When the weather gets cold, we all want to stay inside beside the fire or heater to stay warm and comfortable. Unfortunately, rodents also have the same instinct and do exactly this. As soon as winter arrives, mice, rats, and other rodents will do what they can to find a nice warm place for shelter. This usually means burrowing into homes and getting comfy. It doesn’t help that houses also give them access to an infinite food supply.
If you’re wondering if it’s time to call an expert mouse exterminator, you’re not alone. Don’t wait for an infestation to take over your home before calling the reinforcements. Here are important signs to watch out for that tell you mice and other rodents may be sharing your home with you:
Sign #1: Visible Droppings Or Sheddings
Droppings and even urine are major tell-tale signs that you have a mouse or rat problem. The droppings are usually very small and are typically dark in colour. If you suspect mice running around your home, check in warm and dark areas like behind the stove or the water heater in the basement.
Sign #2: The Smell
With droppings and urine in your home, this will be accompanied by a distinct smell. The odour is ammonia-like and is usually a sure sign that there are more than just a few mice inside your home. Locate an area where the smell is strongest. This will be a sign that the nest is near.
Sign #3: A Sighting
Seeing a mouse run inside the home is very concerning. They usually hide and only run around at night when you are asleep. If frequent sightings become normal, it means there’s a large nest in the house and it is time to call an exterminator.
Sign #4: Unusual Noise
Noise at night can be very distracting and annoying. If you hear scratching and squeaking at night and they seem to be coming from the wall, you have a rodent problem. Call the mouse exterminator immediately so they can solve the problem before it worsens.
Sign #5: Pets Acting Differently
Cats and dogs are very attuned to their senses. If they start acting differently, such as sniffing corners of the house, barking randomly, running around, and growling for no apparent reason, this can mean they can detect something you can’t. They can likely hear or smell the rodents trying to hide from plain sight.
Sign #6: Destroyed Electronics And Food Packaging
Rats and mice like to chew on everything. While it is expected for pests to chew through food packaging, it is another thing to find chewed-up electric wires. Damaged wires are dangerous when left unchecked. Call the pest exterminator immediately at the first sign of damaged food and electronics.
Sign #7: Neighbors Calling Exterminators
If you notice that your neighbours have called the exterminators, it might be time for you to do the same. Rodents will try to escape one house and run to the next for safety, don’t be their refuge. Schedule a rodent exterminator visit as soon as possible.
