Rodent Control 101: Essential Tips For Keeping Your Boston Home Safe
No homeowner wants to discover rodents in their home. Unfortunately, mice and rats are relatively common in the greater Boston area, and finding ways to protect your home from infestations isn’t just a good idea; it’s key to keeping your home and your family safe. Your trusted Boston pest control team at Urbanex is here to help. Here’s what you need to know to keep your home safe from unwanted mice and rats throughout the year.
Common Rodent Species: Identifying Different Types Of Rodents
Before you can keep rodents away from your home, you need to understand which pests you will likely encounter. You should be aware of several types of rodents in Boston. Here’s what you need to know about each one to identify them correctly:
- Roof rats grow between 6 and 8 inches long with tails that are typically as long as their bodies. They’re usually brown with black highlights and often have gray, white, or solid black bellies. Their tails tend to be scaly, and they have larger ears than other rats.
- Norway rats typically range in size from 7 to 9 ½ in length, not including their tails. They have similar coloration to roof rats but have smaller eyes and ears.
- House mice are small rodents that look dwarfed by common rat species. They typically grow from 2 ½ to 3 ¾ inches long, not including their tails, and are dusty gray. Their ears are round and large, and they have pointed muzzles.
Finding any common rodents in your home means you’ll want to schedule a professional treatment as soon as possible.
Rodent Dangers: Health Risks And Property Damage
Though some people find common house rodents cute, they’re a major hazard to your health and your property. Rats and mice are known to spread the following illnesses:
- Leptospirosis
- Tularemia
- Salmonellosis
- Lymphatic choriomeningitis (LCM)
- Rat-bite fever
- Cowpox virus
- Trichinosis
- Jaundice
Their presence in the home can also trigger allergic reactions and aggravate upper respiratory conditions in sensitive individuals.
In addition to health risks, mice and rats can damage your property. They love to chew on furniture, walls, cords, and other convenient items. They can also destroy your food by chewing through food packages and leaving behind waste.
Rodent Exclusion Tips: Safeguard Your Property from Infestations
Though professional rodent control treatments are the best way to deal with active infestations in your home, you can still do a few things to prevent future infestations between treatments. Here are a few proven tips to help:
- Keep firewood piles and yard waste away from your house.
- Seal up any gaps or cracks in your home exterior as soon as you find them.
- Fix any leaks or causes of excess moisture in your home to reduce the water available to rodents.
- Store your food in airtight containers whenever possible.
These tips will help prevent future infestations and keep the presence of rodents around your home to a minimum.
Professional Rodent Control: The Safe Way To Remove An Infestation
The best way to get rid of rodents and keep them from coming back is to schedule a professional rodent control appointment as soon as you notice any signs of an infestation. Pros will be able to identify the extent of the problem and find where the rodents are nesting so they can remove them from your home and keep them from returning.
If you’re worried about a rodent infestation or just want someone to help you improve your prevention efforts, don’t wait. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.
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