Rodents will typically enter your home in search of food and shelter. They are noisy and destructive, and their presence in your house can harm your pets and your family. Evidence of a rodent infestation includes the following:
- Noises: You will likely hear scratching and squeaking noises in the walls and attic.
- Droppings: Rodents will leave droppings, especially near nests and food sources. They’ll also urinate in your walls and throughout your home, eventually generating a noticeable odor.
- Damage: Rodents can chew through wood, drywall, electrical components, insulation, and much more; chewed wires can even lead to fires.
- Nests: Rodents build nests from a collection of materials, often in attics or crawl spaces.
- Runways: Rodents can also leave greasy marks along pathways and near entrances.
Problems Caused By Rodents
Mice and rats both cause damage and are known vectors for disease and bacteria, including hantavirus, the West Nile Virus, and even the plague. They’ll gnaw through furniture, walls, and insulation to nest. From your attic to your basement, mice and rats will make their way throughout your home. They will find their way into food sources, including yours and your pets, eating a little and contaminating the rest.
What Types Of Rats And Mice Are In Phoenix, Arizona?
Two types of rats and two types of mice are common in Arizona, and if you have lived here long enough, you have probably encountered them all.
- Roof Rats: Roof rats are the scourge of many Arizona homes and businesses. Roof rats are small rats that are sometimes called black rats or ship rats, and they are found all over the world. They love to nest in the upper areas of your property, such as attics, gnawing everything they can get their teeth into, and contaminating any food items you may have stored there. If you see chewed wires and rat droppings all over your attic, you have a roof rat problem.
- Pack Rats: A famous, desert-loving rodent, the pack rat is not an uncommon visitor to Arizona homes. Like roof rats, they like to nest in attics, although you may find them in any areas where there is a lot of insulation or other debris they can use to make a nest. These rats have long, furry tails and a white underbelly with white feet. They can be extremely noisy, which may be the first indication you have a pack rat. While they typically do not bite humans, their urine and feces can spread diseases, and they can also chew through wiring.
- House Mice: As their name would indicate, this is the type of mouse you are most likely to find in your home or other occupied structure. House mice are smaller than rats and usually have a gray coat and off-white underbelly. In addition to doing a lot of unsettling scurrying, these mice cause problems for your family or your business by leaving dozens of droppings everywhere every day, which can contaminate everything around them.
- Deer Mice: While you are less likely to find deer mice in your home, if you do, you need to take action right away. These mice are carriers of hantavirus, which can travel to humans when they inhale dust particles contaminated by the saliva, urine, or feces of infected deer mice. You may find them hidden in drawers, cabinets, and storage containers.
The Differences Between Rats & Mice
Rats can enter your home through spaces as small as a quarter, and mice only need an area as big as a dime. The type of rodents you have in your home or business will play a significant role in dealing with the infestation.
You may be able to tell whether you have mice or rats based upon the evidence they’ve left behind or from a direct sighting. Some of the key differences between mice and rats include:
- Size: Mice and rats vary significantly in size. Black rats can grow to 18 inches long, while mice typically remain under four inches.
- Ears: Mice and rats have distinctively different ears. Mice ears are large and round, while rat ears are small and closer to the head.
- Tails: Rats are known for their long, scaly tails. Mouse tails tend to be thin and covered in short hairs.
