Rodents can cause a lot of damage to your home.
Even the smallest rodents can cause expensive damage to your home, and if you’ve had a chance to read our last blog, then you already know about some of the damage they can cause. That’s why it’s essential to contact the right wildlife management and control company in Sarasota, FL before the rodents have time to do too much damage. However, you won’t always see a mouse or a rat in your home, and you must be able to spot the signs of an infestation in order to get it taken care of. Here are a few common signs of a rodent infestation to watch out for in your home:
Sign #1. Gnaw Marks
Rodents have teeth that continually grow. That means that, in order to keep their teeth filed down, rodents must chew constantly. One common sign of a rodent infestation is gnaw marks on walls, wires, food packaging and anything else they can get ahold of. If the gnaw marks are recent, they’ll probably be lighter in color, and if they’ve been around for a while, they’ll be darker.
Sign #2. Droppings
Where there are rodents, there are rodent droppings. The color and consistency of the droppings will depend on how old they are. Older droppings are brittle, dry and grey in color, while newer droppings will be moist and dark. The largest number of droppings will be found near the nest or feeding site, so look for droppings in cupboards, drawers, under sinks, along runways and near food storage areas.
Sign #3. Runways
Rodents like to use the same runways when they travel between their nests, water sources and food sources, and they also follow odor trails. If rodents are frequenting your home, you’ll often find distinct runways that have footprints, tail marks, droppings, smudges and/or urine stains. They are easiest to spot if you angle a black light or flashlight toward the area.
Sign #4. Nests
Rodents prefer to use fuzzy, soft or warm materials to make their nests, like fabric, stuffing from furniture, grass, shredded paper and more. They like to build their nests in areas that are hidden, like in floors or walls, cabinets and boxes. Commonly, you’ll spot a rodent’s nest near a food source, or in areas where they are safe from predators.
Sign #5. Sounds
Rodents are active at night, so there’s a good chance that you won’t see a rodent in your home. However, you can often hear them if you pay attention. Listen for sounds of running, scratching, gnawing or squeaking at night. And if you hear something, use a bright flashlight to inspect the area.
For wildlife management and control in Sarasota Florida that you can rely on, choose Miler’s Wildlife Services
If you’ve noticed any of the above signs of a rodent infestation in your home, don’t put off getting the professional help you need. If you wait too long, the rodents could do some serious and expensive damage to your home. Contact us today at 941-302-6009 (call or text) to schedule your appointment.
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