Rats in My House
We have rats and mice in the Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington area. Lots of them. There is nothing scientific about what I am about to say. I have not done any extensive studies or polls to arrive at this information, but have noticed an increase in the number of customers that have called us to get rid of rats and mice in the past 90 days. Why is this, and what should you do about it as a homeowner?
Rats and mice reproduce at a rapid rate. If given a warm, safe place to live and breed, this rate tends to increase even more rapidly. On average, a female mouse can have up to 72 babies a year! So, if you have rodents in your home, the problem will always get worse over time if not addressed.
What Are The Signs Of Rodents That I Should Be Looking For?
By far, the most common places that rodents live and breed are crawlspaces underneath houses. One sure sign that a rodent infestation might exist in your crawlspace is if the foundation vent screens are damaged. Generally, if you have an opening in a screen, it is welcoming rodents to come on in, but this is not always the case. Check your screens for holes or damages from careless contractors that have punched through the screen and left an opening for cable wires, air conditioning lines, etc. If you find an opening, do NOT plug it up or you can trap a population of mice or rats under your house. This would be an excellent time to either call a pest control company to do a free inspection (yes, we offer this) or crawl around down there yourself and start looking for evidence of rodents (i.e., rodent feces).
Another sure sign of a rodent infestation is burrowing holes around the foundation. These will be quarter size holes (mice) or tennis ball size holes (rats). If you have burrow holes, you also have a rodent infestation. Once you have determined that you have rodents, it is time to do something about it. First, search around your home and make sure to eliminate any possible food sources (pet food, birdseed, garbage cans, etc.). Next, you need to remove the population and stop the breeding cycle. Although there is not any over the counter products that I recommend, they are better than nothing (Tomcat, Decon, etc.). Your best bet is to call a pest control company in the Portland, OR or Vancouver, WA area to service your home for rodents. Here at New Leaf Pest Control, we offer this service starting at $98.00.
If you are struggling with rodents, like many other homeowners this year, please give us a call today. We would be happy to answer any questions or set up a free inspection.