Do you suspect you have a rodent infestation? Rodents can cause diseases that can put you and your family at risk so you need to deal with them right away.
They’re crafty though, so how do you find them once you feel like they are there?
Mice leave an unpleasant odor. They also leave holes in your clothes and wooden drawers, create nests, and leave grease marks and little footprints. They’ll make your pets go a little haywire as well.
Have you been seeing these things in your home?
In this article, we’re going over the common signs and more so you can find out for yourself if you have a rodent infestation.
1. Droppings
Rodent droppings are perhaps the largest sign that you have an infestation on your hands. The number of droppings you find coupled with their state can tell you how large the infestation is and how long they’ve been there.
You’ll find the largest amount of droppings in cupboards and places where you have food. Check around the droppings to see if you can spot nests.
Droppings that are gray and crumble are old and indicate an old infestation. The ones that are moist and brown indicate the infestation is fresh.
2. Urine Odor
Rodents urinate fairly frequently so if your infestation is large enough you’ll be able to smell it. It will smell strongly of ammonia and over time, become stale and even more unpleasant.
You can use the smell as sort of a stinky game of hot and cold. The stronger the smell, the closer you are to the source of the infestation. For very large infestations, you’ll find pillars of urine stacked in mounds.
3. Gnawed Holes In Clothes
Rodents like to use scraps of cloth and paper to build their nests. If you notice a hole in your favorite sweater, that could be a strong sign of an infestation. They also tend to rip holes in the insulation.
If you notice any shredded cloth fibers in a particularly dark corner you could have an infestation on your hands.
4. Holes in Desks and Drawers
Rodents are actually fairly intelligent creatures. They will typically chew holes in drawers and other wooden furniture so they can get in and use it to build a nest in.
You will notice very small holes — just small enough so they can fit into your cabinets to breed and live.
5. Rub and Gnaw Marks
The tiny feet of rodents leave oily marks around your wood panels and other areas where they run around frequently. If the marks are smeared, this means they run past the area a lot.
Again, they chew on furniture and other wooden areas around your home so you’ll notice that along with various scratch marks.
6. Nests
Rodents love to build nests. Again, they shred paper and other cloth fibers to use them for building materials. You’ll find them in dark places around your home like unused closets, crawl spaces, and even behind appliances.
The best places to check are behind your fridge, cavity walls, basements, and anywhere there’s a hidden crevice. You can check the droppings around the area to see if the nest is still in active use. If they’re brown, chances are the mice are still in the area.
7. Unusual Noises
Rodents are noisy little creatures and also nocturnal so you’ll mostly hear them at night. You’ll hear them when they come out to get a nightly snack and materials for their nests.
If you’re suspicious that you have an infestation problem, listen for tiny scratching noises at night in the walls, under your floorboards, and in your attic.
8. Pet Behavior
When you have rodents in your home, your pets will sense it and act a little differently. You’ll notice your cat or dog become a lot more alert and actively looking for them.
Take a flashlight and check around areas that your pets are meowing, barking, or pawing at to look for signs of rodents. Do this especially if the pet had no interest in the area beforehand.
9. Runways
Rodents will have a clear path that they run to look for food and building materials. You will notice oily marks and nibbles around the runways. Check also for droppings and tiny footprints in the dust around the area.
The places where you’ll typically find these runways are along your walls, building foundations, pipes, electrical wires, and ledges.
10. Mice During the Day
Again, rodents are typically nocturnal but they may get bold and come out during the day to survey. If you spot one of them during the day this is a bad sign. This means the infestation is fairly large.
Once you spot one during the day, you need to start looking for them so you can get rid of them as soon as possible. Check for all of the things we have discussed above.
Signs You Have a Rodent Infestation
Nobody wants to live with rodents. They can give off diseases and make you and your family sick. Once you’re suspicious that they are there, you need to start looking for them.
Check for droppings, fibers they may have ripped up for a nest, and oil smudges around your interior walls. Also, listen out for unusual scratching noises, and studying your pet’s behavior.
A professional can help stop the rodent infestation before it gets out of control. Not only will they get rid of the pesky creatures, they will make sure to seal entryways so they don’t return.
If you live in the Washington, Spokane or Portland areas, contact us for a free consultation.