Did you know that rodents are some of the most frequent home-invading pests in Queen Creek, Arizona? Both mice and rats have learned over hundreds of years that living near people provides easy access to shelter, food, and water, and are accustomed to living in all kinds of human dwellings.
Both mice and rats are a big problem, however, because they can pose health risks in addition to property damage risks. And, while it’s uncommon to have an infestation of both at the same time, they are each potentially dangerous.
Another question many people have is how to tell mice and rats apart as they do look rather similar. Luckily, there are a few key characteristics you can look out for to identify mice over rats or vice versa. Mice have long, thin tails, are a brownish-grey color, and have triangular-shaped faces. Rats, on the other hand, have shorter, scaly tails, are brown to black in color, and have a blunter face shape.
Rodents And Damage To Property
The first major concern when it comes to rodent infestations is the amount of property damage they can inflict. Rodents have incisors that grow constantly, so to keep their teeth from growing too long, they constantly chew on all kinds of materials.
They aren’t picky about the things they will gnaw on, and they can damage drywall, plastic, furniture, clothing, and even wood. This can end up costing you money to repair your property or replace valuable items. In some cases, this damage can be a safety risk when rodents chew through plumbing and electrical wiring.
In terms of which species causes more damage, mice or rats, it’s a toss-up. While rats are larger and can do more damage outright, mice reproduce more quickly so their numbers make up for being slightly smaller in size.
Health Hazards And Rodents
The property damage issues rodents can create are a big cause for concern, but the even bigger problem they create is potential health risks. While not all rodent infestations will lead to illness, there is a significant risk. This is because rodents are known to transmit many diseases including salmonellosis and tularemia. Plus, they are one of the most common carriers of fleas, and these fleas can spread even more diseases including bartonellosis, tapeworm, and the Bubonic plague.
Along with the risk of disease transmission, rats and mice can also make you sick through their droppings, fur, and urine. These can lead to asthma attacks, allergic reactions, and other respiratory problems over time.
Because of these many health hazards, it’s very important to take preventive steps to protect your home and family from rodent infestations.
What’s The Most Effective Way To Deal With Rodent Problems?
Because of the risks that mice and rat infestations pose for Queen Creek homeowners, it’s not worth putting your health and safety at risk. Instead, the safest and most effective way to completely remove rodent infestations and prevent them in the future is with help from the experts at Canopy Pest Control.
We provide reliable residential pest control services and will work with you to create a customizable plan that fits your needs. We also offer free inspections, so learn more today by calling us at (480) 690-1955.