Did you know mice poop around 70 times a day? It’s a good thing humans don’t go with the same regularity, or no one would ever get anything done!
But mice are small and quick. They might be difficult to spot. That means many homeowners don’t know what signs to look for when they suspect an infestation.
If you’re searching for “rodent control near me”, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve put this article together to explain how you can spot the signs of mice in your home, and how you can deal with the issue once it’s been identified.
1. Droppings
Remember those ample droppings we mentioned earlier? They’re dirty and disease-causing, but they also serve a valuable purpose; they alert you to the presence of mice in your home.
Droppings are fairly small and indistinct, so you may not notice them at first. But if you keep spotting these small, dark pieces of dirt around your house, you can be sure they aren’t appearing from nowhere!
Mice rarely just pass through a home, so if you spot a dropping, it’s practically a guarantee that you’ve got pests. Call for rodent control right away.
2. The Smell of Urine
Mice don’t just poop a lot. They also pee almost constantly! If you’re routinely smelling urine around your home, it’s a good sign you need rodent control services.
Some folks notice a smell and write it off as something from outside. They might be tempted to spray a little air freshener and move on with their day. But if you’re noticing a foul smell in unusual places, it’s worth doing a little digging to find the source of the problem.
3. Disturbed Food
All that pooping needs a lot of food to maintain! The average mouse eats around three of four grams of food per day.
But where do they find all the sustenance they need? They might be raiding your kitchen! Mice are omnivores and enjoy many of the same foods humans do, so much of your kitchen stock will be subject to raids!
When you’ve got mice in the home, you might notice holes in boxes and packets. If you suspect rodents have gotten into any food in your home, it’s best to throw it out immediately for hygiene reasons. To avoid this happening again, it might be worth storing food in sealed containers high above the ground, to avoid the risk of contamination.
4. An Overly Alert Pet
Your pet is likely at its most relaxed inside the home. Most likely, they’ll spend a lot of time lounging on the rug or snoozing on their favorite rug. When that changes, it might be a sign something is wrong.
Depending on this type of behavior, you probably need pest and rodent control!
If your dog suddenly starts to sniff at a specific area, or becomes distressed at a certain time of night, they could have smelled pests in the home. Remember, cats and dogs have extremely heightened senses of smell and hearing, so they’ll notice things you don’t!
Even if they aren’t responding to mice, they might have located something with a strong odor that could be attracting mice to your home. It’s well worth investigating in any case.
6. Damaged Walls and Furniture
If you’ve ever seen a mouse up close, you’ll know how prone they are to nibbling their surroundings with those ever-growing teeth.
If you’re checking for infestation, look at chair legs, sideboards, electronics, and anything else close to the ground. Even floorboards may have scratches or gnaw marks on them!
With a little practice, you’ll be able to spot the difference between a simple scuff mark and damage caused by a rodent. Their teeth and claws make specific marks on furniture, so you’ll soon get to notice them at a glance.
7. Finding a Nest
If you come across a bundle of shredded paper or other soft material in your home, you might not know what it is. Maybe you’ll just sweep it into the trash, thinking your kids are playing tricks on you.
But you might have just come across a sure-fire sign of an infestation. Mice make nests out of whatever materials they can find, creating warm spaces to sleep and have their babies.
A nest is a sign of a particularly severe infestation. It might mean your unwanted guests are breeding, creating dozens more pests to steal your food, damage your furniture, and spread diseases!
8. You See an Actual Mouse
If you find an actual mouse, dead or alive…well, that’s all the evidence you need!
If you see a live mouse scurrying across your floorboards, things might be particularly bad. Mice are fearful of humans and will usually do anything they can to avoid being seen out in the open. When you do see a live mouse in the flesh, it might be because your infestation is particularly severe.
A dead mouse is another sign of a severe infection, especially if you find one out in the open. It’s also a reminder of the potential hygiene issues of an infestation and the need to address the problem right away.
Call in the Professionals: Get “Rodent Control Near Me”
When you spot an infestation, it’s time to take action. And you’d better be quick before the problem gets worse!
You may have found this article by searching for “rodent control near me”. Don’t worry, help is at hand!
Prodigy Pest Solutions can help. We’ve got the experience, expertise, and equipment to provide quality rodent pest control. Check out our services today.