Preventing Common Rodents in South Florida

Preventing Common Rodents in South Florida

Common to the Florida area, rodents can cause significant damage to our homes by chewing on wires, destroying insulation, and contaminating our living areas. There are several types of rodents in Florida that homeowners should be aware of to properly prevent them from invading. Check out our list of common rodents and how to prevent them from invading your home.

Types of Rodents in Florida:

  1. Norway Rats: Norway rats have brown fur and can grow up to 10 inches long! They typically live in burrows and will enter homes through gaps in the foundation or holes in walls.
  2. Roof Rats: Roof rats are smaller than Norway rats and can be typically found in the upper parts of buildings, such as attics, roofs, and trees. You can tell them apart from other rats as they have longer tails and are gray or black.
  3. House Mice: House mice are small and can fit through very small openings. You’ll typically find these mice in kitchens and they are often identified by their droppings, which are small and black.
  4. Squirrels: Cute but not so cuddly, squirrels are known to invade our yards and attics! Once inside, these wildlife creatures can cause significant damage to homes by chewing on wires and insulation.

Preventing Rodents from Invading Homes:

  • Seal Entry Points: Check for any gaps or holes in your home’s foundation, walls, and roof, and seal them to prevent rodents from entering.
  • Keep Your Home Clean: Keep your home clean and free of food debris. This will make it less attractive to rodents. After each meal, make sure to wipe up any leftover crumbs or spills as soon as possible.
  • Store Food Properly: Look to store your food in sealed containers with a tight lid. This will make it more difficult for rodents to access.
  • Trim Trees and Shrubs: Trim any trees or shrubs that are close to your home and roofline, as they can provide a pathway for rodents to enter.
  • Reduce Moisture: Check for sources of moisture throughout your home, as rodents are attracted to water. Consider utilizing a dehumidifier in your basement and enclosing your crawlspace.

If you suspect that any of these common rodents have invaded your home, it’s best to reach out to your local pest control company for help. These expert professionals will be able to remove, exclude, and prevent them in the future!

Common Rodents to Lookout for this Winter

Common Rodents to Lookout for this Winter

Common South Florida Rodents: How to Prevent

We don’t often see temperatures below freezing in Cape Coral, but we do experience colder months. While it’s a nice break from the humid weather, unfortunately, it can bring unwanted pests into our homes. Rodents are looking for a warm place to inhabit and search for a food source. If these pests get inside, they can cause significant damage, such as chewed wires, damaged insulation, and risk of disease. Check out our list of common rodents in your area and how you can prevent them from entering your home.

House Mouse

The house mouse prefers dark, secluded areas in your home, such as the crawl space, basement, or attic. These creatures can adapt very quickly to human environments, often hiding in household clutter and inside the walls of homes. Since they are skilled climbers and are able to jump a foot high, they will often reach isolated areas inside your home.

Norway Rats

One of the largest rodent species, Norway rats are nocturnal creatures, searching for food sources in garbage cans at night. You can often spot these creatures burrowing in areas that go undisturbed for a long time, such as crawlspaces and basements. Once inside, these creatures are known to gnaw on furniture, walls, plastic, lead pipes, and wires.

Roof Rats

Due to their padded feet, roof rats can easily climb up our homes, infesting our attics, eaves, and roof lines. Living in colonies, they will typically stay together in a familiar area instead of exploring new ones. If an area is providing both food and shelter, these rats will stay close or inhabit the area.

Preventing Rodents in Cape Coral

Rodents can adapt to almost any situation, making it more difficult to get rid of them. Fortunately, there are a few easy ways to help deter these creatures away from your home.

To keep rodents out this winter, utilize these rodent prevention tips:

  • Empty your garbage regularly, utilizing a tight lid or lock
  • Utilize screens on vents, chimneys, windows, and doors
  • Keep your home decluttered and clean, wiping up any spills or crumbs immediately
  • Avoid leaving your pet food outside overnight
  • Keep piles of wood elevated off the ground and placed at least 20 feet away from your home
  • Check for sources of moisture throughout your home and eliminate them as soon as possible
  • Reach out to your local professional South Florida pest control company to help remove and prevent them in the future
Rodents to Lookout for this Winter

Rodents to Lookout for this Winter

Whether they’re in your basement, attic, crawl space, or even your living space, discovering rodents is never ideal. They carry diseases that can be harmful to you and your family and also cause damage to your home. It’s important to be aware of the signs and types of rodents that can be found in or near your home.

Types of Rodents

  • Norway Rat: One of the largest species of rats, they can measure from 13 to 18 inches in body length. They rely heavily on human impact and will search for any food source possible. Norway rats are known to chew through plastic materials or even lead pipes, causing considerable damage to your home.
  • House Mouse: These mice are on the tinier side, measuring up to 7 inches and varying in color. These critters will eat anything to survive and get most of their water intake from the food they eat. Being incredible climbers, they can become a threat once inside your home by gnawing on electrical wires.
  • Roof Rat: These rats are slightly smaller than a Norway rat but can still measure up to 13 inches in length, including the tail. Roof rats are excellent climbers and prefer to nest in high places, including attics.

