Rodents cause over 20 billion dollars worth of damages in North America each year, with mice being the second most common cause of house fires in the country. Rodents making their way into your home will raid your pantry, spread diseases, and go to town chewing on walls and just about anything else they can reach. A rodent's teeth grow continuously, so just like beavers, they have to grind them down by chewing on anything in the vicinity, with the preference being wooden furniture legs.
Let's take a look at types of rodents in Texas, how to keep rodents out of your home, and, if that fails, where to find quality pest control in Lubbock.
Characteristics Of Common Rodents
Texas boasts an amazing ecosystem with hundreds of species of rodents, but thankfully, you're not likely to run into more than the following five in your home:
- House mice are 2 1/2 to 3 3/4 inches long with dusty grey fur and cream-colored undersides. They are the most common rodent to invade our homes and are famous for the speed with which they multiply.
- Deer mice are a bit bigger than house mice, growing up to 8 inches long, including the tail. They have brown fur and a white belly and feet. Deer mice don't tend to want to share their living space with humans but will overwinter in outbuildings during cold winters.
- Norway rats are 7 to 9 1/2 inches long, not counting the tail, with a long body and a blunt muzzle covered in brown fur. Norway rats are adept at burrowing and usually infest basements, crawl spaces, and the lower levels of the house.
- Roof rats are 6 to 8 inches long with a tail about the same length as the body. They have long, thin bodies covered in dark brown fur with white undersides. They are social pests and incredible climbers; you'll likely spot them in the attic or around the roof line.
- Squirrels are 6 to 15 inches long with a bushy tail covered with grey fur with white undersides. Squirrels are great climbers and are likely to infiltrate your home through the roof.
Rodents serve their purpose in the wild, but once inside your house, they are a problem, and if not dealt with post haste, a rodent infestation can be a dire and costly problem.
Why Rodents Are A Problem Inside Lubbock Homes
Rodents in Lubbock destroy furniture, walls, books, and just about anything else they can gnaw on. They contaminate food in your pantry, leave their droppings all over the house, and can transmit a number of illnesses, such as:
- Leptospirosis
- Rat-bite fever
- Tularemia
- Salmonellosis
- Jaundice
- Cowpox virus
- Trichinosis
Coming into contact with surfaces in your house that rodents traveled on and contaminated is enough to expose you to these diseases.
Tips To Keep Rodents Away From Your Home
Keeping rodents away from your house is the best strategy to avoid dealing with a rodent infestation:
- Seal gaps in the outside walls and foundation over the size of a nickel.
- Fix plumbing leaks.
- Store food in sealed containers.
- Don't keep firewood stacked close to the house.
- Cut short the vegetation and grass around the house.
- Dispose of trash on a regular basis.
While DIY prevention methods have their place in your Lubbock rodent control strategy, if you suspect an infestation in your house, the best thing you can do is to bring in a professional.
How To Safely Get Rid Of Rodents In Your Home
An EnviroGuard service professional will evaluate your property, determine and seal pathways rodents took into your home, and use environmentally friendly pest treatments to clear rodents out of your house. If you can't get any sleep thanks to rodents, give us a call today to get started and to learn more about our residential and commercial pest control services in Lubbock.