fit in between gaps much smaller than their body to gain entry.
Both types of rodents tend to remain hidden as much as possible. This often makes it difficult to tell there is an infestation in the home.
Regular annual house inspections for rodents and pests from a California pest control company are the best way to protect your home from uninvited guests.
Signs of rodents in your California home
Specific signs of a possible rodent infestation in your California home include any of the following:
- rodent droppings
- chewed plastic, wood, brick, concrete
- sightings of rodents out in the open, and foot prints
Both rats and mice build nests within the home in dark areas where they will not be disturbed. They might take up residence in an upstairs attic, crawl space, or storage closet. They tend to gather various materials for building the nest, using building materials and other items they find, such as fiberglass insulation, cardboard, and newspaper. Once the nest is established, it is a short time before more rodents are born.
Mice, in particular, can start reproducing when they are only 20 days old. A healthy female may have up to 10 different litters over the course of a year. Most mice have short lifespans, and most live about a year or slightly less. Just imagine if one female has 10 litters with 2 females and 2 males in each litter, who then also reproduce multiple litters with a few females and males over the course of a year. There could potentially be hundreds of mice destroying your home in a short period of time.
Rodents damage your California home
There are differences between rats and mice and the damage they do to your home.
Because rats are larger, their teeth are stronger, and capable of chewing and gnawing through much harder materials, like brick and concrete. They will even chew through wood in the subflooring and wall supports to make new runs through the home. Both types of rodents also chew on electrical wiring, insulation, and plastic PVC pipes.
If you ever encounter rodents in your home, you should never approach the rodent. Rats and mice carry various infectious diseases. If you are bitten, the rodent must be caught in order to determine what diseases it carries; otherwise, if it gets away, the only course of treatment is a series of shots to treat for a wide range of diseases, including rabies. Rather than approaching the rodent, contact our California rodent control company for professional rodent removal.
For more information about our rodent removal and prevention services, contact us, here at Pacific Coast Termite, by calling 1-800-PACIFIC (1-800-722-4342) today and scheduling your complimentary home inspection.