Are You Struggling To Keep Rodents Off Your Dallas Property?

After a long day of running errands, battling coworkers, meeting deadlines, and fighting traffic, the sweatiest drive we take is going home. We can't wait to arrive at our private respite away from the noise and stress. When we click on the garage door opener, drive into our garage, close the door and turn off the engine, there is a moment of relief that we made it through another day in the concrete jungle. 

We do everything we can to make our homes a place of refuge. We install fences, lock our doors, and set up security cameras; we want to feel safe and secure inside our houses. We want an escape where we can take off our shoes, plop into our easy chairs, and enjoy a few hours of mindless entertainment or engaging reading. 

Rodents can interrupt the serenity and solitude we enjoy in our house. Hearing scratching sounds while you are enjoying a good novel next to a crackling fire is disturbing. Suddenly, you are on high alert and listening intently to discover the origin of the sound. Once you know the noise is not a figment of your imagination, a twinge of concern flows through your mind as you wonder if the rodents are scurrying through your house while you sleep. 

Do not live in fear or surrender your Dallas house to rodents. If you suspect rodents are underneath your feet in the crawlspace, inside walls, or somewhere else in your home, you need the best pest control in Dallas, All-Safe Pest & Termite. For almost 40 years, we have removed rodents from Dallas area homes earning us the title of "Top Pick" in an independent survey of 10,000 metroplex homeowners. Our guaranteed services are customized to your situation by our highly-trained technicians. We want homeowners to regain their homes and restore their serenity by winning the war against rodents. You can use the following information to learn how to fight these disruptive creatures.

Types Of Rodents That Invade Dallas Homes

Over 2,000 species of animals fit the classification of rodents, but the types of rodents infesting homes in the Dallas area are roof rats and mice. As the name suggests, roof rats prefer to live in the upper parts of the house or yard (i.e., the attic or upper part of trees). Here is a little trivia: if you read about rats on Old World ships, you were probably reading about roof rats because they used to be called ship rats or black rats due to their excellent swimming ability. These rats did not originate in the United States but were brought to our country from southeast Asia by travelers. Roof rats have bodies 6 to 8 inches long, with a scale-covered, hairless six to eight-inch tail. They have large, black eyes and big ears protruding from their soft, brown furry body with black hairs intermixed. 

Mice are the other rodent species infesting many Dallas homes. There are several species, but house mice are the ones homeowners typically encounter. House mice have a dusty grey 2 1/2 to 3 3/4 inch furry topside with a creamy white belly; their tails are not as long as roof rats but measure between 2 1/2 to 3 3/4 inches long. Roof rats may be good swimmers, but house mice are jumpers that can launch themselves on foot into the air. Additionally, mice run fast and have a top speed of over seven miles per hour. Mice have a life expectancy of about one and a half years. Unlike roof rats that prefer to lodge in the upper regions of a home, house mice prefer to nest in wall voids and dark, secluded parts throughout the house. 

The word "rodent" comes from a Latin word that means "to gnaw." Rodents have a top and bottom pair of ever-growing incisor teeth that they must constantly trim to keep manageable because they can eventually inhibit the rodent from eating if they do not stay trimmed. 

Although rats and mice are similar, they are also different. Rats and mice are omnivores: they eat meat, vegetables, and everything else in between, although they have their preferences and oddities. Mice prefer fatty, sugary foods and edibles high in protein, while rats prefer meat, livestock feed, and grains. On the odd side, the rodents will consume glue, toothpaste, fur, leather, and animal feces.

Rats consume about one-third of their body weight daily, and mice eat about 10% to 15% of their body weight in food each day. Mice tend to nibble throughout the day, but rats usually eat their meals in one sitting. Because rats like to eat so much food, they are heavier than mice. When food goes in, waste comes out. Rats deposit up to 25,000 droppings, and mice about 18,000 annually. 

