Common Signs of Mice and Rats

15 Dec Common Signs of Mice and Rats

If you think your house is infested with mice or rats, the first thing to do is find out for sure. You don’t want to waste time or money on an exterminator if it’s not needed. The best way to do this is by looking for signs of their presence. Once you know what type of animal has invaded your home, you can take steps to get rid of it (and keep others from returning).

Noises in the wall and attic

Rats and mice are rodents, which means they have hairless, scaly tails. They also have teeth that grow continuously, so it can be difficult to tell the age of a rat or mouse by its teeth alone. However, if you hear noises in your walls at night when rats and mice are most active (usually after dark), you may have an infestation on your hands.

• Rats and mice can both make scratching noises as they move around inside walls or attics. These noises sound like nails on a chalkboard—and if you’ve ever had a mouse in your attic for any length of time, chances are good that you know what I’m talking about here! Rats also run around in their cages when they’re excited; this sound is extremely similar to the noise made by mice running on siding or other areas where there’s friction with the surface below.*
• If you hear gnawing sounds from within walls or attics late at night, it could be rats working on getting into your home through gaps between wires or other openings leading into your house.* Squeaking sounds from rats and mice can often be heard because these pests love to chew woodwork near doors where pipes enter buildings; these animals will also chew on furniture legs (or sometimes even chairs!) if given access via small holes between floorboards.*

Sightings of rats and mice

If you spot one or more rats or mice, it’s a good indication that you’ve got an infestation problem on your hands and need to call in professionals. It’s also possible for rodents to get into your home through holes in the walls, pipes and other small openings—so even if there are no sightings of these creatures, it’s important to have your home inspected by a professional.

Droppings around their points of entry

Droppings are small, oval-shaped and about 1/8 inch long. They are dark brown or black in color. Droppings may be found in corners, behind appliances, in drawers and cabinets as well as near food sources such as pantries or kitchen cupboards where there is a lot of spillage on the floor.

Grease marks and smudges on walls

Grease marks and smudges on walls are a sign of rats. Mice tend to leave behind droppings, which can also be an indicator of their presence in your home. Signs of mice and rats can be found around the house, but they are more likely to appear near their entry points — typically small holes in walls or floors where the rodents gained access from the outdoors.

Gnawing, chewing and shredding sounds

Sounds of gnawing, chewing and shredding are often the first signs of mice or rats. Mice and rats leave holes in your walls and furniture as they gnaw through them looking for food. The most common places to find rodent damage are behind kitchen cabinets, in storage areas like attics, basements or garages, under sinks and inside walls that aren’t finished.

The best ways to keep mice out of your home (and keep them from doing any damage) is by sealing up all holes larger than 1/4 inch around pipes or wires on the outside of your house with steel wool, a foam sealant combined with wire mesh screen or even duct tape. You can also install metal flashing around vents or openings where there are pipes entering into your home.

Holes, burrows and nests

Holes are one of the most obvious signs of a rodent infestation. As you can imagine, rats and mice like to get into your home and eat your food. They also like to chew on things like wires and wood, which is why they’ll leave holes all over the place.

You can also tell if you’ve got rodents in your home by looking for:

Robes – Rodents love to make their nests out of things like rags or fabric scraps. If you find piles of rags in odd places around your house or garage, it could be a sign that there are rodents living inside it.

• Droppings – Mice and rats leave behind droppings wherever they go; usually these are small brown pellets or clumps (sometimes called “black turds”). They’re not pleasant to come across but luckily they’re not dangerous! Just remember that although it’s gross when we see them in our homes, for mice and rats these feces are actually very important because they contain lots of nutrients like protein and fat which help keep them alive while living off whatever scraps left around by human beings like us humans.”

Keep an eye out for signs of mice or rats around your home.

If you want to know whether or not mice or rats are living in your home, look for signs of them. You’ll start by keeping an eye out for holes, burrows and nests. You should also look for droppings, gnawing and chewing sounds, grease marks and smudges on walls, as well as noises in the wall and attic.

Mice/rat droppings can be very small—about 1/16 inch long—so they’re difficult to spot without close inspection; however if you notice a lot of them near doorways that are frequently opened (such as front doors) then it’s likely that mice have been coming in through these entrances looking for food scraps left behind by people who live there.

If you notice any signs of mice or rats around your home then call us right away so we can help keep them out!

Conclusion

In short, mice and rats are no joke. They can cause a lot of damage to your home, health and even your wallet if they get out of hand. That’s why it’s important to keep an eye out for signs of rodents in and around your home so that you know what steps need taking next.