Rodents and Critters

Odd noises during the night?

Rodents move indoors in search of food and optimal temperatures. Once inside, they can damage the structure of your home. Among the most destructive vertebrates in existence, mice and rats can chew through wood, plaster and electrical wiring.

Rodents also pose serious health threats – transmitting disease-causing organisms through urine, droppings and bites. Rats can carry more than 40 disease-causing viruses and bacteria, including Hantavirus and salmonella. The house mouse is the primary carrier of an illness called Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus, or LCMV, which causes symptoms such as headache, fever, chills and muscle aches in people with poor immune systems. Rodents also have been known to bite, most commonly sleeping babies, inquisitive children or the bedridden elderly.

To stop mice and rats from taking up residence in your home, reduce rodent-appealing elements while it’s still warm outside. Implement the following tips to guard your home from the furry pests this fall and winter:

• Seal any holes and gaps in floors, walls and ceilings with weather-resistant sealant, and install kick plates or sheet metal under exterior doors. Mice can squeeze through holes the size of the inside circle of a “toonie,” while rats can enter through openings the size of the outer circle of the coin.
• Trim and prune trees, shrubs or other plants that touch the exterior of the home and may provide rodents with access.
• Store firewood away from the house and more than 30 centimeters off the ground to minimize potential nesting sites. (This will also help prevent carpenter ants in your home)
• Keep food sources, including pet food and garbage, in tightly sealed containers. Do not leave dirty dishes out overnight.

If you notice droppings or signs of gnawing around the house, contact Bug Busterzzz to help identify the culprit and quickly eliminate the infestation.

House Mice

The house mouse is considered one of the most troublesome rodents in the United States. In homes they feed on and damage food, contaminate food with droppings and urine, cause structural damage to building by gnawing and nest-building, including chewing on furniture and wiring. In addition, house mice can spread disease to humans and pets, including salmonellosis (food poisoning). House mice contaminate much more food than they actually eat, due to their urine & feces, posing a danger to your family if a rodent gets into your food supply.

Rats

Rats are a huge pest problem: they eat and contaminate food, they cause damage to homes and structures, and they transmit diseases to humans and other animals. Rats will make a home anywhere they can access food and cover, including farm buildings, under houses, rubbish dumps and even sewage systems. They climb very well and can fit through a hole as small as 1/2 inch in diameter. Most rodents tend to be more active at night, making identifying them more difficult. Look for grimy rub marks at the base of walls and droppings (feces): rat droppings are about 1/2 to 3/4 inch in length; mouse droppings are 1/4 inch. Look for signs of gnawing: rats have powerful front teeth and can gnaw through wood, electric cables, pipes, plastic, and metal.