Rodents are never an exciting creature to discover in your home, but how do you know if you have rodents? Here are some signs that rodents could be in your home already:

  • Discovering droppings in areas such as basements, attics, or crawlspaces.
  • Finding nests in your home means it has become a haven for these critters.
  • If you hear scratching, tapping, or squeaking coming from the walls or the attic.
  • If you begin to notice property damage, including gnaw marks or chewed wires.

If you suspect any of these rodents inside your home, consider contacting your local pest control company for a rodent control plan that will help remove, exclude, and prevent them in the future!

Types of Rodents Found in the South

Types of Rodents Found in the South

We never expect our homes to fall victim to rodent invaders, but it can happen to anyone! Getting rid of these critters can be difficult, but with the help of a wildlife control company, it can be made possible. Before reaching out to someone for assistance, be sure you’re identifying these rodents correctly. Here are some of the most common rodents found in the South.

Deer Mouse

Often referred to as field mice, these rodents are typically found in the woodlands and desert areas. They rarely invade residential properties but will sometimes seek shelter in our homes for winter since they don’t hibernate. When indoors, deer mice are typically found in basements or attics. The biggest threat about them is that they can transmit the dangerous hantavirus, so it’s vital to get them taken care of as soon as possible.

House Mouse

Just like the deer mouse, these mice also carry diseases and shouldn’t be kept in your home for long once discovered. The house mouse prefers to move along baseboards and countertops and can be seen eating anything they can find. They will contaminate your food and can transmit diseases like salmonella and even the bubonic plague. They are also known to cause structural damage such as creating tunnels in walls and chewing exposed wires.

Norway Rats

These stocky, heavy-bodied rats are larger and more aggressive than the roof rat. They rely heavily on human activity for survival and will eat anything like cereal grains, meats, fish, nuts, and some fruits. Norway rats are more active at night and can cause considerable damage to homes, gardens, and structures. The main concern is the diseases they are known to spread, which include jaundice, rat bite fever, and salmonella.

Roof Rats

Known as a serious pest problem, they are also dependent on humans for survival and will usually infest homes. They have padded feet that make it easier for them to climb, so they are usually found in attics, eaves, and roof lines. Roof rats are known for spreading multiple diseases, including salmonella, leptospirosis, and rat bite fever. They contaminate food when they are foraging, impacting not just humans, but also pets and livestock.

If you think you have a rodent problem, it’s important to get it taken care of as soon as possible. Reach out to your local wildlife control company so they can create a customized plan to rid your home of rodents.

Popular Rodents in Miami

Popular Rodents in Miami

Miami Pest Control: Identifying Common Rodents

Whether you find them in your attic, basement, crawlspace, or just near your property, spotting any rodents on your property is never ideal. These pests can cause significant property damage and pose health risks to you and your family. To avoid these sneaky creatures, it’s important for each homeowner to be aware of the different types of common rodents that will invade their Miami homes.

Norway Rat

One of the largest species of rats, Norway rats measure from 13 to 18 inches in body length, are known to have thick fur, and are usually brown in color. These rats prefer to live closer to humans, searching for any food source available. They will eat any food type but usually prefer high-quality foods such as meat and fresh grains. Rats also need a water source to survive since they don’t get moisture needed from their food source and will look for any standing water.

Norway rats will burrow to make their nests underneath buildings, concrete slabs, around ponds, in garbage dumps, and more. In homes, they will typically look to areas that usually go undisturbed, such as crawlspaces or basements. These creatures will cause property damage, such as gnawing through plastic materials or lead pipes. Norway rats will bring fleas and mites into the home.

House Mouse

Only ranging from 5 to 7 inches in length, the house mouse has a fur coloration ranging from light brown to black with a tan or white belly. You can usually tell the difference between a house mouse and a rat by looking at their tails; mice tails are long, rough, and have little to no fur. House mice will eat any food to survive, but they usually like to feed on cereal grains. While rats need water to survive, house mice do not, as they get most of their water from the food they eat.

If these rodents find a food source, they typically stick around that area, establishing a territory 30 to 50 feet from it. House mice are incredible climbers, allowing them to jump and reach isolated or withdrawn areas. If they get inside the home, they can be a threat as they are known to create electrical fires by gnawing on wires.

Roof Rat

Slightly smaller than a Norway rat, the roof rat measures around 13 inches in length, including the tail. These rodents are brown, black, or gray with a scaly, snaked tail which is longer than the head and body. They are excellent climbers and prefer to nest in high places within structures, including higher levels of homes, trees, and buildings. Roof rats prefer to eat fruit, vegetables, and cereal products. Roof rats eat a lot all at once and will return to that place time after time for food.

If you suspect any of these rodents inside your home, consider contacting your local Miami pest control company for a rodent control plan that will help remove, exclude, and prevent them in the future!

 

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