If you are a Denver property owner, one group of pests you need to be vigilant of is rodents. That's because rodents are some of the most common home-invading pests in the area. To make matters worse, once inside, rodents can spread harmful diseases and inflict costly damage to the home itself. As such, you need to know some preventative measures that you can take to help keep rodents out of your Denver property. Additionally, should your home become infested with rodents, you need to know the rodent control solutions you can rely upon to eliminate them effectively.
Home-Invading Rodents Common To The Area
Here in Denver, the most common home-invading rodents are rats and mice. Although both are home-invaders, you will most likely only ever have one or the other, rarely both. Rats, the larger of the two, grow to be about nine inches long. They have long tails and short ears, both of which are devoid of fur. Rats are typically gray, brown, or black.
Mice only grow to about three inches long. Unlike rats, the short tails and larger ears of mice have a felt-like fur covering them. Mice are generally dust gray or brown with cream-colored bellies. All rodents, including rats and mice, have large front incisors that grow continuously throughout their lives. As a result, rodents will constantly chew on objects to prevent their teeth from overgrowing.
What Happens When Rodents Get Inside
Although rodents can and do live outside, they will enter homes and businesses searching for shelter, food, and water. Once inside, they can pose all sorts of threats. For starters, as they need to constantly be gnawing on objects to keep grind down their teeth, rodents can cause costly damage to homes. They chew wires, pipes, siding, clothing, drywall, and furniture.
Additionally, rodents carry a variety of harmful diseases. They can also contaminate surfaces with harmful bacteria and pathogens through their feces, urine, and salvia. Diseases that rodents can spread include hantavirus, LCM, plague, salmonellosis, and tularemia.
Often, rodents also carry other parasitic pests such as fleas and mites. If a rodent introduces these parasites into your home, you have a whole new list of threats to worry about.
How To Keep Rodents Out
To keep rodents out of your home, you should try to eliminate potential food or water sources. Additionally, sealing off any possible entry points can also help. But remember, rodents can fit through extremely small cracks and holes, and they can also chew through many objects. Therefore, you should always try to cover entry points with durable materials. Other steps you can take include:
- Take out the trash regularly and store garbage in bins with tight-fitting lids.
- Store food in airtight containers if not in the fridge.
- Pick up any uneaten pet food.
- Fix any leaky pipes or fixtures.
- Wipe up any spills from countertops or floors immediately.
- Keep attics, basements, and crawlspaces free of debris.
- Seal any cracks or holes around the foundation of your home, including around utility lines and pipes.
For Total Rodent Control & Prevention
While taking the proper preventative measures can help keep rodents away from your property, there is a chance you could still wind up dealing with a rodent infestation. When rodents invade, contact the professionals here at White Knight Pest Control right away. We offer a variety of treatment plans to fit your pest control needs. Don't let rodents destroy your home and threaten the health of your family. Give us a call today.