How Can You Tell If Your Home Is Overrun by Rodents?
ShareWhile no homeowner wants their residence infested by pests, it seems that rodent infestations, and mice infestations in particular, are more prevalent than ever. The reality is that several factors have led to the exponential breeding of rodents in Australia such as recurring wildfires, prolonged droughts and heavy rains.
As a result, rodents that have gone for long periods without sufficient sustenance now have a bounty of food available, and this increases the rate at which they reproduce and this has led them to venture into residences across the nation. Short of noticing these rodents scurrying around your property, you could be wondering how you can discern if you need to hire rodent pest control services. Below are a few pointers that will help you identify if your home is overrun by rodents.
Suspicious puncture marks
One of the most common signs of a rodent infestation that should have you seek professional intervention is suspicious bite marks around your home. Rodents eat their food by gnawing on it with their front teeth. Hence, you may notice that the timber materials in your home and around your property have new puncture marks. In addition to this, you could also find puncture marks in food packaging in your pantry, cupboards and so on. There are a couple of things you should know about these gnaw marks.
For starters, dark bite marks typically indicate that they are old whereas lighter coloured ones are freshly made. Hence, you can tell if you have a new or a long term infestation on your hands. Furthermore, the size of the puncture marks can signal the type of rodents that you are dealing with. Small bites are made by mice whereas large ones are created by rats.
A trail of faecal matter
Rodents are filthy creatures. With that in mind, another common sign of an infestation in your home is droppings all over your house. Fresh faecal matter is usually moist and soft to the touch, while old droppings will be hard and crumbly. Identifying the various parts of your home that have fresh droppings is vital since this can help you pinpoint where the rodents are nesting.
Typically, there will be a cluster of faecal matter close to wherever the rodents are breeding, so the pest control professionals can locate their nests quickly. You should be cognizant of the fact that simply cleaning these droppings is not adequate, as the faecal matter contain toxins that can contaminate your food supplies. Therefore, the moment you see a trail of faecal matter in your home, it is vital that you hire professional rodent pest control services.
Further ways that you can tell if rodents have overrun your home include tracks comprising urine and oil stains, noxious smells around your home and grating sounds behind walls and floors. Call a rodent pest control company if you believe you have a rodent problem.