You have two options when visiting a historical site. The first option is to walk around, reading plaques and taking in the scenery, and the second alternative is to secure a guide. Of the two options, which one has the best potential to give the best experience? The second one. Why? Because a guide can tie the historical points together, point out what you may not notice, and give you an in-depth background. In other words, you should have a guide when venturing into new territory.
Rodents are not something most people encounter every day, so when rodents invade your house, you need a companion to provide the information and instructions to get them out of your home. Whether on a historical tour or needing help removing rodents, the best type of guide is someone who can answer your questions using their experience and specialized knowledge.
We will give you the information you need to combat rodents in your home and prevent a reinfestation; however, the best guide is securing rodent control in Mooresville from Lake Norman Pest Control. Our company was founded over 40 years ago by Lake Norman residents Sam and Fran Newman. We expanded our services in 2011 when we combined with Go-Forth Pest Control. Our commitment to professionalism, integrity, perseverance, and customer service has made us the premier pest control company in the area.
Please continue reading to get the information you need to guide you in achieving successful rodent removal in your Mooresville home.
Common Rodent Species In Mooresville
We will begin with the basics because a good guide gives you foundational information before adding additional layers of facts. Rodents are mammals with four legs, fur, a tail, and two ears and eyes. While that could describe the neighborhood dog or cat, the distinguishing difference is their incisor teeth. Rodents have an upper and lower pair of constantly-growing teeth with a hard enamel front and a soft dentin backside. Because these teeth grow, rodents incessantly gnaw on nearby objects to keep them trimmed; however, in doing so, they also create a razor edge where the dentine and enamel meet.
Although rodents include gophers, rabbits, chipmunks, squirrels, and other animals, rats and mice typically cause problems for Mooresville homeowners. These are the rodent species we encounter in Mooresville homes and properties:
- House mice
- Deer mice
- White-footed mice
- Norway rats
- Roof rats
While you may know that rats have larger bodies than mice, there are other distinguishing characteristics between the two types of rodents (i.e., rats and mice) as well as between species within the rat and mouse community. Keep reading as we guide you through the differences between these mammals.
House mice have a 2 1/2 to 3 3/4 inch long body (not including the tail), with a dusty grey topside and a cream-colored belly. Although house mice can live outdoors, they prefer to dwell inside structures and create nests in dark, secluded areas out of fabric, newspapers, insulation, and other materials.
Deer mice have a 5 to 8-inch brown body, a white underside, and feet. In addition to their larger body size and colors, their bi-colored tail distinguishes them from house mice. So-named because their fur color resembles a deer, these mice prefer to live outdoors but will invade homes in the winter. Inside a house, they create nests in cardboard boxes, drawers, and wall voids in the basement and attic.
Like deer mice, white-footed mice prefer to live outdoors in forested areas but will invade a home when the temperatures plummet. These rodents have 6 to 8-inch bodies, three to four-inch tails, white bellies, and feet with a white to reddish-brown topside. When inside a home, white-footed mice create nests in tight spaces in the basement, attic, crawl space, or garage; however, they will live behind appliances and furniture.
Norway rats and roof rats are the two types of rats that invade many Mooresville homes. Also known as brown or sewer rats, Norway rats have a 7 to 9 1/2-inch brown body (not including the additional 7 to 8-inch tail) with a grey-to-white underside. These rats invade the lower levels of homes (basements, crawl spaces, and first floors).
As their name suggests, the slightly smaller roof rats infest attics and upper levels of Mooresville houses. While their colors are similar, their bodies are slender compared to the plump bodies of Norway rats, and their tails are long and scaly.
Lake Norman Pest Control can remove any rodent that is causing you problems. Our experienced technicians know the signs of a rodent infestation and can identify the species inside your home.
Why You Don't Want Rodents Hanging Around Your Property
Rodents will forage anywhere for food, and given their penchant for warm, moist areas, they gravitate toward sewers, drains, trash and compost piles, and other unsanitary areas. Their oily fur attracts bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens as they scrounge through these locations.
Furthermore, fleas, ticks, mites, and other ectoparasitic insects and arachnids live in these areas. When a rat or mouse lumbers through the area, these pests hitch a ride by jumping or grabbing on the rodent. Later, when the rats or mice enter a Mooresville home, they leave the rodent and use humans and animals as hosts.
Rodents are nocturnal animals that forage at night while you sleep; however, they do not possess good vision. Therefore, they bump into objects and items as they move through the home, smearing pathogen-filled grease and grim on the walls. Also, when they travel through a home, they deposit urine and feces throughout the house filled with disease-causing organisms. Rats and mice spread leptospirosis, tularemia, and salmonellosis; they also disseminate diseases specific to their species (e.g., rat-bite fever, cowpox virus, trichinosis, and lymphocytic choriomeningitis). Their hitchhiking buddies (i.e., fleas and ticks) also spread diseases and parasitic worms to humans and animals.
In addition to spreading disease, when their feces dry, particles flake away, become airborne, and circulate through the home. When people with allergies and asthma inhale floating feces, they may experience chest tightness, coughing, sneezing, itchy and red eyes, a runny nose, and other symptoms.
You don't want rodents on your property because they gnaw. As they travel through a home, they chew on furniture, plastics, paper-packaged products, glass, concrete, and thin metals. Furthermore, rats chew two to four-inch holes in floors and walls to create accessible paths between nutrition sources and their nests. Even more concerning than the property damage is they chew through electrical and internet wiring in the house. At a minimum, rodents can cause appliance short-circuits, resulting in expensive repair costs; worse, they can cause house fires.
Mental stress is the last reason you don't have rodents in your Mooresville home. Knowing they are moving throughout the house results in sleepless nights due to fear that one will travel across your bed at night. Lack of sleep will affect your mental health, causing irritability and lack of concentration.
Lake Norman Pest Control protects your family's physical and mental well-being by ending the rodent infestation in your home.
Five Simple Yet Effective Rodent Prevention Tips For Around Your House
Although rodents may be inside your house now, there are things you can do to deter rodents from invading in the future after Lake Norman Pest Control resolves the current situation. These five suggestions will keep house rodents from invading in the future:
- Place wire screens over the attic and crawl space vents
- Close gaps between pipes and wires entering the house
- Remove junk, debris, and vegetation overgrowth in the yard
- Prune tree branches and shrubs away from the house
- Seal foundation cracks and holes around window and door frames
Don't think you can ignore small openings in your crawl space, attic, or basement because a house mouse only needs a dime-size hole to enter your home.
When a Lake Norman Pest Control service technician inspects your home to provide effective rodent control, we can identify entry points and provide additional suggestions.
The Benefits Of Hiring Professionals
A person hires a guide when touring a historical site for the same reason you need expert Lake Norman Pest Control technicians: they have the experience, training, and knowledge you don't possess. Our technicians know where to investigate for the signs and how to end a rodent infestation.
We will dispatch a trained technician to your home to investigate the property to determine entry points, attractants, hot spots, and rodent species infesting your property. Next, we will develop a comprehensive rodent extermination strategy. To target the specific species invading your house, our technician will place glue boards, traps, and bait stations in strategic locations.
Because we know you are busy, we offer a ground-level exclusion service to keep rodents out in the future. We provide monthly and quarterly service, and our home pest control service plans include a warranty. Don't spend another day stressed because rodents are inside your home. Contact us today to learn about our rodent removal options and to schedule your free inspection.
