Rodent control in Sacramento is a year-round problem that everyone has to deal with. Both outdoor and indoor rodents are motivated to invade and live on our properties, so we have to mitigate both rodent problems in our area. However, indoor rodents are often the bigger threat.
Common Rodent Species: Identifying Different Types Of Rodents
Rodents are some of the most common mammals on earth. They occupy every continent except Antarctica and almost every country in the world, and Sacramento is no exception. Here in Sacramento, homeowners may encounter several different rodent varieties inside and outside their homes, but the most common rodent we see in the area is the roof rat.
Outdoor rodents in Sacramento carry some risk of property damage. They may chew on wires and fixtures on the outside of your home, and yard rodents like voles and gophers can damage lawns, landscaping, and other plants. However, rodents that live outside might be destructive and annoying, but they're unlikely to do serious harm. House rodents, on the other hand, are a different story.
Health Risks And Property Damage: The Importance Of Rodent Control
Rats and mice are the rodents that are most likely to pose major problems for Sacramento homeowners. Unlike voles, gophers, and even squirrels, which tend to live outdoors (though squirrels do sometimes come into attics and chimneys), rats and mice prefer to live in your house with you. This not only makes them more destructive. It also means they have much more potential to expose you to disease.
Rats and mice carry a plethora of dangerous pathogens, leading to health issues including:
- Hantavirus
- Leptospirosis
- Lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCM)
- Plague
- Rat-bite fever
- Salmonellosis
- Tularemia
These are only a few of the many diseases rodents spread. These animals contaminate virtually everything they touch. They shed dirty hair, spread germs with their dirty feet, and don't think twice about leaving feces and urine anywhere they like, so it's easy to see how they have the potential to make you very sick.
Indoor rodents like rats and mice are also much more destructive to property than outdoor rodents. All rodents have to file down their constantly growing teeth to keep them at the correct length. This includes rats and mice. In the wild, these animals would chew on things like sticks and tree bark to file down their teeth.
In your house, they chew on plumbing pipes, electrical wiring, and other similar items. This behavior can lead to serious damage, like plumbing leaks and even house fires, so it's vital to ensure your home is free from rats and mice to protect it from potentially catastrophic damage.
Proactive Rodent Control: Preventing Infestations Before They Begin
It's not easy to get rid of rodents on your own, but it is easy to make the kinds of lifestyle changes that help create a more hostile environment for rats and mice in your home. You don't have to overhaul your entire life. You just have to follow a few best practices, like:
- Store foods either in the fridge or in airtight, hard-shell containers.
- Tightly cover all indoor and outdoor garbage at all times.
- Use wire mesh to seal construction gaps that rodents could use to enter.
- Never leave dirty dishes or pet foods and bowls sitting out.
- Consider using scare tactics like fake owls. You will need to move these frequently for them to work.
Taking these measures can help make your home a more hostile place for rodents. If you make accessing food and shelter inconvenient enough for them, it can encourage them to move on to easier pickings. This can mean never having to deal with a rodent infestation in the first place.
Professional Rodent Extermination: Seek Expert Help
Unfortunately, rodents are often quite determined to get into our homes, and therefore, your rodent control measures may fail through no fault of your own. If this happens, you might be tempted to set out some snap traps or grab some rat bait from the store, but this is a bad idea. Not only are these methods ineffective, but they can also be dangerous to small children and pets who may accidentally set off snap traps or consume rat poison around your home.
Thus, it's much better to contact Sacramento rodent control services. Here at EcoTech Pest Management, our rodent experts and rodent control products are much safer and more effective than anything you can purchase at the store. Where store-bought methods may temporarily reduce the rodent population around your home, we can eliminate it. So don't wait. Click or call today.