All The Problems Rodents Can Cause In Your Memphis Home

1/15/2021

Rats and mice are ready and all too eager to wreak havoc on Memphis, TN homes. Rodents are a common infestation throughout Tennessee, and they are certain to nest in your home or business if you aren’t proactive about eliminating them. Rodent problems skyrocket with chilly weather, so January is prime time for these pests to make an appearance. A rodent infestation will harm your health, sense of safety, and enjoyment of beautiful Tennessee, so let’s explore how to prevent rodents from getting indoors.

Memphis’s Rodent Identification Guide

The rodent family is quite large, but there are only two species that routinely cause problems: mice and rats. These two pests are easy to confuse, but although they look similar and cause similar damage, they each have distinct traits.

Mice are some of the cutest rodents out there, but don’t be fooled – they can be quite dangerous in your home. They are smaller than most rats, and they stand out for their round bodies and ears.

The mice that often get in Memphis homes are Deer Mice and House Mice. Deer Mice are grayish-brown, slender rodents with big ears; House Mice range between gray, brown, and black, and have smaller ears. Both types of mice measure 3-6 inches as adults. 

Rats, specifically the Norway Rat and Roof Rat, are much larger. Norway Rats grow to 11 inches in length and have muddy brown coats, while Roof Rats grow 5-7 inches and have dark shinier coats. Rats look much sleeker than mice do, and they often have larger teeth, pinker tails, and larger hands.

What Problems Do Rodents Cause In Memphis?

Both mice and rats bring serious problems to your property. Rodents rely on homes like yours to feed their young and build their nests. These pests will damage your wood paneling, pipes, insulation, and also chew through wires, so an infestation could force you to hire a costly repairman or electrician. 

Additionally, rats and mice carry diseases like Hantavirus, Leptospira, Salmonella, and sometimes even the Bubonic Plague. These diseases get around when rats:

• Eat your food: rats will transmit diseases through their saliva, and can also contaminate food via their fleas.
• Walk around: rodents spread diseases simply by moving, as these pathogens can sit in their fur or hands.
• Defecate: rodents leave droppings as they walk, spreading many different pathogens in your house.

Keep Mice And Rats Out Of Your Memphis Home

Keeping rodents out of your home starts with making your home as unattractive to pests as possible. Rodents are primarily attracted to two things: clutter and food. If your home has piles of junk for rodents to hide in, as well as open access to the pantry, then there’s no reason for rats to stay outside. Cleaning up your home and keeping your food stored is key to rodent prevention. However, rodents will still sneak in this winter. Because they fit inside tiny spaces and reproduce quickly, mice and rats easily infest homes in Memphis. 

If you find that a rodent has made its nest in your Memphis home, you need to bring the experts in to push rats out. Reach out to the expert pest techs at Dart Pest, Lawn, & Wildlife today. We’ll prevent rodents from harming your home, keeping you safe through even the coldest months. 

Tags: rodent control | rodent prevention | rodent infestation