The Secret To Keeping Mice Out Of Your Roanoke Home

2/18/2020

As mice scamper around your home in the dead of night, they often go undetected, leading to the common phrase, "as quiet as a mouse".  Though they may move about in practical silence, they leave behind clues to their presence such as droppings, rub marks, and stored nesting materials. All-in-all, these creatures should not be ignored.

When it comes to protecting your home from mice, the trick is understanding their behavior, how they differ from their rat cousins, and why they're attracted to your home in the first place.  In the long run, if you have a rodent infestation, your central goal is likely elimination. Luckily, our experts at Star City Pest Control have the experience needed to make your rodent problem disappear. 

How To Differentiate Between Mice And Rats

If you see a rodent scampering through your home, you may be wondering about whether or not you have a problem with mice or rats. Typically, if you have a mouse infestation, you're mostly likely dealing with house mice. A house mouse is typically light brown or grey with a whitish belly. They range in size from 2 1/2 to 4 inches long with tails that grow about the same length or longer than their bodies. 
 
If you suspect that rats are the cause of the rodent infestation in your Roanoke home, you most likely are dealing with Norway rats or roof rats.

• Norway rats are significantly larger than mice and easy to differentiate from the house mouse.

• A roof rat, on the other hand, is smaller and looks a lot more like its mouse relative. Like a house mouse, it has a tail that is as long as its body. The main difference is its ears. Mice have large, round ears whereas roof rats have ears that are shorter and pointed. They also have a longer, distinctly pointed snout when compared with their mouse relative.

What Attracts Mice to Your Home?

Mice are attracted to a home because it provides the necessary food, shelter, and water ideal for survival and reproduction. During the winter months, they seek warmth and protection inside of your home. If you want to keep mice and rats away, you need to organize storage spaces in basements and closets that will provide an ideal indoor habitat for a house mouse.
 
Also, check the exterior of your home for holes or cracks that provide an entry point for a house mouse. Be mindful that house mice don't need a lot of space to enter - they can squeeze through an opening that's about he size of a dime. 
 
Mice are also searching constantly for food. They eat grains, cereals, and other food commonly found in your pantry. They are also attracted to crumbs or spills left behind on counter tops and floors. Therefore, it is important to utilize preventative measures such as regularly cleaning floors and counter tops as well as storing food in hard plastic or glass containers with airtight lids.  

Are Rodents in the House Dangerous?

Mice are a nuisance pest. Despite their claim of silence, they can make a lot of noise when scurrying through your house or making their home in your walls. They also leave droppings, nesting materials, rub marks, and urine throughout your home contaminating surfaces, furniture, and insulation.  Mice are also dangerous because of the diseases they carry. Mice have been linked to diseases such as hantavirus and salmonellosis, as well as many others.
 
Mice are also vector pests meaning they carry other pests into your home such as fleas and ticks. These pests expose your family to a host of other harmful diseases and bacteria. 
 
Finally, mice can damage your property. They need to gnaw constantly to file down their ever-growing teeth, so they’ll leave gnaw marks on furniture, belongings, and even on walls or cabinets. When inside your walls, they may also chew on electrical wiring that is not only costly to repair, but could also lead to electrical fires. 

How to Get Rid of Mice

Though you can try typical do-it-yourself methods for rodent control such as traps or poisons, these solutions often fall short. Traps likely will not capture all present rodents. Even more worrisome, poisons, when used incorrectly, are hazardous or even deadly to pets and children. In the end, the best method for rodent control is to partner with a professional.

If you suspect that you have rats or mice in your home, call Star City Pest Control. The true secret to keeping your house rodent-free is to invest in year-round pest control. We’ll identify the problem before mice can cause any damage to your home. Don’t hesitate to reach out for help. We’ll keep your home safe, all year.

Tags: mice | rats | home pest control |

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