When we say rodents, we are talking about different furry mammals whose teeth continually grow. Yes, that’s right! Their teeth never stop growing. They always need something to gnaw to keep their teeth trimmed. This is the reason why they cause too much damage. These species of the order Rodentia include squirrels, hamsters, beaver, mice, rats, and many more.
There are about 2,000 species of rodents, the largest group of mammals in the world. These creatures are present almost everywhere; deserts, swamps, forests, and even in our homes.
Some spend time in trees and human homes, while others choose to live a quiet life underground. Some rodents, like rats and mice, are omnivores. They eat meat like insects but the majority of rodents are herbivores.
They prefer to eat fruits, flowers, plants, seeds, nuts, and tubers. Rodents are famous to have an enormous appetite and can eat up to 20 times a day. After all, they have all the time in the world to do this.
Why Should We Worry About Rodents?
Rodents cause significant damage to crops, properties, and food supplies all over the world. Aside from this, some of them can also spread different kinds of diseases. They could bring serious health risk to the public. For example, one of the most common species of rodents is mice and rats. These pests can spread over 35 diseases alone through bites, feces, urine, saliva, or through handling rodents. These diseases can possibly be spread to humans and pets as well through mites, ticks, and fleas that are infected.
Here is the list of some diseases directly and indirectly transmitted by rodents:
Directly Transmitted
- Salmonellosis - You can get this disease by eating or drinking food or water that contains rat feces. Mice and rats transmit this.
- Tularemia - You can get this disease when an infected rodent bites you, when you handle animal carcasses, or by eating and drinking contaminated food and water.
- Leptospirosis - This is a disease we can acquire from mice and rats. But the truth is, other kinds of rodents can also spread this. You can get this disease through the skin or mucous membranes contact with water or soil. These are contaminated with the urine from the infected rodent.
- Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome - This virus is spread through contact with rodents or their urine and feces. You can acquire it if you breathe in dust that is contaminated with rodent urine or droppings. This disease is spread by a cotton rat, deer mouse, rice rat, and white-footed mouse.
- Omsk Hemorrhagic Fever - Rodents like muskrats are said to be the carrier of this disease. This can be spread through direct contact with an infected animal or bite from an infected tick.
- Plague - The carriers of this disease are wild rodents. They are prairie dogs, rock squirrels, fox squirrels, woodrats, fox squirrels, and other species of squirrels and chipmunks. It can be transmitted through the bite of an infected flea or direct contact.
Indirectly Transmitted
- Rocky Mountain spotted fever - A disease you can get from wild rodents. An infected tick can transmit this through biting.
- Powassan Virus - Is also a virus you can get from a groundhog, marmot, sciurid rodents, or squirrel family.
- Lyme disease- A bacteria you can get from white-footed mice or tree squirrels.
- Lacrosse encephalitis - This disease can be spread through a bite of a mosquito. The carrier of this virus are Eastern chipmunk and tree squirrel.
- Colorado tick fever - A virus spread by deer mouse, ground squirrel woodrat, chipmunk, and porcupine.
- Sylvatic Typhus - Bacteria spread through contact of broken skin or wound with infected flea or inhaling their aerosolized feces. The carrier of this disease is a flying squirrel.
Preventing & Getting Rid Of Rodents
Rodents look so cute that some people welcome them to their homes and choose them as pets. However, some people have different perspectives when it comes to these creatures. Others think that they are nothing but pests and nuisance to the environment. The truth is, they actually serve a purpose in the ecosystem. People still choose to eliminate them because when infestation starts, the damage would follow. The fact that rodents are made up of many different species, the methods of eliminating them may differ depending on their kind.
When dealing with pests, there are 3 simple steps you can try yourself. These are simple, yet effective methods when followed properly or if the infestation is not yet severe.
- Seal up holes to prevent rodents from entering your home or establishment. Rodents can squeeze in almost everywhere. This is the reason why it is so easy for them to go to places or invade houses and establishments. One of the steps you should take if you would like to prevent infestation is to seal all the holes where they can sneak through. But where do we usually find these holes? If we are talking about the inside, they are most commonly present in the attic, basement, pipes, under the sink, cabinets, and behind doors. In short, areas that anyone can't easily see. While from the outside, you can find these gaps and holes normally in the roof, behind doors, electrical plumbing, and gas line.
- Trap rodents to stop the increase in their population. Once you find out that there is a rodent invading your property, the first you want to do is to stop them from multiplying. When doing DIY traps, be sure to choose an appropriate trap. Take note, traps for rodents depend on the kind of species you are trying to catch. For example, traps for mice are different from what you need to use for rats. Identifying the type of rodents is very important so you will know what trap you should use. Setting a trap without proper identification will just waste your time and effort. Make sure to place traps in areas where you think rodent activities frequently take place.
- Clean up! Keeping your place spotless is indeed the easiest thing to do, yet the most effective way to prevent these uninvited visitors from coming. Rodents of all kinds are attracted to food but if there is nothing for them to munch inside your home, chances are, they will just ignore the place and go elsewhere to get food to survive. Rodents have strong teeth. They can chew almost everything so if you have to store some food, you better keep it in thick plastic or metal containers with tight lids instead of boxes. Make sure you seal garbage plastics and garbage cans have lids. Wash the dishes and cooking utensils right away and clean up spilled food as leftovers as tiny as crumbs can immediately attract them.
In cases when you can’t handle rodents and infestation has started, it is best to involve the experts to make sure these creatures will be eliminated using nothing but safe and effective methods.
Go-forth is one of the leading pest control companies that offer a variety of pest control plans.
Plans such as rodent control & extermination are among their expertise and a lot of our customers can testify to the outstanding service that Go-forth provides.
Why Choose Go-Forth Home Services For Your Rodent Control And Extermination?
The original Go-Forth Pest Management was founded in 1959 in High Point, NC. Their 50+ years of experience and hard work was their stepping stone to success which made them one of the best. In fact, they are BBB accredited since 1973 and is A+ rated by the Better Business Bureau.
Go-Forth Home Services is a family-owned company and service solutions provider of modern pest control services, using the latest and most advanced equipment in the business, making our service to you much better, safer, and more convenient. They offer residential and commercial services that are proven to be effective. We have a team of expert professionals who can provide the best pest control services to residents and business establishments all throughout North and South Carolina.
We bring in a new and fresh approach to the pest control industry, using family-friendly and pet-friendly methods of extermination that caters to your specific needs. Our expert experience in exterminating pests like cockroaches, wasps, weevils, mosquitoes, mice, flies, termites, ants, and spiders can really make these pests disappear in your home.
Go-Forth Home Services provides nothing but the best experience! From our technicians to our customer service, we give nothing but a personalized yet professional approach to each of our valued clients. We have earned the trust of residents and businesses in North Carolina for more than 50 years and the reviews from our clients are proof that our services are reliable and effective. You may check us on Facebook or Google us to see what our satisfied customers have to say about us.
For more information, or to set an appointment, just dial (877) 274-1475. Our friendly operators are standing by.