Most people call a professional pest control service as soon as they hear the creepy crawlies in their attic. That is often the best way to go, but you want to make sure it is a rodent infestation and not something else before you call the experts. To the untrained eye, It isn’t always clear if you have a rat or mice infestation until after the experts arrive. Here are some signs that can help you recognize the presence of rats or mice on your property.
Establishing The Extent Of A Rodent Infestation
Some signs can portray the extent of a rodent infestation. If you only come across rodents at night and never during the day, this is a sign that the infestation is not too large. There might be a few rodents that can easily get trapped in a mousetrap with bait. Houses with a large rodent population will be able to recognize their presence even during the day.
Houses with plenty of rats and mice will be able to see fresh excrement, gnaw marks, and the occasional critter traveling from one part of the house to another during the day.
Visible Rodent Excrement
Fresh excrement will be pitch-black and soggy. Rodent excrements become gray, chalky, and dry out if they have been lying around for a long time. Some places where rodent excrements might be visible are near the fridge, food containers, cabinets, drawers, hidden mouse trails, and under the kitchen sink. Carefully inspect the kitchen area behind cabinets and other hiding places for dark excrements that indicate the presence of rodents.
Gnaw Markings On Furniture
Fresh gnaw marks will be lighter in color, and it gets darker as time passes. You might see some food containers with gnawings on the wrapping or tiny bite marks on the side of walls and doors. Rodents’ teeth never stop growing throughout their life, and the reason why they have such strong teeth. Their teeth can cut away on the sides of wood, plastic, and other materials you thought were durable.
Compare the color of gnaw marks found at different places. If either of the markings is lighter in color than the other, you have a continuing rodent infestation. An expert can look at the size of the gnawings and identify whether it is a rat or a mouse infestation. Rats have large teeth, and their gnawings will also be larger than mice.
An Omnipresent Pungent Aroma
A pet cat or dog can help you determine if you have rodents in your house. Cats and dogs can sniff the scent that humans might not be able to detect so easily. The strange pungent aroma is from the rodents’ urine as it makes contact with different surfaces. A peculiar area at home can make your cat or dog unnecessarily excited.
It indicates a rodent infestation if you smell a strange smell after returning home after a long time. The smell of a dead mouse or rat stuck between a wall and a tight space is even more malodorous than the rodent urine. It is an unforgettable fragrance that you will only forget after successfully performing a professional rat abatement.