What Every Terre Haute Resident Should Know About Rodent Control

Of all the pests that can infest Terre Haute, Indiana properties, rodents are some of the worst. While some people find these furry animals rather adorable and even keep them as pets, finding wild rodents around your home or business is never a good thing.

In fact, rodents, specifically mice and rats, are some of the most frequent pests found in the area. And, they are much more than just an annoyance or nuisance. They are known for causing both destruction and posing health risks, and the list of issues they can create goes on and on.

Since rodents can be very dangerous to have around, this guide is here to help you identify them and learn why you should avoid them.

Telling Mice And Rats Apart

While mice and rats are quite different in size, they do look similar in some ways. It’s easy to confuse the baby rats with mice, especially at a far-away glance. This is especially true for Norway rats with a similar brown-gray fur color. However, you can use the following key characteristics to tell the two apart:

• Mice have longer, thinner tails, while rats have shorter ones that are hairless and look almost scaly.
• Rats have more rounded and blunt faces while mice have more pointed ones.
• Mice only reach about five inches in length, while rats can get up to 15 inches long.
• Rats have smaller ears than mice do. Mice also have larger eyes in proportion to their bodies. 

Rodents And Property Damage

While rodents might not seem like they could do all that much damage, they can do a surprising amount. They need to constantly chew on things to keep their teeth from growing too large. They can actually chew through many materials, even strong ones, such as pipes, wires, drywall, and wood. This chewing can destroy personal belongings and valuables as well as electrical wires and plumbing, leading to safety hazards. 

Over time, this damage can add up and cost a good deal of money to fix. It also makes rodents difficult to prevent because they can chew their way inside through so many places. 

The Health Risks Rodents Pose

While property damage is frustrating to deal with, the really scary thing about rodents is the health hazards they can cause. The risks rodents pose to humans include:

• The ability to spread many different illnesses including hantavirus, rat-bite fever, and salmonellosis.
• While aren’t particularly aggressive and are rather shy, rodents will bite on occasion to defend themselves if they feel cornered.
• Rodent droppings, urine, and fur can build up and cause respiratory problems.
• They can also cause allergic reactions and asthma attacks.
• They are frequent carriers of ticks and fleas. These parasites can spread more illnesses, including serious ones like Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

What’s The Best Way To Remove Rodent Infestations?

Rodents are particularly difficult to keep out since they can fit through many small holes and even chew their way inside. They are also challenging to eradicate because they are so prolific. For these reasons, the safest and most effective way to protect your property is with professional home pest control from Action Pest Control.

Our technicians will swiftly remove the entire rodent problem and then apply follow-up treatments to ensure they are gone for good. Just contact us today to learn more and request an inspection.