The cool weather is well deserved after the extreme heat endured during the summer months. When the weather changes, so does our surrounding environment. Fall is the start of various pests and creatures seeking for a warm shelter that can house them for the upcoming harsh months. The most common intrusive creatures during this time are rodents. In North Texas, these rodents are more often than not rats, mice, and squirrels.
Rodents are predominantly seen in the cooler months. Your warm home is exactly what they are searching for! Due to heat rising, these creatures naturally migrate toward the top of your house in the attic or loft. Pets are great detectors if an intruder is inside your home, but how can you be so sure they are lodging inside your home when you do not see them? Continue reading our blog to find out the three most common signs of rodents lodging in your home!
You Hear Noises
Rodents are noisy. While this can be bothersome, it is a clear sign they are lodging in your attic. You will most likely hear the sound of digging, gnawing, and squeaking. You may also hear the sound of their nails hitting the wooden floor as they scurry across, scratching in the walls, and noises from under the floorboards. Rodents are nocturnal meaning you’ll mostly hear them at night. During the night time, rodents use us sleeping to their advantage. They venture down to your living space to grab a late night snack and nest materials.
You Find Miscellaneous Shredded Materials
Another sure sign that rodents have started living with you is finding shredding of miscellaneous materials. This is a clear sign of a rodent infestation because rodents shred materials to build a nest. It often looks like scraps of cloth, paper, or stuffing materials, from a couch, that are found in a dark corner. In other attempts to build a nest, rodents will chew holes in wooden fixtures, like drawers, floorboards, and cupboards to place their new nest. Along with this, rodents will chew holes in insulation materials, clothes, and furniture.
There’s a Foul Odor
The final tell-all sign there are rodents living with you is a lingering, foul odor inside your home. This smell comes from the urine and droppings left anywhere they walk around the house. It will smell similar to ammonia, and overtime become more unpleasant as the problem continues and rodents multiply. This smell can tell you a lot about the infestation at your hands; the amount of droppings will give you an idea of how large the pack is. You can also use the smell to direct you to where their nest is.
Act Fast With Tactical Pest Services!
Knowing the signs of rodents being inside your house can help prevent a rodent infestation. Knowing the signs is important because you want to address the problem before it gets out of hand. Rodents are quick to populate new areas, eat left out food, destroy furniture to gather nest materials, can transmit illnesses through droppings, and can harm your pets if they eat a rodent or droppings that contains poison. Don’t tolerate living with rodents, know the signs to act before they are even seen! If any of the signs apply to you, contact us today for an efficient solution!
