Rodents of some kind will find their way into over 21 million homes this winter. Familiarizing yourself with signs of a rodent presence in your home, then taking quick action at the first signs of an infestation will help safeguard your family’s health and your property value. Read on to find out what types of rodents we have in the Berks, Lebanon and Lancaster county areas and how to identify them.
Deer Mice - Deer Mice are found throughout the entire US and love to nest in fence posts, hollow trees, and log piles (your firewood!). They don’t come inside often, but if they do, they are a heath threat, as they are the most common carrier of Hantavirus. You can distinguish a deer mouse from an ordinary house mouse by their tail, which is bicolored brown and white. Prevention tip: Don’t tempt them inside by storing pet or bird food in garages or storage sheds!
House Mice - Unlike deer mice, house mice like to be inside in a dark secluded area of a house or other structures. but like deer mice they are also a health threat, and can spread Salmonella and tapeworms via fleas (also, fleas!). The main threat, however, is property destruction as they can gnaw through walls, food containers and furniture and have been know to cause fires by chewing through wires. House mice can fit through an opening as small as a dime. Although they have poor vision and are color blind, their other senses are very keen. Prevention tip: house mice love to nest in clutter, so keep storage areas clean and store boxes off the floor. Also, keep food in sealed, rodent-proof containers.
Norway Rats - Like deer and house mice, they’re found all over the US. They’re primarily nocturnal, and love to nest in basements, attics and and garages. Norway rats can cause significant damage gnawing through walls, doors, food containers, even plastic and lead pipes! They also carry disease, such as plague, jaundice, rat-bite fever, cowpox virus, trichinosis and salmonellosis. Also, fleas! Norway rats can gain entry into your home through a hole the size of a quarter so a good prevention tip is to seal cracks and holes in the exterior of your home before they squeeze in.
Now you know all about the rodents that are likely to invade your home, keep your eyes peeled for signs of rodent droppings, gnaw marks, footprints, damaged food containers or oily streaks on walls left behind by the rodents’ fur. Call Siani at the first sign of a rodent, because if you see one, there’s definitely more!