Rodents around your home and neighbourhood can interrupt your normal household activities. They are not just famous for creating a nuisance around you but also dangerous. Regarding rodents, we commonly think of house rats and mice. But, there are numerous species of rodents such as house mice, black rats, brown rats, etc. All of these species are harmful to humans and housepets. Here, we will talk about the dangers of rodent infestations at home and why you need pest management.

Let’s Understand the Problem: Why is Rodent Infestation Problematic?

Black and brown rats, mice, and house rats roam and breed freely in the Australian climate due to the suitable weather conditions. Therefore, it is also very easy for them to invade your residential properties and buildings if not maintained properly. This rapidly multiplying species enters your home through cracks in the wall or floor, broken pipes, or unmaintained doors and windows. Rodents prefer dark, shady, moist, and dirty areas for sheltering. Therefore, if your home has such conditions, they can easily make it their home.

So, How Do You Understand Rodent Infestation?

Rodent Droppings

Rodent excretes or droppings are confirmation signs of their presence at home. The fresh droppings look dark and moist. With time they become gray, dry, and brittle. Usually, these are found near food packages, in dark and shabby areas, behind wooden frames, etc. areas.

Gnaw Marks

If you spotlight to dark-coloured gnaw marks over the walls or food packages, there could be a possibility of rodent infestations. If the marks are light in colour, they are fresh. And the marks turn darker with time. The small marks indicate mice and the larger marks indicate rats.

Tracks and Runways

Rodents are highly suspicious species. They do not follow new paths but prefer to stick to a distinct track or pathway. You can identify these tracks by noticing their footprints, droppings, smudged marks or urine stains on the way. Use a blacklight or flashlight to identify these marks or spray some powder over the doubtful areas. The next morning, you may spot some rodent footprints.

Holes And Burrows

When the food is abundant and the home is untidy, rodent infestation is hardly avoidable. They make holes and burrows to stay safe during the day and come out in the night. These holes will be closer to their food source. You can find them near your garbage bins, outside dustbins, food waste machines, dishwashers, or attics. If you spot rodent excretes or food particles around unusual places at home- check the corners or walls to find the holes.

Scratching Noises

You may hear some unusual sounds during quiet hours. It will feel like something is scratching underneath the floor, and walls or running through the cabinets. Rodents use their sharp canines to scratch while looking for food, creating an uncommon sound. Sometimes, you can hear soft squeaking at midnight. These are guaranteed signs of rodents’ presence at home.

Urine Pools

Rodents tend to urinate near food sources. Therefore, if you inspect your home or yard, you may find some greasy dirt and urine around the garbage bin, under your food storage units, or outside the bathroom pipes in small mound-type structures. These are the signs of rodents at home. You can easily detect these signs by using a fluorescent or black light.

Ammonia Odour

Identifying unpleasant odours in the house may indicate a pest infestation. If the smell seems stale and musty, more like a used baby diaper, then this is a rodent infestation. Rodent urine carries a highly potent smell so, you can easily identify an active rodent infestation. Many people mistake the odour that occurs due to the dead body of a mouse or rat.

Allergic Reactions

The rodent species are extremely unhygienic due to their habitat. They prefer to stay in dustbins, your food waste chambers, bathroom pipes, and gutter lines. Therefore, when these pests enter our home, they carry those germs in their furs and leave them throughout our home. So, if anyone in your home experiences sudden allergies or health issues, such as food poisoning, diarrhea, etc., there could be a possibility of rodent or pest infestation.

Pets Barking

Often we miss out on things to notice that our pets can. Therefore, if you see that your pet food is missing from the bowl or your pet is barking somewhere near the floor or walls- there might be some rodents hidden. Pets have strong hearing and smelling capacity. Therefore, if you doubt having rats, mice, etc. at home, you can notice your pet’s behaviour to get an idea.

As you confirm rodent infestation, understand why you need to remove them

Health compromisation

Allergies and health deterioration are the most common things you face with severe rodent infestation. Rodent bites can be extremely painful and you may need medical assistance immediately.

Building damage

Rodents can cut, chew, and tear down your building easily, if not maintained properly. With time, they make the building structure fragile.

Fire hazards

The number of fires that break out due to damaged or chewed wiring by rats and mice is huge. These rodents cut and chew electrical wire and make them prone to overheating and sparking, leading to large fire breakouts.

Food waste

To make their way to your food source, they end up ruining, gnawing, and infecting everything all their way. As they carry germs and dirt, they infect the main food storage in large quantities. Also, these pests carry a potent smell, making the food beyond consumable. Therefore, you face a huge food waste.

Conclusion

Now that you know about the dangers and signs of rodent infestation at home, get in touch with your local pest control Perth experts today. Get your home checked by a professional and lead a safe and healthy life.