Rodents are a common pest for homeowners all over the world. While we tend to think of these vermin living in conditions of squalor, even clean homes can become infested with rodents. Learning how to spot the early signs and act appropriately can help you avoid the problems that come with mice or rats in McKinney.

Common Rodent Problems

Rodents can invade a property in many ways and during different times of the year. When the weather is warm, rats and mice can survive outdoors and mostly invade trash bins rather than homes. Once the weather cools, however, warm-blooded pests seek shelter indoors. That’s what makes rodents a year-round pest, able to get in and hunker down for weeks before the signs are apparent.

Homes are seldom riddled with both rats and mice at the same time. Rather, the territorial rodents tend to keep to themselves and not compete for shelter and resources. That means it’s important to be able to spot the differences between rats and mice:

Mice

Size: Mice don’t often grow more than a couple of inches in length and most are on the small side of the scale.
Ears: Mice have perfectly circular, large ears that sit right on top of their heads.
Face: Mice have angled snouts, making for a triangular head shape.

Rats

Size: Rats are typically much larger than mice, though it can be easy to confuse a rat pup with a full-grown mouse. Some rats can grow to a couple of feet in length, especially sewer rats and roof rats.
Ears: Rat ears are pinched at the edges and sit far back on their heads.
Face: Rats have long, slender faces, more of a slinking varmint than a cute fuzzball.

Are Rodents Dangerous?

You bet they are. Not only are they known as some of the worst transmitters of disease in the world, but rodents can also cause several other problems and types of damage to property. Here are just some of the issues rodents bring inside:

Disease: Mice and rats both spread dangerous diseases and parasites, including hantavirus, salmonella, rabies, and plague.
Biting: Rodents must constantly chew on things to keep their front teeth filed, making rats and mice incredibly damaging to household materials.
Odor: The urine, feces, and brooding smells of a rodent population aren’t pleasant and the fumes alone can make you ill.

Rodent Control Isn’t Easy

Rats and mice are good at hiding and sticking to the shadows. Often, people don’t realize they have an infestation until the signs are apparent, which means the pests have likely grown in size and numbers. Rodents breed quickly, having litters of several pups every few weeks. By the time signs are spotted it can be too late to do anything about the problem. Store-bought traps and DIY methods will only get you so far, and the likelihood of eliminating all of the rodents and staving off a resurgence is slim to none. That’s why the smart step is to call the professionals.

To Remove Pests, Trust Professionals

Rather than waste time on methods that won’t fully work, you can save time and money in the long run by simply turning to the experts early. Whether you need timely removal of existing pest problems or prevention measures that will help keep pests from invading, Adams Exterminating Company has you covered. Our trained experts can get started on an inspection right away and provide you with even more advice or assistance. The peace of mind that comes with proven, effective pest control solutions for your home is better than rolling the dice.

Don’t wait for a rodent problem to grow out of control. Trust the professionals at Adams Exterminating Company for total rodent protection.