Rodent Identification & Prevention

Rodents are small mammals; most are considered wild animals and live outside, well away from people. However, a few species of mice and rats have, over time, developed a close relationship with people. Mice and rats are kinds of rodents that have learned that our indoor and outdoor spaces provide them with their basic needs, and they won't hesitate to take full advantage.

Many different types of rodents live throughout Plymouth. Some of the most common that become problems for Massachusetts homeowners include:

• Black rats (roof rats)
• Brown rats
• Mice
• Norway rats
• Wood rats

Accurately identifying the rodents causing you trouble is essential to eliminating an infestation. Partnering with a trusted rodent control professional is the best way to remove these unwanted pests from your property.

Rodents all belong to the order Rodentia and all share one physical characteristic. All rodents have sharp front incisors on their top and bottom jaws that continuously grow throughout their lives. Their teeth are a big reason they are so destructive to our properties. To stop their teeth from overgrowing, they constantly gnaw on anything they can fit their teeth around. Wires, pipes, drywall, cabinets, furniture, and clothing can all succumb to rodents.

Other reasons rodents are dangerous when living around people include the following:

• They spread diseases and parasites that make people ill.
• Rodents contaminate food sources.
• Their shed fur and excrement emit allergens into the air that trigger allergies.
• Their presence and chewing habits can cause fires and water leaks.
• Urine buildup around nesting areas causes a foul musty odor to develop inside your home.

To limit the damage rodents in Massachusetts cause to your home and family, it is always best to contact a professional for pest control in Plymouth to eliminate these pests from your house as quickly as possible.

Like other living creatures, rodents live in areas that are within easy reach of their basic needs. Rodents are prey animals and like places that provide them with many areas of shelter to keep them out of view of predators.

If your property offers conducive conditions, you will eventually have problems with these pests. The biggest things that draw rodents to a property include open trash cans, bird feeders, dense shrubbery, yard debris, and outdoor eating areas.

In our Plymouth area yards, mice and rats spend their days in tall grass, dense vegetation, woodpiles, brush piles, and construction debris. Outdoor shelters like garages, sheds, and barns also regularly become places that mice and rats call home.

Rats and mice are nocturnal, so we rarely spot them out and about during the day; if you do, it is because there is a large infestation, and they have to compete for food sources.

When mice and rats are in our yards, they will eventually move into our homes. As they move around the exterior, they will take advantage of small cracks and gaps in the foundation, exterior walls, and roof lines that offer them entry points.

If rats and mice are in your house, you will soon begin to notice their dark droppings along the floor or in drawers or cabinets, hear them running behind your walls, or find gnaw marks on cabinets, food containers, or furniture.

Their most common nesting sites are the wall voids, crawl spaces, basements, attics, and spaces behind large appliances and chimneys.

Don't try to tackle a rodent infestation on your own; get rid of rodents with our home pest control and commercial pest control solutions from the professional experts at Combat Pest Control.

Along with partnering with a rodent control expert, taking advantage of the following prevention tips will help you avoid problems with mice and rats:

• Remove yard clutter and debris.
• Keep your grass mowed short and its shrubbery and trees well pruned.
• Inspect the exterior of your home and repair any defects you discover that could offer rodent entrance into your house.
• Keep lids on trash cans, remove bird feeders, and ensure outdoor eating areas are free of leftover food.

For more ways to maintain a rodent-free home and for information about rodent control in Plymouth, MA, please call today!