How To Tell If Your West Palm Beach Home Has A Rodent Problem

If you see mice and rats hanging out near the foundation of your home or see those rodents scurrying along baseboards inside your home, there is no doubt that you have a rodent problem.

But this is rarely how homeowners in West Palm Beach find out they have a rodent problem. Mice and rats are nocturnal by nature. They prefer to be running around when it's dark. This makes it difficult to see them when they first start to explore your West Palm Beach yard and/or home.

Of the two, mice are the most difficult to detect because they are extremely timid creatures that hide from sight. Let's take a look at what you're most likely to see when rodents start to become a problem, and why it is important to take action against rodents when you see these warning signs.

Rodent Droppings

Mice and rats leave their droppings in many places. If you begin to notice these droppings, it is important to examine them closely. Fresh droppings will be a dark color and moist when compressed. Old droppings will look more ashen and will crumble when compressed.

Where To Look For Rodent Droppings

rodent droppings on floor in south florida

The perimeter around your home between your landscaping and your foundation walls should be your first area to check. Be sure to check on top of electrical boxes, pipes, and around exterior wall penetrations as you conduct this inspection.
Look in the cabinet underneath your kitchen sink. This moisture point is a common entry point for rodents.
Do an inspection of your attic spaces. If you have rodents in your home, they're likely to spend some time in your attic because heat rises. You should see droppings sprinkled about on top of fiberglass insulation.
Behind your washer and dryer. Often, rodents chew their way into a home through vent covers, and ultimately chew through exhaust tubes to get all the way in. This could have them leaving droppings in hidden places within your laundry room.

Piles Of Dog Droppings

If you have a dog, it is important that you understand the connection between your dog's droppings and a rat infestation. Rats collect and eat the waste of dogs. If you go into a crawl space or a void under your deck and find a pile of your dog's droppings, it is likely that you also have a rat problem.

Holes

Mice and rats chew holes - lots of holes. They chew holes to get into homes. They chew holes to gain access to storage rooms, pantries, and kitchen cabinets. They chew holes in stored boxes, furniture, and other items. They chew holes in food packages. When you find holes, it is time to start looking for other warning signs. Those holes don't appear on their own.

Strange Pet Behavior

Your dog or cat can smell and hear things that you can't. If your pet is acting strangely, it could be a warning sign that there is something going on within your home that you can't sense. This bears closer examination.

Sickness

There are many ways mice and rats can make you sick. If you are noticing ongoing illness in your home, your sickness could be rodent related. Stomach illness is a strong indicator. Also, look for the unexplained appearance of ticks and fleas inside your home. Rodents bring these ectoparasites with them when they get into your home.

Scratching Sounds In The Attic

When people hear noises in their walls, ceilings or ventilation ducts, this is usually the trigger that causes them to reach out to us. You are most likely to hear scratching sounds in your attic from rodents at night as rats leave the warmth of the insulation to find food and water outside of your home. You will also hear rodents scratching in the attic as they prepare their nesting areas.

Rodent Threats

When mice and rats get into your home they spread illness, damage your property, cause contamination with their urine and feces, introduce ectoparasites, and present a fire hazard. At the first sign of rodent activity, contact a pest professional.

Native Pest Management is the right choice for West Palm Beach residential pest control and commercial pest control services. Our Angie's List Super Service Award winning team has the experience and training to make sure you get the results you're looking for. Contact us today for immediate assistance with pest management in West Palm Beach. We can help and have the ability to provide free same day rodent inspections.