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Are Rodents A Common Pest In Suburban Homes?

Posted on Oct 4, 2017 6:00:00 AM by Stephanie Morgan

Are Rodents A Common Pest In Suburban Homes? | San Joaquin Pest ControlFar from the inner city, suburban homes are not traditionally thought of as rodent magnets. Sanitation issues and overcrowding are usually considered to be at the root of rodent populations in urban environments- all conditions which aren’t usually found in the ‘burbs. But research shows that rodents are just as likely to populate suburban areas, for a variety of reasons. 

Suburban homes can be safe, well-stocked breeding places for rodents. They have been found in suburban areas in every part of the country, a factor attributable to seasonal changes, relative protection from natural predators, abundance of food and water, and the encroachment of housing development on their natural field and forest habitation.

House mice, wood mice, yellow-necked mice and brown rats are common in houses- and of these three, the one you’re most likely to encounter at home is the wood mouse, as this species is even more common in houses than the house mouse. In addition to droppings, there are a number of signs of rodents in your home. These can include that specific cloying ‘acetamide’ smell particularly characteristic of house mice; the sound of gnawing in walls or floors (rodents need to gnaw continuously to keep their incisors short); tooth marks; and greasy fur marks (rats and house mice leave dirty black smears along well-travelled routes). As mentioned, rodent droppings are a strong indicator of their presence. A rat’s are usually 12mm long and are often tapered at one end, while mouse droppings are roughly half the size and thinner.

What they need 

Rodents need three things to survive: they need food, a water source, and a place to live (harborage). Their number one attraction is food, and the best sources for it in a suburban environment is in open garbage cans, stored food in chew-through containers, and dumpsters. Once they have a steady source of food, rodents will dig a hole (burrow) nearby and search for a steady water source, which may be a swimming pool, clogged gutter, container of rain water, etc. They will often enter homes while looking for food and nesting areas, especially in autumn when they’re looking for winter shelter.  Once inside of a home or other building, house mice can be found living and nesting behind walls, in attics, basements, crawlspaces, and even behind large appliances.  As rodents rarely live very far from their food source, it can makes a pest control company’s job a little easier when searching for burrows.

Rodents in your home should be considered a serious matter. Along with damaging property and things, rodents carry and transmit a variety of serious diseases including: the very serious Hantavirus, Leptospirosis, and Lymphocytic diseases. They can introduce parasites like fleas, mites, and ticks (and the diseases they carry) into your home. Their urine can trigger allergic reactions in some people. They’re also dangerous to the structural integrity of buildings- rodents will chew through and damage things like wires, pipes, insulation, flooring, and drywall. they can also damage pictures, furniture, flooring, clothing, and other personal items.

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