One of the most common questions around rodent control is whether they are in fact present on your property or not.
As their presence or perceived presence can cause concern and worry, it’s important to know what to look out for and, if they are present, take steps as soon as possible to address them to protect human health.
Both rats and mice are experts in accessing areas that are seemingly inaccessible as they can squeeze through tiny cracks and crevices. More often than not, they will be looking for food, water or shelter so the obvious place to start looking is in areas where these factors are prevalent. According to Hounslow Council, rats alone infest over a million homes a year.
In this article, we will look at some of the most commons indications they are about as, despite their sneaky nature, they do leave signs. If you would like further information on options on how to eradicate them, the pros and cons of said options or the reasons why it’s important to control them, please view the other articles in our blog.
If you feel that there are obvious signs of a rodent infestation, we supply a full range of effective mouse and rat poisons, traps and bait stations in our online store.
Physically Seeing Them
An obvious one but a sign none the less.
Both rats and mice will normally be hard to spot directly in the open as they will nest in sheltered areas (such as under sheds or buildings), travel to find food using sheltered routes (such as pipes or vegetation) and are primarily nocturnal. However, as the colder weather comes in, vegetation starts to die back, and food become harder to find. This means their travel routes will become more exposed and they will head nearer towards your home in search of food (such as in bins) so spotting them is far from impossible.
The rodents may not be alive when you spot them. You could find remains that have been hunted by predators such as owls, or if someone in your neighbourhood has used rodenticides, the rodents die a few days later, sometimes in exposed areas. Always ensure you follow appropriate health and safety guidelines if you need to handle rodents.
Rodent Droppings and Urine Stains
Another common sign of activity is excrement. Rodent droppings are small, dark and pellet shaped which will normally be found near nests, food sources, or travel routes between the two. Rat droppings will normally be larger than mice droppings and, according to Salford Council, rats tend to leave their droppings in one area, whereas mice will scatter theirs.
Urine stains can be viewed anywhere the rodents frequent and emit a foul smell of ammonia. The larger the infestation, the more urine will be about and the worse the smell.
Nesting Material
Finding nesting materials such as paper, cardboard, fabric or dried plant matter can indicate rodents are present. When spotted, these can often be mistaken for debris or rubbish that has not found its way to the bin, it’s important to recognise that these could have made their way there via unwanted guests. Biting marks on the nesting materials as well as droppings nearby will confirm it’s a rodent nest.
Their nests will be in hard to reach/hidden places such as behind appliances, in lofts or under floorboards for shelter and often in areas with easy access to food sources (such as cupboards or bins).
Gnawing Marks
Chewing or ‘gnawing’ can be seen on food packaging in cupboards if they have visited, on materials they have used to build their nests, furniture or if there are small holes at the bottom of walls.
This behaviour is also a natural one generally for rats and mice. They need to ‘gnaw’ on objects to maintain and sharpen their teeth and are not particular about what they chew. This can be a particular problem when they decide to damage infrastructure such as wires, pipes, or structural pillars.
As this behaviour can damage critical infrastructure in your home, it is important that you investigate and take steps to eradicate infestations as soon as gnaw marks are found.
Holes Chewed Through Walls
As above, and a bit of a classic cartoon sign of a rodent infestation, you may spot holes in the bottom of walls where they have chewed through to create access between their nests and food sources.
Stale Smells
Stale smells may become evident from a variety of factors such as the rodents’ physical presence, from their droppings & urine or when they have died and are rotting on your property. They can use scent markings to communicate with each other, so they’re not shy in making a stink!
The stronger the smells, the larger the infestation is likely to be.
Tracks
Although elusive, rodents will leave trails such as footprints, hair or dust where they frequent (although these will probably be in dark areas so using a torch will be necessary).
They will also leave grease marks in areas they travel across as their fur is oily and dirty. As their sight is relatively weak, they rely on other senses when travelling to food sources, such as smell, which means they will use familiar routes whenever they can. This repetitive travel over the same spot can leave clear signs of grease and dirt from the rodents (and can be a good indication on where to place traps).
Unusual Pet Behaviour
If you have a pet, they may start acting out of character if they know rodents are about. They may become more active/restless and focus on corners or secluded spots of a room such as under furniture. They’re far better at smelling and hearing than we are, so don’t ignore this behaviour as them ‘playing up’!
Strange Sounds
If inside your home, you may hear noises such as the pitter patter of their feet scurrying along the floor, in the lofts or walls. You may also hear squeaking or sounds from them moving items about to gnaw on.
They are usually nocturnal so these sounds are most likely to be at night (which can make it easier to hear, but not convenient if you’re trying to get a good night’s sleep).
Where to Check for Rodents Inside
As noted by the BPCA, they will look for areas that are sheltered with access to water and food sources.
They will make nests and frequent areas such as lofts/attics, inside of walls, under floorboards or other secluded areas such as behind appliances (especially if they generate heat).
Areas where utilities such as pipes and wires enter the building are also a good place to look as these can provide entry points for rodents.
Where to Check for Rodents Outside
In reality, there aren’t many places that are out of reach for rodents as most can climb, jump and dig! However, similarly to inside, they will tend to live in areas that have ample shelter with easy access to food and water.
Under decking, sheds or garages, in compost bins or around dense vegetation can all provide attractive opportunities to burrow. You can look for the signs noted above (such as gnawing) or burrowing holes around these areas for an indication there’s an infestation.
In and around drains (especially ones that have direct access to sewers) can also be a suitable place for them to set up camp. Again, look for signs of burrowing or damage to the drain.
Conclusion
Rats and mice can be elusive, however they will often leave signs if they are on your property. Whether it’s seeing physical activity, smelling their excrement or corpses, or even hearing them during the night, if you are vigilant you can spot them.
If you do see signs of an infestation, it’s important to check areas where the rodents might frequent and take appropriate steps to eradicate them. Rats and mice can bring threats to human health (which you can read about here) so ensuring you get on top of the problem as quickly as possible is crucial.
We supply a range of DIY pest control products that can be used by amateurs to get rid of rats and mice. When using them, you should always follow the manufacturer’s instructions on the packaging and follow appropriate health and safety guidelines.
Yorumlar