With winter approaching, it is common to see an increase in rodent activity. Why? Just like us, rodents need shelter. As the weather takes a turn for the worst, common rodents are sure to seek out shelter anywhere that they can—even if that means taking advantage of the small crack or hole in your home’s exterior.
Below are some common rodents, along with what damage they can cause and how to identify them so that you can know what to look for as fall kicks into gear or if you’re seeking wild rodent removal in Greenville, SC.
Deer Mice
Deer mice are found in more rural areas. While having deer mice in your home is extremely problematic, as they are notorious carriers of Hantavirus, they normally do not invade residential homes, as they prefer the outdoors. Deer mice can be identified by their coloring, as they are brown with white feet and a white underbelly.
House Mice
House mice, on the other hand love dark secluded areas and love to build nests out of installation. They are a dusty gray and reproduce very quickly. Due to house mice’s ability to breed rapidly and their tendency to carry mites, lice, ticks and fleas, these rodents pose a threat to your home as well.
Norway Rats
The Norway rat, contrary to its name, is believed to have Asian origin. Regardless, these rats are nearly everywhere, as they are extremely adept at adapting to a variety of circumstances.
They are known not only for their gnawing abilities and habits, which can cause extensive damage to homes and pose as a potential fire threat, but also for their association with various diseases, including but not limited to plague, jaundice, cowpox virus and rat-bite fever.
A Norway rat is mostly nocturnal and will usually only enter a home in the fall before winter, as food becomes more and more scarce. Norway rats may be identified by their small eyes, short tails, gray and black fur and a gray or white underside.
Roof Rats
The roof rat is the infamous carrier of the terrible bubonic plague. While today, transmitting the disease is very rare, roof rats are still known to carry other diseases as well, such as rat-bite-fever and typhus, and usually carries fleas along with it. While also nocturnal like the Norway rat, the roof rat is much smaller and has a much longer tail. The roof rat is an extremely social burrower, usually forming a colony, and they prefer to burrow in the upper parts of buildings such as attics.
It might be tempting to ignore the signs of a rodent pest infestation, in the hopes that the situation will resolve itself, and even more tempting to set up traps and call it a day. But, setting traps for the common fall rodents is one of the most inefficient things you can do with your time—instead, contacting a professional for wild rodent removal in Greenville, SC can help you take charge of the situation while also preventing any sickness or any damage that could come from the rodents presence in your home.