Your Guide To Rodent Control & Prevention

What are rodents?

Rodents are mammals and are part of the order Rodentia. They make up about 40% of all mammals living worldwide. Rodents are adaptable and have the potential to live in almost any indoor or outdoor environment. Rodents are all characterized by a single pair of front incisors found in their upper and lower jaws that continuously grow. To prevent their teeth from overgrowing, rodents constantly gnaw on anything they come across. Mice and rats are common species of rodents that commonly invade properties.

Are rodents dangerous?

Rodents are dangerous pests and should never be allowed to live in or around homes or businesses. Rodents have the potential to transmit a wide variety of diseases and bacteria to people, including Lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCM), salmonellosis, dysentery, hantavirus, and leptospirosis. Additionally, mice and rats contaminate food and surfaces of a home they are invading with their urine and feces.

When living inside, both mice and rats can create significant structural damage to items such as pipes, wires, insulation, flooring, and drywall by chewing on or through them. They can also destroy personal items like books, clothing, shoes, pictures, and furniture.

Why do I have a rodent problem?

Properties with gardens, compost piles, pet food, outdoor garbage cans, outdoor eating areas, birdseed, birdbaths, clogged gutters, woodpiles, dense vegetation, and piles of debris are all highly attractive to rodents. All of the above can act as food, water, and shelter sources for rodents.

Mice and rats have the potential to enter any home at any time of the year. However, rodents can become a particular problem in the late fall as they seek a safe, warm place to overwinter. It only takes an opening the diameter of a pencil for a mouse to squeeze their way into structures. Common entry points for rodents include openings along rooflines, foundations, underneath doors, windows, vents, and openings or spaces found around utilities.

Where will I find rodents?

Rats mainly nest outside in trees, woodpiles, under decks and foundations, along the sides of rivers, and in areas of debris. Mice nesting outside do so in tree stumps, woodpiles, in dense vegetation, or in abandoned bird or other small animal nests. Inside, both nest behind walls, in attics or basements, inside crawlspaces, in pantries, behind appliances, or underneath sinks.

How do I get rid of rodents?

The easiest way to control and prevent rodent infestations is with the help of the Philadelphia rodent control experts. At Resolution Pest, our board-trained, state-certified exterminators deliver the exceptional pest control services needed to rid your home and property of rodents. Resolution Pest is committed to using environmentally safe, ethical treatments to solve your rodent problem and prevent their return. To learn more about implementing a residential or commercial pest control service in your Bucks, Chester, Delaware, or Montgomery County-area home or business, call Resolution Pest!

How can I prevent rodents in the future?

In addition to our professional services in the Philadelphia metro area, the following tips can help to prevent problems with rodents:

• Remove woodpiles, piles of leaves, garbage, or construction debris from your property where rodents could hide.

• Make sure that outdoor trash cans and compost bins have tight-fitting lids on them.

• Place gardens a distance away from the outside of your home.

• Make sure chimneys have tight-fitting caps.

• Repair any loose or missing roof shingles.

• Repair holes along the roofline and at roof intersections.

• Place door sweeps on all exterior doors, especially basement doors.

• Trim tree limbs, shrubs, and bushes away from the exterior of your home.

• Seal cracks in the foundation and exterior walls of your home, along with spaces around utility entrances.