Keeping rodents at bay is likely already one of the top priorities on your Kittitas County pest control list. However, controlling these vermin is usually easier said than done. Keeping them off your property is hard, but getting rid of them once you have an active infestation is almost impossible. That's why you should take preventative steps beforehand.
How To Identify Common Types Of Rodents In Kittitas County
There are many types of rodents in our area. Common rodents you'll encounter in Washington State include beavers, squirrels, voles, gophers, and more. Of course, most people recognize squirrels and beavers when they see them. And if you have rodents underground, there's a good chance they're either gophers or voles. But for the most part, rodents like these stay outside. The rodents you're most likely to have to deal with in your house are mice and rats.
Mice and rats can be difficult to tell apart, especially if you're looking at a juvenile rat. Adult mice and baby rats are often similar in size, but adult mice are much smaller than adult rats. Fully grown rats can sometimes weigh in at over a pound – way larger than tiny mice.
There are other ways you can differentiate between rats and mice as well. Mice tend to have furry tails, while rats have naked tails. Rats have much coarser and wirier hair than mice, and they also have proportionately smaller ears as well.
Rodents Can Spread Disease And Damage Property
Regardless of the type of rodent you have on your property, all rodents should be kept away, even cute ones like squirrels and gophers. This is because all rodents typically damage property because they have to constantly chew in order to grind down their incessantly growing teeth. This can translate into extreme destruction, especially if rodents living indoors chew on electrical wiring, which can spark house fires.
The rodents most commonly found indoors, rats and mice, also spread a myriad of different diseases, including hantavirus, leptospirosis, and rat-bite fever. The illnesses spread by rats and mice are not to be taken lightly because they could end up hospitalizing you - or worse.
How And Why Rodents Find Their Way Into Our Homes
Rodents are attracted to our homes because our homes contain an abundance of everything that fulfills their basic needs. We have predator-free spaces, climate-controlled shelter, easy access to water, and mountains of food. This means rodents are going to be highly motivated to get into your home no matter what.
This isn't to say that you can't make your home less attractive to rodents. If you make accessing what they want overly difficult, they will move on. To do this:
- Store all pantry foods in airtight containers.
- Keep all garbage cans covered with tight lids at all times.
- Eliminate all ground-level sources of water that you can.
- Never leave pet foods or pet bowls sitting out.
- Cover all potential entrances to your home (like chimneys and ventilation) with rodent mesh.
Following these steps can make it difficult enough for rodents to access your home's goodies that they find easier pickings.
The Most Effective Rodent Control For Kittitas County Homes
Unfortunately, rodent control gets a lot harder if you actually wind up with an infestation. If you need to get rid of rodents that are already in your home, don't waste your time with snap traps and rat poison. For complete and total rodent elimination, just call the experts here at Prosite. We've got the tools and the know-how to ensure your rodent problem is entirely eliminated and stays gone for good.