Month: January 2021

When we talk rodents, we’re usually talking about mice and rats. While we have another common rodent pest in our Nashville service area, namely squirrels, they don’t cause as much trouble as mice and rats. If squirrels get inside, they tend to stay in attic spaces. They don’t raid your pantry or kitchen and they don’t spread ticks, fleas, and other parasites around your home. Mice and rats are famous because they’re the most common. A rodent that isn’t famous at all is the beaver. When is the last time you heard of anyone having a beaver infestation? But beavers are rodents. This is important to know because mice and rats act like beavers inside your home. They chew through wood, sheetrock, insulation, and other materials. They also chew through wires. This can cause a fire. It is a good idea to get control of rodents as soon as you detect activity. Here are a few things every Nashville property owner should know about rodent control.

1. Certain Mice And Rats Prefer To Live With You

If you have house mice in your home, you’re likely to have a hard time getting control of them. House mice prefer to live in, or close to, man-made structures. They are so fond of us that experts are not aware of any population of house mice living in the wild.

We have two common rat pests in Nashville. One of them is prone to getting into man-made structures and staying. It’s called a roof rat or a black rat. If you see black rats on your property, you should know that they like living with you and that they can be frustrating to control.

2. Mice And Rats Can Get Moisture From Food

One of the best ways to resist rodent activity is to control food sources. Mice and rats can go a long time without water because they derive much of the water they need from the foods they eat. If you remove food sources inside your home, you might be able to drive mice outside because they need moisture found in food.

• Store your foods in sealed plastic or glass containers. This will keep food smells in and rodents out. While a rat can chew through plastic, it won’t be inclined to do this if it can’t smell the food inside.

• Avoid stacking dirty dishes in a dry sink. Instead, put your dishes in soapy water. This also makes it easier to clean the dishes when you get around to doing them.

• Do a deep cleaning every once in a while. Clean the sides of your oven and get the cracks and crannies where food can be accidentally pushed inside.

3. Directly Address Moisture Issues

A damp perimeter is attractive to mice and rats. This can increase your chances of an infestation. If mice and rats get inside and find leaky pipes, faucets, or some other moisture issue, they can get the moisture they need to survive. Address plumbing issues to make your home less habitable for mice and rats.

4. It Pays To Have Professional Advice

When you invest in year-round pest control service with All-American Pest Control, you get routine visits from a licensed pest professional. Your service professional can let you know when there are signs of rodent activity and take steps to address rodent issues early. If rodents become a problem, our service team members use Integrated Pest Management methods, green pest control, and EPA-approved products to get control of them.

If you have questions about rodent control (or pest control in general), reach out to us. We’re here to help you with all your Nashville pest control concerns.