A Guide To Effective Rodent Control In Del Rio

Experts say there are more than 1,500 rodent species in the world. When you consider that there are only about 4,000 mammal species, it is easy to see why rodents end up pestering us. But, of all the rodents in the world that can pester us, two kinds of rodents have risen to the top as the worst of all rodent pests. In fact, when we say rodent pest control, Del Rio residents know which two we're talking about: rats and mice. In these two groups, there are several species. Today, we'll take a look at house mice, Norway rats, and roof rats. These are the worst of the worst. We will tell you how to tell the difference between rats and mice, as well as Norway rats and roof rats. We'll look at why it is critical to effectively deal with rats and mice when you see them outside so they don't get into your home. We'll share our best tips for backyard rodent management and explain how to keep rodents in Del Rio from entering your home. If you currently have a rodent infestation and you want to know the safest way to get rid of them, feel free to skip to the last section of this article. You can also connect with us and speak to someone about your rodent problem at any time. Gold Star Exterminators provides professional rodent pest control in Del Rio as well as advice for addressing rodent problems. We're here to help! 

Rats and mice rarely inhabit a structure at the same time. You'll have one or the other. It is helpful to know the difference between them, as mice are the worst of the two. Here are a few visual characteristics to help you tell them apart.

• Rats are stockier than mice and have longer bodies.
• While both have long tails, the tail of a rat is thicker.
• Both have perky ears, but you're more likely to notice the ears on a mouse.
• Mice tend to have pointy noses, while rats have blunt noses.

In most cases, you'll easily tell mice from rats. They are quite a bit different in appearance. What about Norway rats and roof rats? Is it hard to tell the difference?

• Norway rats are typically brown, while roof rats are black or dark gray.
• Norway rats have rounder snouts than roof rats. They use their snouts to help them tunnel in the soil.
• Norway rats are larger than roof rats, and much stockier.

All of these rodents are nocturnal so it isn't easy to catch them in the act. Roof rats are the hardest to see because of their black hair. Most of the time, you'll need to detect rats and mice by looking for their droppings. Mice leave tiny black droppings that are smaller than grains of rice. Rats leave larger black droppings that are twice the size of mouse droppings and slightly smaller than squirrel droppings. You can also look for holes, rub marks, nests, and other signs of rodent infestation.

The Dangerous Diseases Rodents Are Known To Spread

When considering effective rodent control, you'll face the fact that rodent control will require hard work and/or money. If you do it yourself, you'll have to roll your sleeves up and get dirty. If you hire someone, you'll have to spend your hard-earned money to address your problem. In both cases, it is helpful to understand why it is critical to control rats and mice. 

• Mice are tiny rodents, but they are no tiny problem. All it takes is one tiny mouse to chew on a wire and start a fire. Rats and mice are considered a fire hazard when they get into structures, so rodent control is essential.
• One tiny little mouse can have as many as a hundred seed ticks on its small body. Rats are big rodents and can have even more. Ticks continue to grow as a health concern in the United States and are associated with harmful diseases such as Lyme disease, meat allergy, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
• Rats and mice pick up and carry fleas. These parasites are associated with typhus, cat scratch disease, tapeworm, and more.
• Rats and mice get into unsanitary places and pick up microorganisms that impact human health, such as salmonella, E. coli, and hook worms.
• Rodents chew holes that can allow moisture into a home. A moisture problem can lead to black mold, and black mold is a health concern.
• Rats and mice leave their contaminated hair, feces, and urine as they move about inside structures. These can, directly and indirectly, impact your health. 

It is best to keep rodents away from your home and take steps to prevent them from getting inside. But what does effective rodent control look like in Del Rio? Is it as simple as putting some traps down? Let's take a look. 

Tips To Keep Rodents Away From Your Home

Many residents turn to traps to address rodent problems, but there are problems with putting traps down to control rats and mice. First, traps are only one part of a control solution. If you don't address the reasons for your infestation, you'll find yourself trapping rodents continually. It is also difficult to trap rats and mice because they have behavior patterns that help them avoid traps. We recommend altering conditions that lead to infestations and installing physical barriers to keep rodents out of your home. Here are some examples.

• Manage trash to reduce smells that will attract rodents to your property. The scent of garbage is a promise of food to a rat or mouse. It is critical to keep trash covered, get receptacles to the curb faithfully, and clean them when they start to get stinky.
• Rake up nuts that fall in your yard. Squirrels aren't the only animals that love nuts. While it is hard to stay on top of cleaning up nuts, it is well worth the effort.
• Rake up fruit that falls from trees and apply sheet metal around tree trunks to keep rats from climbing up and accessing fruit on the branches. Why sheet metal? Because rats aren't able to use their claws to scale sheet metal, it is too smooth. If you create enough of a slippery surface, rats, squirrels, mice, and other pests won't have access to your trees. Some residents use this method to keep animals off their roofs when they are unable to trim tree branches close to their homes.
• Protect potential food sources in gardens by installing fencing material. When installing fencing, insert it at least a foot into the ground. Doing so will prevent rats, mice, and other pests from tunneling underneath your fence barrier.
• Remove bird feeders or put them in areas that are far from your exterior walls.
• Pick up dog droppings in the yard. While not a desirable food source, city rats can take to collecting and feeding on the waste of domesticated canines.
• Pick up yard clutter. Rats and mice need ground objects to help them navigate. They use their whiskers to feel for objects on the ground like a blind man uses a cane. 

Once you've reduced attractants, take some time to address potential entry points and routes mice and rats can take to get into your home. 

• Use a caulking gun to seal gaps in wood and other building materials.
• Use expanding foam to seal around pipes and wire conduits.
• Apply guards to any pipes that run up the sides of your home.
• Insert wire mesh into downspouts to allow water to run out but keep rodents from running up.
• Replace damaged door sweeps, weatherstripping, or screens.
• Install vent caps on vents that don't have them.
• Install hardware cloth behind louvers in your gable vents.
• Install hardware cloth around structural voids, such as the space underneath your back deck.

If you have the skills, and you don't mind the hard work, you can do many things that will deter and control mice and rats that enter your yard. These are the best ways to deal with rodents if you do not have the training and experience to apply traps and bait.    

The Safest Way To Get Rid Of Rodents In Your Home

Rats and mice present many health risks. It is essential to use effective measures to address rodent problems so that you aren't exposed to ongoing health concerns. The safest solution is a professional solution. If you are in Del Rio, contact Gold Star Exterminators. We perform professional inspections, evaluate conducive conditions, track routes rodents are using, and consider entry points. We share our findings with you and offer control options. We may apply traps to capture rodents in your home, apply tamper-resistant bait traps around your home, or both. We also use Integrated Pest Management to address certain conditions and certain entry points. To learn more or schedule service, give us a call or fill out the short form on our contact page. We look forward to helping you find the right rodent control solution.   

Gold Star has been spraying our house for a few years now and I can't express how much it has helped.  I was spraying Demon WD myself and barely made an impact on the scorpions and spiders.  after they started doing it, we have very few sightings now.  Great company.

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