Category Archives: Rodents

Cincinnati Pest Control, Pest Infestation, Prevention tips, Rodents, Treatment Options

How to Get Rid of a Rodent Infestation

Rodents are pests that can cause serious issues for homeowners. If rodents get into your home they can damage your property and impact the health of your family. In order to protect your home and family you need to get rid of these pests as quickly as possible. Catching up on home maintenance, tidying up, and bringing in professional help will all work together to rid your home of a rodent infestation.

Catch up on home maintenance tasks

Catching up on home maintenance tasks is an essential part of protecting your house from rodents. Rodents can squeeze into your home through relatively small openings. In order to stop more rodents from moving in you need to close up areas that provide them with access. Take a walk around the perimeter of your home and check for breaches. Examine the eaves of your home, the attic, and the crawl space for signs of openings big enough for rodents. Seal up any breaches immediately. The other element of home maintenance you need to look at is the availability of water for the rodents. Rodents need water to survive and leaking pipes can provide them with the water they need. Check the water sources inside and around your house for any signs of a problem. Dealing with home maintenance tasks like these will help you in your efforts to get rid of a rodent infestation by taking away their access to shelter and water.

Tidy up your home

Tidying up your home can help you get rid of a rodent infestation for a couple of reasons. Rodents prefer to stay hidden and can do that in houses that are cluttered. If your home is packed full of things or stays in a state of disarray you may be providing rodents with ideal conditions. Lots of stuff lying around means plenty of places for rodents to hide. Messy spaces are also more likely to provide rodents with easy access to food. Forgotten crumbs, unwashed dishes, and overflowing trash cans are elements of a messy space that can give rodents plenty to eat. Eliminating the mess and decluttering your home are important steps toward getting rid of a rodent infestation.

Get professional treatment

The quickest and most effective way to get rid of a rodent infestation is to bring in professional help. A pest control professional will be able to use their training, experience, and tools to eradicate your rodent problem. Options for rodent control include traps and poison and will be tailored to the needs of your situation. Oftentimes a combination of traps and poison is used to effectively get rid of rodents.

Once you have eradicated rodents from your home you need to start thinking about how you will keep them away in the future. Staying on top of your home maintenance and cleaning duties will minimize your risk for future rodent infestations. You can also set your home up on regularly scheduled pest control services. Having a pest control professional treat your home for pests on a regular basis can help prevent a new infestation from occurring.

Cincinnati Pest Control, Rodents, Treatment Options

Rodent Control Treatment in Cincinnati

Rodents can cause significant distress to homeowners in Cincinnati. One reason for this is because they are a lot bigger than typical household pests. It can be downright frightening to see a rodent scurry through your house. But, their size is not the main reason that these types of pest should strike fear in your heart. The real threats that rodents pose are to your home and to your family. Rodents can cause serious damage to your property and spread disease to your family. The seriousness of these threats makes effective rodent control treatment very important.

Damage to your home

One of the biggest reasons proper rodent control is essential is because they can do serious damage to your home. Rodents are willing to chew on just about anything. They’re known to chew through wires inside walls and those connected to electronics and appliances. This type of damage can create potential fire hazards in your property. Rodents will also damage items inside your house by chewing through cardboard and paper to get materials to build their nests. Even seemingly strong building materials like sheetrock can be chewed through by rodents. In order to protect your home from damage you need to have a rodent control treatment plan that works.

Spread disease to your family 

Effective rodent control can protect your family from the threat of diseases that can be spread by rodents. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) lists eleven diseases that can be transmitted directly to humans from rodents and fifteen diseases that are indirectly transmitted by rodents. These lists contain some serious diseases that you do not want anyone in your family exposed to. Rodents can transmit disease directly by contaminating your food supply. When they chew into the food packages in your pantry they can leave behind urine and feces that spread disease. In addition, direct contact with rodent urine or droppings and breathing in dust contaminated with them can transmit disease. Keeping your home rodent-free will go a long way toward protecting the health of your family.

Rodent control treatment options

There are two basic options for rodent control treatment: traps and poison. Traps are designed to catch rodents and either kill them or contain them until you (or your pest control professional) can remove them from the property. One benefit of using traps is the fact that you know where the rodents are. You do not have to worry about them crawling into some hidden space to die and causing your home to smell bad. You can remove any rodent that gets caught in the trap’s snare and set it up to catch the next one. Poison is the second broad category for rodent control. There is a wide range of options for killing off rodents with poison. If you choose to work with a pest control professional they will have a recommendation for the poison you should use based on your situation and their expertise. A benefit of using poison is that you can get to more rodents than you can with traps. Once a trap is full it cannot catch another rodent until you remove the old one and re-set the trap. You can easily set out enough poison to kill off several rodents at a time.

In Cincinnati you can get help with all of your rodent control treatment needs from the experts at Sure Thing Pest Control. We have the training, expertise, and tools necessary to protect your home and your family from the threat of a rodent infestation.

