There are many things in life we do to avoid danger. We wear our seatbelts when driving. We look both ways before crossing the street. We even blow on our food to make sure it doesn’t burn us. Most of the things we do to avoid danger are second nature at this point; others have to be more deliberate so that we don’t forget. One deliberate thing you should be doing to protect yourself is making sure rodents aren’t invading your St. Louis home. To help you with this, here is the secret to effective rodent control.

Common Area Rodents

Here in St. Louis, there are only two major home-invading rodents, mice and rats. Although similar in several ways, these two furry pests don’t get along, and the chances of your home being infested by both at the same time are next to impossible.

If you have ever perused inside a pet store, you might already have a basic knowledge of what mice and rats look like. If not, here is a brief description of each.

Mice are small rodents, with thin whiskers, scantily haired tails, prominent ears, narrow hind feet, short fur, and slender bodies. House mice, the most common species of mouse here in St. Louis, have red or black eyes, dusty grey fur, and cream-colored bellies.

Rats are much larger than mice and can be recognized by their pointed heads, plump hind sections, large eyes, long legs, and thinly furred ears. The color of rats depends on the species. Here in St. Louis, we have Norway rats who are either brown or grey, and roof rats who are typically black.

Both mice and rats have sharp claws and even sharper teeth. To keep their teeth sharp and filed down, rodents will chew on anything that is around. Inside homes, rats and mice might chew through or on walls, ceilings, furniture, plastic, metal, electrical wires, utility pipes, and concrete.

The Dangers Of Rodents

Although different in size, both rats and mice pose the same serious threats. Not known for living clean lifestyles, rodents, in general, have a habit of picking up dangerous bacteria, pathogens, and parasitic worms. When inside homes, rodents spread these sickness vectors through their fecal matter and urine. Here are just a few of the most common diseases rodents carry and spread.

• Hantavirus
• Leptospirosis
• Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis
• Salmonella
• Tularemia

To avoid getting sick from rodents, use safety gear when cleaning up their excrement and urine. Also, do not eat any food you suspect may have contamination from these filthy creatures.

Why Rodents Are So Difficult To Treat

Rodents are experts at staying out of sight and avoiding danger. It is not uncommon for mice and rats to learn how to set off traps and eat the bait without harming themselves. Due to their intelligence, infestations of more than just a few rodents often grow faster than traps can cull populations. If you suspect your home has a rodent infestation, we recommend trying traps as it might solve your problem. Just know that if trapping doesn’t work within a couple of weeks, then it most likely will never work as rodents are prolific breeders and spread like wildfire.

The Best Way To Handle A Rodent Infestation

At Arenz Pest Management, we understand rodents. We know how they think, and what methods work best to get them out of homes. If you let us help, we will set up a top of the line rodent control throughout your home that is guaranteed to work fast and fully solve your problem. We also offer high-quality rodent exclusion to make sure your home stays rodent-free year-round.

Give us a call today to find out more about our services or to schedule an inspection for your St. Louis property.

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