Rodents may just be the hardest groups of pests to prevent. Although they are not as common as other invasive pests, they have many genetic tools that give them a special advantage when it comes to getting into homes and businesses. Fortunately for you, we understand rodents. We know what drives them to invade properties in the first place, and what methods work best to keep these furry invaders outside where they belong. Want to learn our secret? Here are ten no-sweat rodent prevention tips for your Sacramento property.
Common Rodents Around Sacramento
Our world is filled with rodents. If you drove to work today, you might have seen a couple on your drive. Squirrels are constantly scurrying up trees, gopher can be seen sticking their heads out of their burrows, and rats and mice regularly say hi to and steal food from home and business owners. These are the two pest rodents we will be focusing on today.
Mice are the most common home-invading rodents in America and most other countries around the world. Although there are a few different mouse species around Sacramento, the house mouse is the most common. This small dusty gray, two and a half to three-quarter-inch long rodent has a cream-colored belly, four legs, two large ears, two beady red or black eyes, a long, almost hairless tail, and a pointed snout.
Rats are not as common as mice, but they are considered more destructive due to their larger size and stronger teeth. Both rats and mice can chew through wood, plastic, vinyl, and rubber; only rats have strong enough teeth to chew through aluminum panels, cinder blocks, and glass. Identify a rat by its longer body, wide hind section, long scaly tail, small ears, black eyes, and long but blunt snout.
Problems Rodents Cause Around Properties
Rodents are a huge problem for both home and business owners alike. Not only are they dangerous with the many disease-causing organisms they spread, but they also cause extensive damage with their sharp teeth and drive people mad with their noisy late-night activities. There are very few pests that could, within one day, threaten your health, destroy your property, and keep you awake at night, but rodents do all three effortlessly.
Tips To Prevent Rodents
The less accessible and attractive your property is to rodents, the less likely they will invade. It is as simple as that. To help you prevent these furry invaders from getting into your home or business, try these ten simple tricks.
- Trim your grass regularly and keep your landscaping well maintained.
- Eliminate clutter and debris from around your property.
- Use a caulking gun and some steel wool to fill and cover over gaps, cracks, and holes in your home’s exterior foundation.
- Make sure your window and door screens are tear-free.
- Keep unscreened doors and windows closed when possible.
- If you haven’t already, install a rodent-proof chimney cap onto your chimney.
- Repair leaky pipes and fixtures around your home.
- Fix or clean out broken or dirty gutters and down spouts.
- Keep your home as clean as possible.
- Put food stored in plastic bags or cardboard boxes into rodent-proof plastic, metal, or glass containers.
What To Do If Rodents Invade
As hard as rodents are to prevent, they are a thousand times more difficult to remove from a property. If you suspect your Sacramento home or business is up against a rodent infestation, let the experts at Neighborly Pest Management come and have a look. One of our qualified pest technicians will evaluate your situation and put in place a plan to quickly and effectively remove rodents from your property.
Call or message us on our website to learn more about our rodent control or to schedule a pest inspection for your Sacramento property.