Pest Control, Rodents

6 Tips to Determine if You Have a Rodent Problem

Having any type of creepy crawly intruder in your Cincinnati home isn’t pleasant, but when they’re of the rodent variety it seems to kick things up a notch. Rodents are sneaky, smart, and can find their way into your home through the smallest gaps you can imagine. If you think that you might have a rodent problem in your home, check out the 6 tips below to see if you’re right.

You’re Seeing Bite Marks

Rodents, especially mice, will bite their way into whatever food source they can find. If you see bite marks or holes in your food containers, pet food bags, or any other food source, there’s a pretty good chance you have a rodent issue on your hands. They may also leave crumbs and other debris behind. If you’re seeing these signs, it’s time to set out some traps or give your local pest control company a call.

You Find a Nest

Rodents love to set up a nice and cozy spot to birth their babies. Check your attic for missing insulation or built up debris. They often use materials like shredded paper, fabric, and dry grass to build a soft nest. If you see any of this going on, you’ve likely got at least a few rats or mice running around.

You’ve Found Fecal Matter or Urine

This is one of the things that makes a rodent infestation so gross to deal with. These pests can’t control their bowel movements or urination, so you may find the results all over your home. It’s especially common near food sources. As you are well aware, this can be incredibly unsanitary and dangerous to the health of you and your loved ones, so it’s essential that you sanitize thoroughly after you’ve located the problem.

You Notice An Odd Smell

There is a very specific smell that rodents leave behind, and it’s especially evident in rooms that are often closed off. If you’ve noticed that certain areas of your home smell more musky than usual, you may have a rodent infestation. If you’re suspicious, call in a pest control tech. A trained professional will be able to recognize the smell.

You Hear Suspicious Sounds

If you’ve been hearing scratching or the tip-tapping of little feet in your walls or on your ceiling, you’ve probably got a few guests of the rodent variety. This is often one of the first indicators that homeowners will notice, and it can also help you to narrow down the area where they’ve set up shop. Take advantage and focus your removal tactics on that particular area of your home.

You Spot a Rodent!

Of course, the number one indicator that you’ve got a rodent problem is if you see one running around your home! While spotting one tiny mouse doesn’t necessarily mean you have a full on infestation, in most cases you probably aren’t dealing with just one lone rodent.

While you can certainly set out some traps and try to handle the issue on your own, this can be time consuming and it may be in your best interest to give the professionals a call. Trained pest control technicians are able to narrow down the area where your problem originated and to eradicate the issue quickly and painlessly. For your peace of mind and the health of your loved ones, dealing with the infestation immediately is crucial.

Rodents

Cincinnati Residents – 5 Tips to Prevent a Rodent Problem

Dealing with insects and rodents is something that you know you will be faced with as a homeowner in Cincinnati. Pests are an unavoidable fact of life, and it doesn’t look like they’re going anywhere anytime soon. That being said, letting rodents roam about your home freely certainly isn’t an option, so it’s a good idea to have a plan for prevention in place. Take a look below for the five best tips to prevent a rodent problem in your home.

Check The Outside of Your Home

Anytime you are able to see a visible crack or gap near the foundation of your home, you are almost sure to have some visitors of the rodent variety. Holes in the roof can be just as concerning.  Arboreal rats can easily jump onto the roof of your home, and if they find an entry point, they will move right in and make themselves at home. Rats can be incredibly destructive to your house and everything in it, so make sure you’re doing all you can to discourage a visit.

Keep Landscaping Well-Maintained

Shrubs and bushes that rest against your home can mask entry points and are also great hiding spots for rodents of all kinds. Trees that dangle over your roof are a great way for rodents to hop right on and search for a way in. By taking the time to keep the foliage in your yard trimmed and tamed, you are one step closer to keeping rodents away.

Check Your Attic for Activity

Go upstairs to your attic and take a good look around. See if you can spot any cracks or gaps where rodents could easily make their way in, and if you do, fill them in immediately. If you see signs of activity, such as chewed up belongings, wires, or insulation, or rodent droppings, set out a few traps and call a pest control company to come assist you in ridding your home of the rodents.

Clear Out Your Clutter

Rats and mice love a good, cozy hiding spot, and your cluttered home provides just that. If your garage is full of junk, or you have rooms in your home piled up high with books, collectibles, or other items, then it’s a good idea to start cleaning up right away. Allowing your home to remain in this condition invites not only rodents but a number of insects to make themselves at home. Rodents and insects are responsible for spreading a number of dangerous germs and diseases. In order to protect yourself and your family, take the time to do a thorough cleaning.

Contact a Local Pest Control Expert

One of the best ways to make sure your home remains pest free is to enlist the help of a trained professional. A local pest control expert will know exactly what to look for to determine if you have a full-on infestation. Not only that, but they will be able to exterminate the problem much more quickly and safely than you yourself could. Consider keeping up with routine pest control in order to ensure your home is protected from pesky pest intruders.

By following the tips above you will be well equipped to avoid a rodent invasion in your home. If you suspect that you may already have a few rodent guests staying with you, contact a local pest control technician as soon as possible. Rodents will avoid human interaction for the most part, but if they feel threatened they may strike out. For the safety of yourself and your family, it’s best to leave this one to the professionals.