A Quick Guide To Rodent Identification For Bradenton Residents
Are you noticing warning signs that rodents have gotten into your Bradenton residence? Do you want to know what type of rodents you're up against? You've come to the right place. This a quick guide that will help you properly identify the rodents that have found their way into your home.
How do you identify a rodent?
There are three ways to tell what type of rodent you have in your home.
- Sounds. If you're hearing sounds coming from your attic during the day, it is likely that the rodent you're dealing with is a squirrel. Squirrels are diurnal, rather than nocturnal. Mice and rats are nocturnal.
- Droppings. It is often possible to tell what rodent pest is inside a home by examining the droppings. Mice are small animals and they leave smaller sized droppings. A typical mouse dropping will be slightly smaller than a grain of rice and a rat dropping will be slightly larger than a grain of rice. If you find dropping that you would describe as tiny, they're most likely mouse droppings. If you see dropping you would describe as fat, they're probably rat droppings. It can be a little more difficult to tell the difference between squirrel droppings and rat droppings. A simple way to distinguish squirrel droppings is by looking for a variance in size and color. Rat droppings are more uniform.
- Holes. Rodents chew holes. But they don't chew holes in the same places or to the same size. If you're finding holes that are the size of a quarter or larger, they are probably rat or squirrel holes. If you find a hole the size of a nickel, it is more likely to be a mouse hole. When you find holes in food or food packaging, you may be able to tell what made the hole. Squirrels don't get into kitchens or pantries, so you can immediately rule them out. And rats will target larger food items, such as dog food, meats, fish, fruits and vegetables. Mice prefer cereal, grains and rice.
Visual Identification
Rats — There are two types of rats that commonly get into Bradenton homes. Norway rats are brown. Roof rats are black. Norway rats are burrowing animals that prefer to stay near the ground. Roof rats are great climbers that will attack high entry points on your Bradenton home.
Mice — There are two types of mice that commonly get into Bradenton homes. House mice (also called field mice) are usually a dusty gray color with a cream-colored belly. They may also be brown or white. Deer mice are mostly outdoor pests that can sometimes get into homes by accident. They are brown on the top with a white underbelly.
Squirrels — These rodents with their big bushy tails don't need much of a description. The most common squirrel pest is the grey squirrel but we have several species of squirrel in Bradenton and they all behave in a similar way when they become pests.
What To Do Once You Know Which Rodents You Have
After you've properly identified your rodent invaders, it is time for rodent control. What is rodent control? It is the systematic application of products and strategies that work to control rodents inside your home and prevent more rodents from getting in.
Interior Control — The first step is to remove the rodents that have gotten in. If you have Norway rats, you'll be focusing on your cellar, basement or crawl space. If you have roof rats, your focus will be on your attic space. A house mouse infestation can be anywhere from the bottom of your home to the top. The best way to arrest a rodent infestation is through the placement and management of traps.
Exterior Management — Once your interior infestation has been taken care of, you need to apply rodent management around your home.
- Seal any entry points in your exterior walls that would allow rodents to get in.
- Repair or replace damaged screens, door sweeps and weather stripping.
- Trim tree branches away from your roofline.
- Put wire mesh in your downspouts.
- Apply metal flashing to vulnerable areas.
- Address conditions that allow puddles to form.
- Remove unnecessary clutter.
- Keep your landscaping neatly trimmed.
Professional Rodent Control
If you'd like assistance with your rodent control, remember that the service team at Keller's Pest Control is always standing by to help you get control of Bradenton pests. Reach out to us today. We're here to help.