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COMMON TEXAS RODENTS8/13/2022 A brief overview of rodents Rodents are warm-blooded mammals with large, continuously growing front teeth that they use to gnaw on objects. Rodents commonly found invading Northern Texas homes and businesses include rats and mice. They are both considered commensal rodents, which means that, over time, they have come to depend on people for food, water, and shelter. What do rodents look like? Rodents in Texas are usually not a concern unless they enter your home. Among the most common rodents found in Texas are the house mouse, the Norway rat, the roof rat, and to a lesser extent, the wood rat. House Mice The house mouse is the most common Texas mouse found in your home. With its long tail, this mouse reaches a length of between 5, 12 and 7 inches as an adult. They have small, beady eyes and their ears and tails are covered in velvet-like fur. In addition to their body fur, their belly is usually covered in tan or off-white colored fur. Norway Rats
Norway rats and roof rats are the most common rats in Texas. Adult Norway rats grow between 7 and 9 12 inches in length; the tail adds another 6 to 8 inches to their total length. A Norway rat has a blunt nose, protruding black eyes, small ears, and a bicolored tail. They have scruffy brown fur sprinkled with black hairs; their belly fur is lighter in color, usually gray or white. Roof Rats Due to their light build, roof rats are excellent climbers. Texas rats, unlike Norway rats, climb trees to gain access to buildings through roofs, hence their name. There is a contrasting lighter color on the underbelly of roof rats, which is dark brown or black. Roof rats grow to about 6-8 inches in length and are larger than Norway rats because of their long scaly tails. The nose of roof rats is pointed, and the ears and eyes are large. WoodRats The wood rat is a rodent found in Texas but is less likely to infest your home. Marshy or wooded areas are usually where wood rats live. Most woodrat species found in Texas are bushy tailed woodrats or packrats, with a long tail covered in a layer of fur that makes them distinct from other Texas rats. The Texas rat is a larger species. An adult male can reach over a foot in length and weigh over a pound, including the tail. A wood rat has gray fur on its back that blends into a tawny brown fur on its sides. The nests they build from twigs are quite large and are known for hoarding items. People who live on farms or near uninhabited land tend to be bothered by wood rats because they tend to keep to themselves. Ready to learn more about our rat control services? Contact our team today to see how we can help you. Contact Us Today Via https://safepropest.com/rat-removal/
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You're experiencing rodents like rats, mice, and squirrels in your Attic. What else can you do? Are rodents still coming back after you used pest control? My 5-step solution can ensure your home is rodent-free in only one day if you want to ensure it's rodent-free! Thanks to a long-lasting solution instead of a temporary band-aid, rodents will never be an issue again. What are the signs of mice infestation?
You may hear chirping, scratching, squeaking, or scurrying if you have pests in your Attic. There are also likely to be excrement or urine spots on the floor and different animal feces on top of and under the insulation. The presence of bite marks on your electrical wires and pipes, tears in your insulation or missing shingles in your roof can also indicate a pest infestation. Why are rodents getting into your Attic? Rodents are drawn to dark and humid places, so every homeowner will have to deal with a rodent problem one day. Your attic or crawl space will likely be inhabited by rodents sooner or later. The ideal habitat for nesting and reproduction is blown or loose-fill insulation, which also attracts rats. Can pest control help with rodents? Over the past nine years, I have helped countless homeowners eliminate rodents from their attics and crawl spaces. I've inspected and treated over 500 properties and learned that there is a big misconception about pest control companies' services, so homeowners are often confused and don't take the right steps to keep rodents out. What is the purpose of pest control if it is only temporary? First, even the name "pest control" does not indicate prevention or elimination but only control. Rodent control services use three main methods: set traps, poison, and spray a rodent repellent. These methods are not preventative and do not eliminate rodents; they are designed to control them. This results in repeat business for pest control companies and a list of problems for homeowners. If pest control solved the problem, why would they be needed again? Rodents leave behind a mess every time we inspect. Due to their natural behavior of chewing objects (looking for food and shelter), they cause expensive damage to insulation materials: It lowers the insulation R-value and increases your energy bills by tearing the insulation apart. Electrical wire chewing can lead to fires and HVAC malfunctions. In the Attic and crawl space, chewing on air ducts and pipes damages the house structure. Rodents contaminate the insulation with feces and urine, causing odors and affecting indoor air quality. Droppings and urine from rodents are toxic when inhaled. Due to this toxicity, especially in summer, rodents may carry bacteria into the living space, promoting allergies, asthma, and cardiovascular disease in people living there. 5 step solution for a truly rodent-free home1.Insulation removal Insulation removes contaminants and rodent waste and uncovers hidden entry points that rodents are using to gain access to your Attic or crawl space. 2.Sanitation / Disinfection It is necessary to decontaminate rodent waste such as urine and feces since they are toxic and affect indoor air quality. You can prevent additional damage by disinfecting and neutralizing rodent scents. 3. Rodent Proofing Rodents cannot access the home and will be forced to nest somewhere else after sealing all entry points. 4. Air sealing Attic and living space gaps and cracks should be sealed to prevent air transfer. Attics are major sources of heat loss in many homes due to small air leaks. Your ceiling probably has a 2-foot square hole that acts like a chimney, drawing expensive heated air into your Attic and sucking cold air around your windows and doors. Electrical wires, pipes, vents, and light fixtures may have gaps. 5. New Insulation Your attic or crawl space should be insulated according to city energy efficiency codes. 90% of US homes are under-insulated, so an insulation upgrade may be necessary for your home. Your energy bills will be lower, and you will have a comfortable home temperature when you install new insulation to the proper code. Need Immediate Help With Rats? SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT WITH US TODAY! |