Rodents are a problem no one wants to have. Between the destruction they can cause to your home and the health risks they pose to your family and pets, they can quickly get inside your home. And once they get in, they’re notoriously difficult to get out.
Saratoga County residents need to know all about effective rodent prevention, otherwise, their properties may end up housing mice and rats. Rodents are common pests throughout Lake County, and if you aren’t careful, they may end up in your home or business. A rodent infestation can harm your health, your sense of safety, and your enjoyment of beautiful New York. Before that happens, let’s explore the different rodents common to Saratoga County and talk about ways to prevent them from getting inside.
Rodent Identification Guide For Saratoga County Property Owners
The rodent family includes groundhogs, squirrels, and beavers, but there are two rodent species every homeowner should worry about: mice and rats. These two pests are easy to confuse with each other, but they have distinct traits and cause similar problems.
The most common mice are deer mice and house mice. Deer mice are grayish-brown and slender with large ears, while house mice are brown, black, gray, or white, and have smaller ears.
Rats also vary in size and color. There are a few different rat species common to Lake County, but chief among them are Norway rats and roof rats. Norway rats grow to around 11 inches in length, have brown coats, and are rounder than other rats. Roof rats only grow to about 5-7 inches and are darker and pointier than Norway rats.
Each of these pests can cause serious damage to homes they infest. Rats and mice often create nests in and around your home’s foundation, chewing through anything they can to feed their young and build their nests. This includes your wires, wood paneling, pipes, and insulation. These pests can also chew through wires, and an infestation could force you to hire an electrician to fix this damage.
How Rodents Spread Disease
Rodents cause problems by causing household damage and by spreading diseases. No matter the size or species, rats and mice are vectors for diseases such as Leptospira, Bartonella, Salmonella, Hantavirus, and the plague. These pathogens are spread a few different ways:
- Eating human food. If a rodent can get into the pantry, it will potentially contaminate your entire food supply.
- Urine and feces. Rodents leave their droppings wherever they walk, making your entire property a potential hazard.
Existing. Rodents spread disease simply by existing on your property. The longer they remain in your house, the greater the chance of infection. - Why Call The Professionals?
Now that you know why rodents are a real problem, how do you get them out? What you shouldn’t do is DIY extermination methods. Many people try to stop their rodent problems with traps and poisons, but this is usually just a waste of money because rodent populations can grow faster than traps can kill them.
Between the extensive damages rodents cause, the dangerous diseases and health risks they bring to your family, and the difficulty that comes with trying to get them out, rodents are a pest that are always best left to the professionals.
Because they can fit into tiny holes, and because they reproduce so quickly, mice and rats can easily infest homes in Saratoga County, NY. If you find that a rodent has made its nest in your home, don’t try to take matters into your own hands – DIY options often make the problem worse. Reach out to the experts at Old School Pest Control, and we’ll make sure these furry pests never spread diseases through your house again.