Dealing with rodents in your home or business can be pesky and difficult. Rodents are very resourceful and good at tucking themselves away into parts of buildings that humans cannot reach. Once you’ve come to suspect that you may have some type of rodent living within your home your business, it’s essential to address the problem immediately to avoid any damage to your property or harm to the people living or working in the building. Furthermore, mice or rats carry infectious diseases that can be dangerous to your family or employees. To protect your home or business from mice or rodents, first learn about these pests, their behaviors, steps for prevention, and contact Stellar Pest & Wildlife should an infestation occur.

Mice are small rodents that can be found throughout the world. Though there are many different species of mice, the most common ones found in your home or business are house mice, field mice, deer mice or white-footed mice. The type of mice infestation that you’re dealing with usually depends on where you live or work. If your property is in an area with more open space near a barn or shed, it’s more likely that field mice have made their way into your home or office. Mice can reproduce rapidly, making it very important that you address the infestation and get rid of mice as soon as possible. Mice tend to be smaller than rats with shorter, thinner tails and larger ears. Mice are smallish in size and gray in color.

Rats are a fairly common type of rodent. These pests often live near places with food scraps such as dumpsters and garbage cans. There are more than 60 species of this particular rodent, but the most common types in the United States include house rats, Norway rats ( commonly known as brown rats ), and roof rats (or black rats). While rats can live in a variety of environments, they tend to prefer warmer temperatures and live in areas near humans as they feed off of scraps of food and garbage. Because of rats’ resourceful nature, they are quite good at finding their way into homes and businesses throughout Texas where they may have easier access to food and water. Because rats tend to travel in packs, you may likely have multiple rats in your home or business by the time you notice one.

Sometimes, identifying rodents in your home or business can be difficult as they are mostly nocturnal creatures and are usually only active at night. If the infestation has taken place in your home, you may notice sounds of movement in the walls or ceiling during the night. However, if the mice or rodents have found their way into your business, it may be more difficult to identify the infestation as most people are not at their place of business in the evening. If you haven’t noticed any unusual sounds, the best way to identify mice or rodents in your home or business is to look for droppings. These are pellets that can be found in the areas of the house that the mice or rodents frequent the most, such as attics, garages, basements, warehouses, and crawl spaces.

Aside from sounds and droppings, you may notice other signs such as chewed wood or walls. Some people also noticed tracks in the places where rodents have been running around. There may also be a slight urine smell noticeable if you have a rodent infestation.

Because mice and rodents are small and resourceful, they can find their way into your home or business through many different avenues. If there are any cracks or holes in your walls, pipes, or foundation, rodents may find entryway into your home or business, Rodents may even be able to find their way into your home or business via sewer lines. Should you accidentally leave doors or windows open, this is another method for them to enter the building.

Do not underestimate the tenacity of the ability of rodents to enter a small space to find their way into your home.Mice are very small rodents and they are capable of squeezing into much smaller places than expected. An opening as small as a quarter of an inch can provide a hiding place or entry spot for a mouse. That’s smaller than a dime.

The key to keeping rodent infestations out of buildings is to make sure you’re taking steps to prevent mice from entering your Texas home or business. Hiring a professional to inspect your home for any openings where the mice or rodents have entered is the first step of control and prevention. Our pest control experts can identify and seal up these potential entrances and be sure that all windows, vents, and chimneys have screens to prevent rodents from making their way inside. Getting rid of any trash immediately after it has been disposed of, can help with preventing mice from hanging around your property. Any items that might be used as nesting material like piles of leaves or mulch should be removed from the property as soon as possible.