Rodents in the home are not something you need. However, it is not unusual to find you have mice or rats sharing your house. They come into your home for warmth and comfort and for food, and they reproduce. When you consider that a mouse can have perhaps 8 litters of 6 young each year and that those young are able to reproduce after 30 days, it becomes clear how quickly a pair of mice can become an infestation.
How do you get rid of rodents in the home? What can you do to minimize the risk of rodent infestation? That – along with why you should consider getting a professional rodent control expert into your home – is what we are going to be talking about in the article that follows. First, we will begin by looking at what you can do to make your home less attractive and less accessible to rodents.
Prevention of Household Pests
If you want to see what a professional pest control company can do, we suggest you check out https://majesticpestcontrol.com/, which is one of the leading names in the market. They are not just experts at rodent control but can handle cockroaches, ants, termites, bed bugs, and many more. But we’re here to talk about rodents, so what can you do to keep them out of your home?
It’s important to understand just how small a gap a mouse can squeeze through. These are surprisingly flexible creatures that can get through the gap in, for example, a regular air brick. The first thing you need to do is to find all your air bricks and cover them in fine wire mesh, which will block one of the entrance points.
Next, you need to attend to any cracks or gaps in woodwork, plus broken windows and so on. Then you need to consider what the rodents are looking for – food, primarily. Rats and mice will be attracted by food falling from a bird table. Inside the house, they will find any food you leave out in the open very welcome. They will eat waste that has not been correctly disposed of and will also find packets of food that they can get their teeth into.
The key to prevention is to keep all your foodstuff – no matter how well-packed you think it might be – locked away and to make sure you dispose of waste carefully in a sealed bin. Fill in all the possible small entrances, and clear away the fallen husks of bird food. And you may want to purchase a cat!
So, now we have some idea of how and why mice and rats – as well as squirrels and raccoons – may want to share your home; let’s have a quick look at other pests and then consider DIY pest control measures.
Common Household Pests
Mice and rats are among the most common household pests found in homes in the USA. The most common are ants, which are ubiquitous and difficult to eradicate, while bed bugs are also on the rise. Like rodents, smaller insect pests are looking for warmth and food. In general, these pests are not dangerous but are an irritant, but mice and rats can cause serious damage.
Rodents may chew through power cables and can potentially be a fire risk. This is when things do get dangerous. They also bring in possible bacteria as you have no idea where a mouse or rat has been. So, what about DIY rodent removal? Let’s talk about this angle and if it is worthwhile. 
Why Not DIY Pest Removal?
We’ve already given some tips on how to minimize the risk of rodents entering your home, but what about DIY rodent removal? There are a few methods that can be tried, but they do have their pitfalls.
A common method is to put down rat poison. However, this is not an option should you have dogs or cats in the home, as no matter what they claim, rat poisons can be dangerous to other animals. A second method is to lay traps. These do work but look back at the opening of the article and consider how many mice – for example – might come from one breeding pair.
The off-the-shelf methods are there if you want to try them yet, like many people, the likelihood is they will not do the job, and you will resort to calling out the professionals after all. The only question is, how do you find the right pest and rodent exterminator for your individual infestation? Here are some questions you need to ask when searching for your service provider.
What to Look for in a Professional Pest Exterminator
There are many pest control companies to choose from, so how do you ensure you get the best one? The first thing you need to know is the expertise and experience they have in dealing with your particular pest problem, in this case, rodents. Rodents require a different approach to, for example, bed bugs or cockroaches, so ask the question of their past record with rats and mice.
You also need to ensure the professional exterminator you hire is licensed and also insured. They will need to be in your home, and that means there is a possibility of accident and damage. Ask for the level of insurance they have.
Next, is the big question: how much will rodent extermination cost? This is a difficult question to answer as there are several factors involved – the size of your home, the severity of the infestation, the pest in question, for example – and research says a typical cost will be between $100 and $270. Make sure you get more than one quote and compare prices before you make your choice.
Conclusion
Rodents in the home are not an unusual problem and are one that may affect homes in towns and cities, in the suburbs, and in remote areas. If you notice signs of rodents in your home, call out the pest control experts urgently and get the problem dealt with.
