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Mice Rats And Rodents

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What Kinds Of Mice Are In My Home?

Mice are a common problem in Raleigh, North Carolina. Like the nearly 469,000 residents, pests are drawn to Raleigh’s most unique areas. Beautiful mountain sceneries, colorful autumn seasons, and snuggling white winters, what’s not to love about the area? Not that mice care about any of these amazing attributes. Although, the winter and summer weather will affect rodent behavior. Single-digit temperatures, brutally cold winds, and icy rains could be the factors, driving rodents indoors. Either way, you’ll want to get rid of them as quickly as you can. And the best way to start with that is by knowing exactly what you are dealing with.

In Raleigh, North Carolina, there are only two kinds of mice that are commonly found in homes and businesses. Doesn’t sound like a big deal, right? Just two species. Well, these two species can be extremely destructive and even harder to remove at times. These two species are the house mouse and the deer mouse.

The House Mouse

  • The house mouse is the smaller of the two species and nearly hairless.
  • It has a slightly pointed black nose with black beady eyes.
  • The ears of the pest are extremely long, with rounded tips
  • House mouse fur varies between light brown, grayish/brown, and dark brown. The rodent’s abdomen ranges between a tan, buff, or white
  • The fecal droppings emit a musty odor that witnesses describe as “pungent.”

The Deer Mouse

  • The fact that this mouse is called a deer mouse has nothing to do with any commonalities between the pest and the hunted animal. The deer mouse is generally multi-colored gray and light brown, tan and gray, or white and dark brown.
  • The rodent usually has white feet and a white belly
  • The deer mouse’s most distinctive feature is its tail, which is covered with a thin layer of fur. The tail is significantly longer (approximately 105 millimeters) than most other mouse species.
  • The ears and eyes of the deer mouse are much larger than that of the house mouse and more protruding.
  • The droppings are black and smooth with pointed ends.

Learning To Interrupt The Signs Of An Infestation

As a homeowner, it is your responsibility to learn how to interrupt the signs of an infestation. Upon learning, you have a potential problem, you’ll want to get a pest control expert on the line immediately. Therefore, it is important to always know the potential warning signs. Always keep them in the back of your mind! Here are some common signs that might indicate you are dealing with mice in and around the property:

  • Fecal droppings in and around the property
  • Rodent nests indoors and around the perimeter of the impacted home. The rodent selectively picks twigs, grass clippings, and household waste products for its nests
  • Look for gnaw marks on the bottom of wooden door frames, exposed electrical wires, and food containers
  • You may hear the pests scurrying about at night. While lying in bed, you might hear them scurrying above in the attic or in the walls. No, your home is not likely haunted, you are likely dealing with a mouse.

Why Do I Have Mice In My Basement?

Most people are shocked when they learn that mice are commensal pests. What does this mean? It means they share living spaces and habitats with humans. They depend on you as a huge part of their survival, so you could be the cause of your infestation and don’t even know it. Mice are opportunistic pests, always on the hunt for food, water, and shelter. Anywhere they can get it, they’ll jump right on the opportunity. They usually enter the home through tiny cracks and crevices in the foundation.

Structural components not properly sealed can become entry points for mice and rats. Small exterior-to-interior openings are a potential entry point for these pests. They will have no problem finding their way into the home.

Are Mice Dangerous?

As small as a mouse can be, it can be an intimidating pest. It is completely understandable as to why this is the case. They have a reputation for having the ability to gnaw through metal sewer pipes. And they can! Not only this, but they are huge spreaders of dangerous diseases. They are always leaving their urine and feces behind, which can be contaminated. If they walk in these substances and then walk through the home, they are essentially spreading bacteria everywhere they go. Some of the popular and dangerous diseases that have been linked to mice are Hantavirus, Hemorrhagic Fever, Lass Fever, Leptospirosis, Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis, plague, and rat-bite fever.

How To Get Rid Of Mice?

Unfortunately, mice are much harder to eliminate than most people think. Most people think they can simply put out a few traps in areas where the pests have been spotted. This will not work. It’s likely you’ll come in and see the traps picked dry. Some of these pests are smart enough to just go around the traps, while some of them are quick enough to remove the bait without disarming them. It can become troubling and disheartening at times.

Combine this with the fact that these pests need little to nothing to survive and it just makes matters all that much worse. They also possess the ability to run up walls and walk on cables and wires, making them all that much harder to track and capture. Therefore, rat infestations are jobs best left for the pros. We are here and more than willing to help!

When Can You Get To My Home?

We are an extremely adaptable pest management company in Raleigh, North Carolina. It is our adaptability that our customers appreciate. In addition to this, we are willing to go above and beyond where most pest control firms do not.

Our qualified customer support can have your service request processed within 24 to 48 hours.

Rats

What Are Rats?

Just because you learned all about the mouse above, it does not mean you know everything there is to know about rats. Although the two pests are alike, share common traits, and can be eliminated utilizing the same methods, they are entirely different beasts. Like the mouse, there are only two species of rats that you must worry about in Raleigh, North Carolina. This does help narrow things down a little and these would be the roof rat and the Norway rat.

Roof Rats

  • The species measures anywhere from 7 to 9 inches long
  • The coat is coarse with shaggy brown fur
  • The rodent has a blunt-shaped nose
  • The tail measures between 6 to 8 inches in length.
  • The fecal droppings have pointy ends and measure up to ¾ inches in length

Norway Rats

  • The Norway rat is slightly smaller than many other rat species, with a body that ranges anywhere from 6 to 8 inches long
  • The rodent does, however, have smooth, brown fur
  • The nose is pink and slightly pointy
  • The tail is long, measuring between 7 to 10 inches
  • The fecal droppings measure less than 1/2 inch with pointy ends

Are Rats Dangerous?

When it comes right down to it, rats pose the same health and physical risks as the mouse species. The rat is constantly gnawing to combat its ever-growing front teeth (incisors). Some rat species carry the potential to spread a myriad of diseases. Amongst these diseases, one of the more well-known is mycoplasma, a dangerous bacterium responsible for pneumonia.

Can I Eliminate Rats Without Professional Assistance?

Unfortunately, unskilled, and inexperienced individuals believe they know enough to eradicate a rat infestation, without getting the experts involved. While this may be the case, it is extremely rare if not impossible to achieve full extermination of a rodent infestation.

Do-it-yourself rodenticides are standard low potency formulas. We do not recommend these treatments for rodent infestation. It may be possible to eradicate one, two, or six rats, utilizing over-the-counter rodenticide, but only in rare cases.

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Mice Rat and Rodents