When rodents get into your Aiken home, they can become pests in many ways. They can damage your home by chewing entry points and access points, or by scavenging materials to build their nests. They can chew on your wiring and present a fire hazard. They can damage stored furniture and other items you have stored away. And, worst of all, they can make you sick. Rodents can contaminate food, dishes, and food-prep surfaces with their feces, urine, and tiny organisms that have attached themselves to their fur. Rodents also carry parasites, like fleas and ticks, which can spread diseases to you. Rodents are dangerous to have in your home. The question of which of these two rodents, the rat or mouse, is worse comes down to a few simple factors. Let's take a look at them.
Mouse Problems
There is a reason the common house mouse was given its name. House mice, known scientifically as mus musculus, commonly get into homes and stay for good. They are the most common house-invading rodents. While they can live in ground holes and tree holes, they would much rather live in your home with you. Your home protects from the hot sun during the summer and chilly air during the winter. Your home also protects you from predators. There are a lot of animals that want to eat a tiny, little mouse. This is why a mouse would want to tuck itself into the tight spaces within the voids of your home. They'd do this even if there wasn't a single ounce of food to eat.
Another way mice can be worse than rats is that their tiny size allows them to move about your home quite easily. A full-grown mouse can fit through a hole the size of a dime. Rats require a hole the size of a quarter.
Rat Problems
Two types of rats get into Aiken's homes; they are the Norway rat and the roof rat. While both can get into your home and stay, neither is as prolific as the house mouse. Of these two rats, the one that comes close to competing with the house mouse is the roof rat. They do quite well in homes. Norway rats are more likely to be found living in the ground outside of your home. You may notice their holes near piles of objects in your yard. They create their burrows underneath.
The way rats can be more of a problem than mice is that they can get aggressive. Mice are skittish creatures that will scurry away when you approach. While the same can be said of rats, they may become aggressive if you enter an area where there are offspring present, such as an attic space with a colony of roof rats or a crawl space with a group of Norway rats. If you are bitten by a rat, there is a low chance of rabies, but you could become sick with Hantavirus, leptospirosis or rat-bite fever. You won't have too much to worry about if you enter a space that has mice. They won't be aggressive. But, keep in mind that it is wise to avoid handling mice. If you pick up a mouse, it can bite you.
Problems Mice And Rats Cause
Rodents will spread illness when they get into your home. These critters can spread bacteria and parasitic worms to your stored foods, food-prep areas, and dishes. They can contaminate areas, and food, with their feces and urine. Rodents bring ticks, fleas, and other parasites into your home, which have their own set of diseases.
Rodent Control In Aiken
If you're dealing with rodents in Aiken, it doesn't matter which you're dealing with, they can both present a threat to your health and property. Contact Aiken Pest Control for effective rodent control in Aiken. We know what is required to remove and exclude mice and rats from your property.