A way you can determine whether you have rats or mice in your Dallas home is the shape and size of the droppings near baseboards, appliances, inside cabinets, and the attic. Rats produce olive pit-sized pellet-shaped feces with blunt ends; mice create smooth and pointed rod-shaped droppings about 1/8 to 1/4 inch long. 

How do you know if what you heard in the walls, attic, or underneath the floor is rodents? Well, in addition to the droppings, another sign is grease marks. Rats and mice have oily fur that attracts dirt and grim in the nasty areas where they forage. Since they have poor eyesight, they often bump against walls, baseboards, appliances, and other objects and leave dark smudge marks. Examine furniture, plastics, wood, and thin metals for gnaw marks around the areas you find dropping and grease marks. 

You have probably discovered a pathway if you find droppings, gnaw marks, and grease marks in an area. Rats and mice are creatures of habit that travel the same trail from food sources to their nest. To confirm the diagnosis, use a black light to investigate for urine stains on the floor and walls. Another technique is sprinkling talcum powder on a suspected runway to see if four and five-toed tracks appear in a few days.

Secure rodent control in Dallas from All-Safe Pest & Termite if these indicators are present in your home. 

How Dangerous Is It To Have Rodents On My Property?

Rodents may appear cute and cuddly, but wild rodents in your Dallas home can harm your family and house. Rodents forage in areas that are Petri dishes for bacteria and viruses. As the rats and mice move through these locations feeding on rotting garbage, sewage, and animal feces, their fur attracts pathogens lying on the surface. Later, when they move through houses at night, the disease-causing organisms fall off and contaminate surfaces in the kitchen, laundry room, bathrooms, basement, attic, and wherever else they travel. Because fur on rodents has pathogens, it is dangerous to handle a dead rodent because it can spread to humans. 

Fleas, ticks, mites, and lice are often inside the coat of a rodent. When a rat or mouse finds an entry point into a house, the insects will transfer to pets and people to get their blood meals. When an infected flea or tick bites, it can share bacteria, viruses, and tapeworms infecting the host. 

Another way rodents spread illnesses is through fecal matter. Although you may notice the pellet-shaped dropping in the corner of a drawer, dried urine is not easily spotted unless using a blacklight. An unsuspecting person may use a contaminated utensil or serving item and consume the disease-causing organism. 

While you may vacuum out droppings and disinfect the location, you may have been too late to stop the allergic reaction they can trigger. As the dark pellets dry, they turn grey and flake into airborne particles. Allergic reactions and asthma attacks increase in children and the elderly in homes infested by rodents due to fecal matter floating in the air. 

Because rodents nest in wall voids, appliances, and the attic, they chew on electrical wires and cause short circuits or a fire. Rats and mice destroy internet wiring disrupting the ability to work from home and entertainment options. Get rid of rodents in your Dallas home with All-Safe Pest & Termite. 

Four Simple Rodent Exclusion Tips For Around Your Home

To avoid harming your family or burning down your house, here are four simple ways to keep rodents out of your Dallas house:

• Seal openings: Rats can squeeze through a 1/2-inch hole, and mice can cram through gaps the size of a nickel. Cover gaps in the foundation, roofline, frames, and between incoming wires and pipes using steel wool, sheet metal, or mortar.
• Cover vents: Use 1/4 wire mesh to seal the attic, crawlspace, and chimney openings. 
• Install door sweeps: Attach barriers under all external doors, including the garage.
• Trim vegetation: Prune bushes and trees away from the house to prevent roof rats from jumping onto the structure from nearby trees. 

These tips will keep lawn rodents out of your Dallas house. Our technicians from All-Safe Pest & Termite will assist you with other exclusion needs and ideas. 

The Most Effective Rodent Control For Your Home

If you have been searching for the "best rodent control near me," then All-Safe Pest & Termite is your answer. Our technicians will inspect your property to determine the rodent species, hot spots, attractions, and entry points. Based on the findings, our certified technician will determine the best locations for rodent traps and bait stations and seal ground-level entry points. You can contact us today to learn more and get a free estimate.