Rodents may be cute when they’re a household pet in a cage, but a loose rodent can cause a whole host of problems. From urinating and defecating wherever they please to chewing through your things, they’re not something you want to keep around no matter how cute their faces may be to some!
But what is it that’s attracting them to your home? What do our homes have that rats, mice, and even squirrels find so irresistible?
3 Things Rodents Love About Your Home
- A Cozy Environment
In the wild, rodents have to put up with whatever nature throws at them. From the blinding heat of summer to freezing temperatures in winter, from drought to flood, all animals have to manage and cope. We humans deal with the situation by building insulated, climate-controlled environments.
Well, what’s good for us is also good for rodents. Why put up with the extremes of weather when you can move right in with humans? Our houses and apartments provide us with a comfortable living space that is just as perfect for rats, mice, and their cousins. Rodents may not be the brightest animals, but they know where to go to be warm and dry.
- Easy to Nest In
Not only is a house temperature controlled but it has plenty of places to build nests and the materials to do so. Both inside and out, our homes provide perfect locations for rodents to live. The cavities between walls, crowded cupboards, garages and outhouses, all offer space for living and breeding – and if there’s one thing rodents are good at, it’s breeding!
Did you know that one female mouse can give birth up to ten times a year with three to 14 pups each time? If you do the math that means one pair could produce over 5,000 descendants in just 12 months! Yikes! They reproduce at this rate because, in the wild, they are predated on by so many carnivores. If they made fewer babies the species would have died out long ago. There are no predators in your home, except maybe your pet cat.
Rodents can make nests from almost anything – paper, cardboard, insulation. Your home is a smorgasbord of nesting materials so keep your home tidy and keep an eye out for damage.
- Free Food!
Adult mice can easily get by on just 3 ½ to 4 grams of food a day, rats more like 15 to 20 grams. So it doesn’t take much to sustain a population of rodents. Crumbs, trash, and insecurely stored food all provide the calories they need so don’t allow them to scavenge.
While keeping rodents out in the first place should be your first port of call, also make sure you don’t leave food out and clear away dirty plates in good time. Keep your cupboards clean and look out for signs that you are sharing your living area with rodents.
It’s not just the inside of your home that needs taking care of, outside areas are also important. Rats and mice love bird feeders and fallen fruit, so if these are sighted too close to your home you may be inviting trouble.
Don’t Ignore a Problem
If you do find you have a rodent problem you can try and deal with it yourself. Bear in mind that if you see one rat or mouse there will be others, perhaps many more! For your peace of mind, call in professional pest control experts to help you deter rodents and make sure that one cute little mouse you saw doesn’t turn into ten or twenty.
If you’re in Arizona, we’re here to help. We offer free inspections so you’ve got nothing to lose by having our experts round to check for rodent issues. Click here to learn more.
