It’s become extremely important for you to take care of your personal health at home. This is especially true after more than a year of being indoors due to government restrictions against the global pandemic. The current crisis has definitely reshaped how people view the relationship between their health and their household.
Aside from just the coronavirus, however, there are also lots of other factors that you should be considering. Among this extensive list, rodents should necessarily be included. While they mainly just cause a nuisance at home, rodents can also be direct or indirect carriers of adverse diseases like the hantavirus or leptospirosis. Let’s face it, when it comes to sicknesses, you’ve already got your hands full given the current health crisis.
On the Lookout
Any man should always be able to keep their house in order. That includes protecting it from all kinds of threats, whatever form they may come in. As the summer months roll in, a lot of rodents are also expected to follow. This is all the more relevant as rat and mice populations boom due to warmer climates, which lengthens their breeding season.
If you know you have a rodent infestation—or you simply want to make sure—it’s first important to determine the current population size within your home. This will determine whether there’s still time for you to rodent-proof your home or if rodent extermination services are required. Here are the things you should look out for in order to know if you’re being plagued by these pests.
Those Aren’t Raisins
Finding random droppings throughout your home is perhaps the most tell-tale sign that there are rodents near or within your area. However, it’s also important to know whether these droppings are fresh or dated. This will let you know if your house is actively infested with rodents or not.
You can usually tell if rodent droppings are fresh when through the color and texture. Fresh droppings are typically dark-colored and moist, while aged ones will be gray and crumbly. Areas where you store your food, drawers, cupboards, and under the sink are the most common places to find these droppings. Additionally, you’ll find out where rodents nest or feed based on the concentration of droppings in a particular area.
Taking a Bite
Another thing that’s so annoying about rodents is that they will most likely cause damage to certain parts of your home or your items. They essentially gnaw their way through anything. This is also one of the indicators to note when looking for an infestation.
Similar to droppings, determining the age of gnaw marks can be assumed from the color. More often than not, fresher gnaw marks will be lighter compared to older ones. The size will also allow you to identify if you’re being infested by rats or mice. Rats have much larger teeth so the marks that they leave will also be bigger in comparison to mice.
Something Smells
If you notice a urine odor or other unpleasant smells and you’re unsure where it’s coming from, the chances of there being rodents in your home are extremely high. Oftentimes, this is more apparent when rodents have just recently begun their infestation.
Having pets with a strong sense of smell can also help you out in this situation. For instance, cats or dogs will become more active and curious in spaces where they aren’t usually because they might be sensing something new. When your pet is pawing at a particular area, consider examining that area for yourself to see what all the fuss is about.
The Breadcrumbs
Whenever rodents infest a home, they will commonly leave tracks around whenever they scavenge for food or materials for their nest. These tracks can include droppings, urine stains, and footprints which will easily be detected if you simply shine a light on them.
As with the other indicators, you’ll likely want to know whether these tracks are new or old. If you have an area that you suspect is a common path that the rodents take, you could dust it with flour or powder to track their footprints. This is also a really quick and easy way to find out where their nest is located.
Out of Sight, But Still in Mind
In the wake of the global pandemic, safeguarding your health has necessarily become an extremely relevant point of concern. As national vaccine rollouts continue across the country, the current health crisis is evidently nearing its end. However, there are still far more threats that you need to look out for. Sometimes, they can even be found inside your own walls—literally.
