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With temperatures dropping fast in Jacksonville, it’s setting up a prime situation for rodent issues in your home. Your house offers everything rats and mice need – food, water and warmth.
Besides obvious reason why having a rodent in your home is scary, they also can spread disease, destroy property and contaminate food. They are able to spread diseases through their feces, urine and bites.
It really is easier than you think for a rodent to get in your home, a small mouse can fit through an opening the size of a dime. Rats and mice are smart creatures, and they can sense traps and bait, so it’s smart to contact professional pest control companies to help assist in the removal and extermination of them. They like to colonize in attics, under concrete and porches, burrow in insulation and in the wall, as well as other hard to reach places.
Since mice and rats are nocturnal, there is a chance you might never see them, but here are a few signs to look for that could show you have a rodent problem:
- Droppings left behind in trails
- Nests made of materials like shredded paper
- Bite marks or chewed ends on items like boxes, plastic containers, clothing or wooden spoons
- Areas that are stained with or smell like urine
Here are a few tips to help prevent rodents from getting into your home this winter:
- Seal all cracks and install weather strips at the bottom of exterior doors
- Trim branches, plants and bushes that hang over the home.
- Keep the interior of the home clean.
- Store all food, including pet food, and garbage properly in sealed containers.
- Do not leave dishes in the sink or pet food out overnight
