Mice, rats, and other common rodents are responsible for over $20 million dollars worth of damage to buildings and agricultural products every year. Rodents have been an annoyance for homeowners all over the world ever since we started putting roofs above our heads, and mice discovered what we keep in our pantries.
Rodents are one of the most populous species of mammals on earth, varying greatly in size, habits, and appearance. One common trait that unites them is their ever-growing front teeth, the incisors. Besides the incisors, other common characteristics of all rodents include fur-covered bodies and tails of varying lengths.
Let's take a look at the types of rodents you're likely to run into in our area, the problems that come into your home with them, what you can do to deter rodents away from your Mesa home, and where to find reliable pest control in Mesa if deterrents don't do the trick.
Types Of Rodents Common To The Area
With over 2000 types of rodents in the world, we should consider ourselves lucky that only a very few show any interest in setting up camp in our homes or properties.
In our area, you're likely to run into these common rodent species:
- House mouse
- Deer mouse
- Norway rat
- Roof rat
- Voles
- Squirrels
The top two types of Arizona rodents you're likely to see are house mice and Norway rats, both species very common to our area.
The Problems Rodents On Your Property Can Create
The most obvious problem with a rodent infestation on your property comes from the design of their teeth. With rodents' incisors growing non-stop throughout their lives, they have to look for something to gnaw on to keep their teeth manageable. That accounts for the damage they inflict on the furniture legs in your home, the bottoms of the walls, and just about anything else they're capable of reaching and thinking their teeth into.
Rodent's supremely well-developed sense of smell will lead them to the groceries stored in your pantry, and while feasting on your stored food, they will contaminate almost everything else in the pantry and the surfaces they travel on.
Most rodents, regardless of size or type, carry a number of highly contagious diseases. From leptospirosis, tularemia, and salmonellosis, sharing your home with rodents is fraught with inherent dangers.
How To Identify And Remove Factors That Attract Rodents
Most rodents, like rats and mice, are interested in your home simply because it has an abundant supply of foodstuff, a comfortable temperature-controlled environment, and walls to separate them from their natural predators.
Removing those attractants and making it harder to get inside will go a long way as a part of effective an rodent control approach:
- Seal cracks in the outside walls larger than one-quarter inch
- Keep food stored in sealed glass or metal containers
- Dispose of garbage regularly
- Cut grass, shrubs, and tree branches away from the house
- Keep an eye on rarely used spaces, like basements, attics, and garages, for a rodent infestation
Rodents, especially house mice, are famous for the speied with which they can increase their numbers. A single mouse that snuck into your home to escape a cold snap can become a colony of hundreds in no time.
The Key To Total Rodent Control For Mesa Properties
At Pest Pros LLC, we've got over 40 years of experience helping Mesa area residents with their rodent control needs. Our technicians are trained to provide a comprehensive rodent control solution, ensuring that all rodents are removed from your property and the pathways they use to make their way in are sealed.
If you're struggling with a rodent infestation, call us today to get started and to learn more about our residential and commercial pest control services in Mesa.
When you call us, you’ll talk with a knowledgeable expert who can answer your pest-related questions and provide you with a free estimate.