Rodents such as rats and mice aren’t nearly as friendly or cute as cartoon caricatures make them out to be. Not only are the pests nefarious destroyers of property, but they are also transmitters of diseases and parasites. Knowing how to prevent rodents from getting inside your home is a good way to protect your property and your loved ones from the unwanted hassle and health concerns caused by rodent activity.
Common Rodents Can Create Big Problems
All rodents have front incisors that never stop growing, forcing them to constantly chew on things that file down their teeth. However, not all rodents behave and look the same:
- Norway Rats: While they’ve got many names, these brown rats are always a nuisance no matter what you call them. They are burrowers that like to nest underground and particularly like piles of yard debris. They are known to root around in the garbage, and they almost always carry fleas.
- Mice: Here in Moline, we have two common home invaders: deer mice and house mice. While smaller than rats, mice are no less of a problem. They are known to carry a host of diseases and parasites, plus they chew through electrical wiring and wooden fastenings.
- Voles: Notorious for their incessant need to chew on wood and other plant matter, voles are particularly active in the autumn. They can ruin gardens and yards, not just by chewing, but by digging as well.
What Attracts Rodents Into Your Home
While different rodent species have different habits and behaviors, pests of all kinds look for similar things when searching for new places to nest and forage for food:
- Warmth: As warm-blooded mammals, rodents need shelter from the elements to survive. While this factor increases in the fall and winter, it should be noted that rodents can infest a home year-round.
- Food supply: Households are also providers of easy food sources. Not only can rodents chew through food packaging in cupboards and pantries, but they will also seek out the smallest crumbs and morsels from the floor.
- Moisture: Just like they need food, rodents need water. They look for leaking pipes, and standing pools of water or areas of high condensation.
Household Prevention Tips
Now that you know what attracts rodents to your Moline property, you’re probably wondering what you can do to keep rodents out of your home entirely. Eliminating the elements that attract these pests is a necessary step, but it’s also important to identify and seal off any access points in and around your home.
Check for cracks or holes in the walls and floors. Even if they don’t look big enough for a rodent to get into now, rats and mice can pick away at faults in structures until they establish an opening large enough to squeeze inside.
Therefore, if you seal up these areas upon first notice and stay up-to-date on household maintenance, you will reduce the likelihood that rodents will find their way inside of your home.
Dangerous Pests Are Our Business
Rodents are problematic and hard to eliminate, and the last thing any homeowner wants is to waste money on solutions that just don't work. Do it yourself methods for rodent control may partially eliminate the problem, but it likely won't solve it entirely. Furthermore, using traps or poisons could prove dangerous for you, your children, or your pets.
Therefore, its best to contact a professional, and that’s where we come in. The experts at Quik-Kill Pest Eliminators have proven, cost-effective solutions to get rid of any rodents that invade a home. Our technicians will quickly, humanely, and cheaply eliminate the problem to make your home safe from the diseases and damage inflicted by rodents.
If you're worried you have a rodent infestation or would like some help in preventing one from happening, contact the experts at Quik-Kill Pest Eliminators today. We will work with you to come up with a solution to keep your home pest free!