Complete Guide To Rodent Control In Jasper

When rodents get into Jasper homes, residents sometimes take drastic steps to get rid of them—and then find themselves in an even worse predicament. While rodents in Jasper threaten health and property, control methods can also present a threat or they may simply fail to address infestations and allow rodents to continue to do what they do. Both are bad. Join us today as we look at common rodents, habits and behaviors that bring them indoors, some of the things they do indoors, and what methods work to keep them out. If you have a rodent problem and you're at the end of your rope, remember that you can take action and contact Action Pest Control for industry-leading rodent pest control in Jasper. You don't have to read an article about rodent control to stop rodents. Our licensed pest management professionals have the training and experience to track down those pests and remove them from your home. 

Each of the rodents mentioned above differs in certain ways. We've already touched on some of the differences, such as how Norway rats prefer to live in the ground and how roof rats prefer to live in trees. Let's discuss the habits and behaviors that turn them from backyard rodents to indoor pests.

Navigation: Do you know that rats and mice have poor eyesight so they must use their other senses to navigate? They are so adept at using their senses of touch, smell, and hearing, their navigation in utter darkness is easy. When a rodent comes to the edge of your property, it doesn't know that your home exists. The reason it enters your yard is that it is drawn to explore areas that attract them. A rat or mouse may pick up the subtle scent of garbage from your trash receptacles, hear noises that intrigue them, or detect objects on the ground in your yard. Slowly, they scurry across your yard, going from object to object until they find their way to your landscaping or the void under a deck or exterior stairs.

Food Sources: Once a rat or mouse finds its way to your exterior, it is prompted to stay if food is found. What do they eat? Bird seed, grass seed, berries, tree fruit, unprotected garbage, nuts, and sometimes bugs. Squirrels eat these things too but they do it openly. You won't have to wonder if you have squirrels around your home. They are active during the day and they use their keen eyesight and sense of smell to find food on your property. While squirrels differ from rats and mice, all of these pests are drawn to food, and available food can lead to unwanted entry.

Tight Spaces: Rats and mice are always touching stuff. They run along walls and objects on the ground. They squeeze into the gaps of ground objects and hide in the tight spaces of wood and stone piles. The attraction to touch stimuli is called thigmotaxis, and this behavior brings rats and mice into your home. They can't help but squeeze through a gap around a pipe or underneath an exterior door. You need to block these routes to keep rodents out.

Routes: All rodents are excellent climbers, though some are slightly more adept. A rodent that is a skilled climber can not only scale a tree and jump on your roof, it can scale a pipe on your exterior, work its way up a downspout, or simply climb up the exterior surface of your home. They do this with their claws. Unlike Spider-Man, who can apparently wear boots and gloves while climbing, rodents need their claws exposed to scale exteriors. But we digress.

Smells: When a rodent passes by an exterior door and catches the scent of food leaking out of a gap in your weatherstripping, it may investigate. You can prevent this simply by making sure the seals around your exterior doors are complete. Even a tiny mouse can make short work of chewing its way past weatherstripping. The material is not robust enough to stop them. The real benefit weatherstripping provides is that it seals smells inside.

Do you see how it works? There are factors that can attract rodents to your yard and lure them into your home. You can work to keep rodents out by applying methods and materials to deter them. It is essential to deter them.

We won't spend much time on this topic, but you should know that rodents are not harmless woodland creatures. They are urban pests. They crawl in dumpsters, sewers, and compost, and accidentally pick up harmful microorganisms, such as salmonella, hookworms, and E. coli. They also pick up ticks and fleas, which have the potential to spread Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiosis, and many other diseases that impact human health.

While rodents are common in domestic settings, they are not domesticated animals. They leave their droppings and urine everywhere. You can't expect a rat, mouse, or squirrel to politely use the restroom outdoors. When any rodent gets into your attic, it will contaminate nesting areas and all the areas they explore. Rats and mice can contaminate attics, kitchens, pantries, bathrooms, storage rooms, basements, and more. They can't help it. They are only doing what is natural. 

The worst issue with rodents is their constant need to gnaw on things. They create holes for other pests to enter your home. They create holes that allow rainwater and moisture in. This can lead to wood rot and mold. They chew on wires in your walls which is a fire hazard. They damage stored items and chew into store food packages. All of that chewing is definitely bad.

There are many ways to control rodents and some of them are as harmful as the rodents you're attempting to control. We strongly recommend using all-natural pest management methods, such as exclusion work, food protection, and sanitation to keep rodents out of your home, or to address a rodent infestation. If control products are needed, please contact a professional. A licensed professional uses strict guidelines to ensure the safe removal of rodents and will administer rodent control products effectively. The latter is a benefit not often fully considered. Effective rodent control combines inspections, proper application of control products, evaluations, and follow-ups. When rodent control is appropriately applied, you won't have rodents secretly hiding in your home after treatment, continuing to present a threat to your health and property, without you realizing it.

Are you in Jasper? If so, contact Action Pest Control for rodent pest control. We have the experience and professionalism to guide you every step of the way and we will ensure that you get the highest level of service. Rodents are not harmless critters. While certainly common in the urban landscape, their behavior patterns make them a threat to human health and property. Take action today and get Action Pest Control to remove rodents and keep rodents out permanently.