Why Rodents Love Your Home During A Wayne Winter

12/16/2019

Living here in the north, we are not strangers to cold weather. Snow will come if it hasn’t come already, and rodents will want to get into your home. It’s that simple. Rodents hate the cold and our homes are the warmest places around. Where else are rodents going to find endless storages of food and walls to hide in? It’s a hard truth to swallow, but your home is a paradise for rodents, and only you can stop them from getting in this winter. The question is, how?

Common Rodents In Wayne

There are many rodents across the world, but only two that you have to worry about trying to get into your home this winter: mice and rats, more specifically house mice, Norway rats, and roof rats. These three home invaders make up the vast majority of rodent related problems year-round. We should mention that other rodents such as squirrels might try to get into your attic to get out of the cold, but unlike rats and mice, they will not stay when springtime comes. This is because squirrels much prefer nature over your home.
 
To tell the difference between mice and rats, look first at their size. Rats are generally bigger than mice. They also have blunter noses and smaller ears compared to their head size. You can also look at their tails, mice have furry tails where rats have scaly tails.

How Do Rodents Get Inside?

The short answer to this question is, any way possible. The long answer involves the rodent finding or making an entryway. Most commonly rodents will look for a gap, crack, or hole in the exterior of your home to squeeze their way inside. Once an opening is found, the smell of food or a warm breeze is enough to drive them inside. If the opening is not big enough, rodents can use their strong, sharp teeth to chew their way inside. Fun fact, a rat's teeth are so strong, they can chew through lead. 
 
Some rodents such as squirrels and roof rats can climb the exterior of a home to look for openings around a roofline. If your home is not properly sealed, rodents will be able to find a way inside this winter. 
 
If you are wondering, how do I keep rats and mice away from my home? Here are a few suggestions to consider trying.

• Clean regularly.
• Pick up pet food and water bowls before night time.
• Store leftover foods in plastic containers.
• Make sure no pipes or faucets are leaking in your home.
• Use a caulking gun and some wire mesh to seal up openings in your home’s exterior.

Are Rodents Dangerous?

Despite their cute appearance, rodents are as dangerous as pests come. When it comes to the list of problems they can cause, it is hard to find where to start. A list might be the best way to show you.

• Rodents can carry disease.
• Rodents can carry parasites.
• Rodents can contaminate foods with their droppings and urine.
• Rodents can chew through walls or gnaw on furniture.
• Rodents can tear up fabrics, paper materials, and insulation to build their nests.
• Rodents can nibble through electrical wires creating a potential fire hazard.
• Rodents can gnaw through utility piping, springing leaks in your home and causing water damage that could attract other pests including termites.
• Rodents can bring ticks and fleas into your home.
• The fleas and ticks rodents bring inside can be transferred to your pets.
• Fleas and ticks carry their own list of dangerous diseases.

Needless to say, your home is the last place rodents should be this winter.

How To Get Rid Of Rodents

If rodents have gotten into your Wayne home and are causing you trouble, Resolution Pest is here to help. Our professionals have been trained on how to deal with rodents and have the tools needed for the job. 
 
It doesn’t take long for a couple of rodents to become a full-blown infestation. Give us a call today for immediate services.