Rodents

Often considered the most common type of pest in the world, rodents are also high on the list of many people's fears. If you spot even one rat or mouse in your home, it could indicate more than one rodent is present, but don't worry—that's where Wildlife X Team® Waco can help. We have years of experience with trapping rodents and, most importantly, repairing rodent damage and preventing future rodent issues. Call 817.431.3007 today to get rid of your Waco rodent problems today! Learn more about Wildlife X Team® Waco's rodent control process below.

Common Rodent Problems

Despite their small appearance, rodents can do a lot of damage to landscapes and buildings on your Waco property. Some of the more common rodent complaints are as follows:

• Large amounts of droppings in various locations
• Ripped and gnawed-open food containers
• Grease marks along walls and doors
• Chewed wires in the wall or home devices

Is Rodent Control Actually Necessary?

Yes — rodents are generally unpleasant creatures to have large amounts of, especially near your family. Rodents are found in unhygienic places like dumpsters and therefore carry many deadly diseases and can be hosts to parasites. It is important not to handle rodents or their waste unless you are trained. Instead, you should contact Wildlife X Team® Waco online or by 817.431.3007 before the problem gets out of hand. 

Our Rodent Control Process

Rodent Control & Removal

First, we check the inside and outside of a house to discover all entry points. We need to know how rodents are entering your home. These entry points need to be repaired and sealed after placing any traps. The sealing prevents rodents from leaving a particular area of a home, so they will be caught in traps. We will then set traps in the areas of a home to remove the pests. We place a variety of traps inside infested areas for complete rodent control.

Snap Traps

The most common mousetrap is the snap trap. This device is made of wood and a metal bar. The metal bar quickly snaps a rat or mouse after it steps on it; this is a quick and effective tool for killing a rodent.

Glue Traps

Another type of trap is the glue trap. It is a sticky substance on a flat piece of cardboard. A rodent will be stuck on the glue trap after stepping on the sticky substance, and consequently die of dehydration. The best feature of this type of trap is that it can catch many rodents—a single glue trap is capable of trapping ten or more rodents.

Poison-Free Rodent Removal

Using poison methods for rodent control is not effective, as it does not kill every single mouse or rat. Furthermore, the poison leaves dead and rotting rodents in your home, and these dead rodent can attract wildlife, spread disease, and have a terrible smell—defeating the purpose in the first place.

For this reason, Wildlife X Team® Waco does not use poison. We only use rodent control methods that will effectively solve your rodent problem; methods that ensure a permanent solution.

Repairs

Your home may need repairs after being infested with rodents. Mice and rats dig holes and chew wires in walls, both of which present hazards and creat enew entry points. To combat this, we will seal all holes inside and outside your Waco house. This measure prevents rodents from entering your home in the future. We also repair and replace wires near the rodent nests in your home.

Decontamination

A family of rodents can leave thousands of droppings in a home. Their feces carry diseases such as Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome. The vapor from urine and feces can infect you. You will need to call a professional from Wildlife X Team® Waco to disinfect your attic and walls.

We disinfect any area with contamination, using the disinfectants recommended by the CDC and FDA. These disinfectants are safe to use around people and pets. Your home will be clean of any diseases from these rodents.

Prevention

Finally, we install prevention in the final step. The goal of this is to prevent rodents from returning to your home. We proof doors and windows, as well as seal any entry points (and potential entry points). These seals prevent rodents from entering your home through small cracks and holes.

Damage That Rodents Cause In Your Home or Building

Rats and mice are primarily associated with filth and for a good reason; they live in sewers and bring all sorts of harmful bacteria into the home. Even more annoying is the damage these rodents can cause. However, the extent of damage depends on a couple of factors including the number of rodents present, how long they have been there, and the availability of materials they can damage. However, you can be certain that once you have a rodent infestation, the problem quickly escalates due to their high fecundity. Here are some of the major damages caused by rodents:

Chewing Through Materials

Rodents have a special attribute; their incisors keep growing throughout their lifespan. To keep its growth in check, rodents have to consistently chew on anything they can get those teeth on, whether it be paper, wood, pipes, insulation, and more.

• If a rat chews on a wire, it exposes the wire and that becomes a potential fire hazard. It also presents the risk of electrocution.
• Chewed insulation affects the heating and cooling properties of the home. This means an increased energy bill for the homeowner.
• If a rodent chews through load-bearing wood beams, it can seriously affect the structural integrity of the building.

Rodents have no respect for any item and will gnaw on any chewable item found it in the basement, attic, garage, or closet including, valuable paintings, irreplaceable family heirlooms, and important documents.

Contamination

The average rat or mouse produces between 40 to 100 droppings per day. You can easily imagine how their droppings gather, especially if there are many of them in your house. Similarly, rats and mice urinate a lot as they use their urine as a way to mark trails and territories. Aside from polluting the environment, they also contaminate food sources.

Health Risk

Rodents are associated with a wide array of diseases including hantavirus, lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCMV), leptospirosis, Salmonella, and Tularemia. Furthermore, rats and mice may die in hidden spaces, emitting foul smells, but at the same time serving as a breeding ground for flies, bacteria, maggots, and cockroaches. All this poses health risks to homeowners.

Conclusion

Chewing through materials is built into the evolutionary trait of rodents. That’s why the best way to prevent the damages associated with rodents is to ensure they do not gain access to your house in the first place. Because rats and mice can fit through small holes (less than 1/2 inch), all potential entry holes must be sealed with hardware cloth or other un-chewable materials. Having a professional team like Wildlife X Team® Waco handle your rodent infestation problem is the best way to ensure that the problem is completely addressed.