Rodent Awareness Week 2023: Take Time to Explore Protection and Prevention Options

Rodent Awareness Week 2023 is set to kick off on October 22. That makes it an ideal time to learn not only why rodent control is so essential, but also how to protect your property and prevent infestations.

Raising Awareness of the Damages and Harm Rodents Can Cause

The National Pest Management Association (NPMA) founded Rodent Awareness Week in 2014 to raise awareness of the dangers of this particular pest problem. The timing of the week coincides perfectly with the time that many mice and rats start moving indoors to find warmth and shelter from cooler outdoor temperatures.

As anyone who has encountered pests indoors can attest, rodents can be tiny terrors. Seeing one darting through your home or business can cause alarm, at best. Even worse, rodents can do a lot of damage and spread harmful germs that can put both people and pets at risk.

Rodent Damage

Did you know that rodents like mice and rats have front teeth that never stop growing? That’s why these critters constantly gnaw on everything they can find. They gnaw on wood, insulation, siding, food and packaging, electrical wires, and more. Additionally, rodents often create damage while building their nests, tunneling into insulation and even burrowing into upholstered furniture at times.

Aside from the gnawing and burrowing, other possible rodent problems include:

Damage to structural elements of homes and other buildings
Chewed-through food packaging and destruction of food items
Loss of crops and plants in gardens and landscaping
Contamination from urine and feces everywhere they go

Rodent-Borne Illnesses

Everywhere they go, rodents tend to leave streaks of urine and messy feces. Combined with their saliva, these materials can potentially harbor dangerous germs and contribute to vectors of illnesses. They may also carry parasites and other pests, including fleas, ticks, and mites, indoors.

Common diseases caused by rodent contamination include:

Hantavirus
Leptospirosis
Tularemia
Plague
Salmonella
Rat Bite Fever
Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis
Allergies
Asthma

Signs of Rodent Activity

Rodent Awareness Week is the ideal time to learn about what to look for if you suspect rodents may be invading your home, business, or other property. These scurrying pests often sleep during the day and remain active at night, making it hard to spot live rodents. In addition to physically seeing mice and rats, other signs of rodent activity include:

Shredded insulation, fabric, plant materials, and paper used for nesting materials
Chew marks on walls, floors, beams, structural elements
Destroyed and chewed through food packaging with food items strewn around the area
Rodent droppings, particularly near food or water sources, in cupboards, and in drawers
Stale, musty odors coming from of out-of-reach spots
Sebum stains, caused by oils in the rodents’ fur and skin and leaves a stain after prolonged traffic to an area

Rodent Treatment and Prevention

Rodents can slip though openings as tiny as a dime or a quarter. If they find entry points that aren’t quite large enough to squeeze through, they will gnaw through the edges until they can fit through the opening. Once inside, not only do rodents wreak havoc, but they also reproduce at a rapid rate. In fact, mice can have as many as 12 babies every three weeks.

That staggering statistic underscores why rodent control is so essential. Moving quickly to eliminate the problem is vital. Calling for professional help is an important part of eliminating these pests for good.

The professionals at Catseye Pest Control have the extensive training and necessary tools and equipment to take control of infestations quickly and efficiently. It all starts with a thorough inspection, inside and out. This allows technicians to identify where rodents are nesting, to learn how and why they are entering the property, and to devise a tailored treatment plan.

Once a customized solution is created, removal begins with Catseye managing every step of the process. After ensuring all rodents are eliminated, Catseye performs cleanup and disinfection, with minor repairs also available to help return your property to its pre-rodent state.

How You Can Help Prevent an Infestation

Making your property less appealing to rodents can help prevent future problems. Although an infestation isn’t something you can handle on your own, you can take some proactive steps to minimize your risks. Examples include:

Eliminating Possible Nesting Sites

Outdoors, rodents love debris piles, stacks of lumber, abandoned vehicles, and trash to nest and find shelter. Indoors, it’s helpful to eliminate clutter. It’s also important to inspect any boxes that come into the building.

Secure Food and Water Sources

Repair leaky pipes and secure all food, including pet food, to make the home or building less attractive to nesting rodents. Store food in tightly lidded plastic, metal, or glass containers. Avoid leaving pet food and water out at night and be sure to store leftovers in sealed containers.

Clean Up the Area

Indoors and out, keeping things neat, tidy, and clean can help avoid problems. For example, wipe down counters and appliances to remove food residue and promptly clean crumbs and other messes from the floor. Wash all dishes after using them and get rid of your garbage frequently, using rodent-proof containers for temporary storage.

Seal Off Potential Entry Points

Getting rodents out is only half the battle. Preventing them from squeezing their way back inside is equally important. Sealing small holes and cracks with steel wool and patching walls is one option. It’s also wise to invest in a system designed to provide guaranteed protection.

Cat-Guard Exclusion Systems do just that by offering an impermeable, chemical-free barrier to prevent rodents and other nuisance wildlife from entering the premises. This natural, safe, and humane option can be used as targeted protection in vulnerable areas. Use all three systems together for whole-home protection, from the top of the roof to subterranean levels.

Schedule a Free Inspection

Catseye is dedicated to customer-first service, with various options available for homes and businesses in need of rodent, nuisance wildlife, and pest control. If you learn just one thing from Rodent Awareness Week 2023, let it be this: Working with professionals is the key to solving rodent problems.

Working with experts you can trust offers next-level peace of mind. If you suspect you have a rodent infestation or want professional tips on preventing them on your property, contact us to get started.

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