Sometimes the best evidence we have that pests have invaded our homes is the mess they leave behind. If you're seeing rodent droppings, you should recognize those droppings for what they represent. You might have a rodent infestation. Here's how you can tell for sure, and what you should do if rodents have infested your Worcester home.
How To Tell If Those Are Rodent Droppings
There are many pests that will leave their excrement around your home. How can you tell that the droppings you have found are rodent droppings? Size is a good indicator. Insects will leave small specks. The droppings of a mouse, rat, or squirrel will be big in comparison. A mouse will leave droppings that are slightly smaller than a grain of rice. Roof rats leave droppings that are slightly larger than a grain of rice. Norway rats leave droppings twice as large as the droppings of a roof rat. A Norway rat (also called a brown rat) can leave a dropping that is as large as ½ an inch long. This is longer than a dropping left by a squirrel, which is typically between ⅛ and ⅜ inches long.
Fresh Droppings
Let's say you pull a washer out from the wall because it needs to be repaired and you find dozens of tiny droppings behind that washer that appear to be rodent droppings. Does it mean you have an infestation? Not necessarily. Those could be old droppings. There is one sure-fire way to find out. We call it the pencil test, for lack of a better term. Take a pencil, or something similar, and press down on one of the droppings. If it crumbles, it is an old dropping. If it squishes, it is fresh. You can also look at the coloration. Dark, moist dropping will be a fresh dropping. Gray coloration is an indication of an old dropping.
It's Fresh; Now What?
If you have fresh droppings, you may want to look for other signs to confirm what you suspect: You have an infestation. What signs can you look for?
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Matted-down nests in your attic spaces, drop-down ceilings, and basement nooks. These will be made from insulation, paper, cloth, furniture stuffing, and other soft materials.
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The scent of urine in your attic. Rodents don't go outside to use the restroom. As the population of rodents increases, so will the smell of urine.
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Holes chewed in window and door frames, sole plates, vents, baseboards, sheet rock, furniture, stored boxes, stored food packages, etc. If you have rodents in your home, they're going to be chewing on things. Lots of things.
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Strange behavior from your pets. Dogs and cats can hear and smell better than we can. If you have mice or rats in your home, they're likely to let you know first.
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The presence of rodents in your attic, obviously. If you shine a light and shiny little rodent eyes look back at you, it is clear that you have an active infestation.
What To Do About An Infestation
When mice, rats or squirrels get in, some homeowners attempt to deal with them on their own. We discourage this for four important reasons.
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If your rodent control fails, you may not know it. Rodents (mice in particular), can live with you without giving you any signs of their presence.
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Rodent control is a process with many working parts. It is easy to have only partial success.
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It is no fun spending a lot of money, time, and energy, only to turn around and have to contact a licensed professional when you conclude that your DIY rodent control is failing.
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Rodents can make you very sick, damage your home, damage your personal belongings, and even cause a house fire. It is best to make sure you get all of those rodents the first time.
Rodent Control In Worcester
Big Blue Bug Solutions may be known for its large blue termite mascot and its impeccable reputation for finding solutions to bug problems, but we also offer industry-leading rodent control. Who knows, someday we may have some people start calling us Big Blue Rodent Solutions. You never know. For now, we'll have to let our reputation speak louder than our name. When it comes to getting control of mice, rats, and squirrels, you can count on Big Blue Bug Solutions. We have a proven track record. Reach out to us today for assistance. We're here to help.
