Depending on your experience with rodents, you might see them as adorable creatures that make great pets or find them disgusting and terrifying to encounter. Regardless of how you feel about rodents, the reality is that having pest rodents around your home can be dangerous and destructive. It’s important to know about the problems Jacksonville rodents bring to homes, and this guide is here to tell you why professional pest control is your best bet at keeping your property safe.
Mice And Rats In Jacksonville
Mice and rats look similar, but rats grow significantly larger. Mice are only around five inches long, while rats can grow to be over 15 inches long. Mice also have more prominent ears, pointier muzzles, and longer tails than rats do.
Both mice and rats are extremely common home invading pests, and they pose similar risks. They both will chew through materials constantly, and they can destroy everything from drywall to electrical wires to plumbing. Then, there are the many health risks these pests can bring with them. Rodents in Jacksonville are known to carry many different illnesses, including hantavirus, salmonella, and rat-bite fever. They can also lead to respiratory problems such as asthma attacks and allergies.
Rodents Are Extremely Difficult To Prevent
While both mice and rats are extremely prevalent, it’s rare to have both at the same time. It’s more common to have one or the other. But, they are both challenging to keep out and eradicate for a few reasons.
First of all, both mice and rats can fit through tiny holes. Mice can squeeze through holes the size of a dime, while rats can squeeze through holes the size of a quarter. They can also chew through many materials to force their way inside.
Second, they are both extremely prolific. Mice and rats can reproduce at rapid rates, and this means that their numbers quickly grow exponentially.
Third, once they establish themselves in a property, mice and rats can survive on all kinds of food items and hide in many tiny areas throughout a building that are impossible to access.
Why DIY Rodent Control Doesn’t Work Well
There are many ways that homeowners try to handle rodent infestations on their own. Some of the most common are using traps or baits found at stores. However, most of these options just don’t work all that well. They might get some of the rodents, but they won’t eradicate the entire infestation.
Also, there are some risks to having these items around. Traps can end up harming pets or children if they put their hands or paws in them. Baits can also be ingested accidentally by children or pets.
Why Professional Rodent Control Is More Effective
Since rodents are dangerous to have in your home, removing them as soon as they appear is vital. Instead of trying and failing to remove rodents with dangerous DIY methods, let the professionals at Trad’s Pest Control help.
We provide ongoing rodent control plans that will eradicate any current infestations and work with you to keep them from coming back in the future. Learn more about our residential plans by giving us a call today.