In Washington, rodents can pose health and safety risks even in the best-maintained neighborhoods. Considering the different types of rats and rodents in our area, our list of common rodents is as dangerous as our neighbors’. The list of common rodents for our area might look a little bit different, but it includes deer mice, Norway rats, and gray squirrels. Keep reading to learn more about rodents in Yakima County, what draws them to homes and businesses, and how to prevent and get rid of them.
What Animals Are Rodents?
Rodents are generally recognizable by their strong teeth that never stop growing. Their need to chew extends throughout their lifetimes as they keep their teeth at an appropriate length. This means that your homes, trees, and personal property can be in danger.
Deer mice are a bit more dangerous than the common house mouse more prevalent in other parts of the country as they are carriers of the deadly hantavirus. Growing from 5 to 8 inches long, including their tails, deer mice are brown with white feet and underbellies, large eyes, and pointed noses. Outdoors, these pests prefer hollow trees or debris to hide under, but they may seek shelter in sheds and garages when the weather turns cold.
Norway rats are unique from different types of rats in that they are capable swimmers. Sewers are common origin points for rats, so you can understand in part the long list of diseases rats carry into homes. The Norway rat is a bigger species of rat, topping out at around 9½ inches from nose to rear and with a tail shorter than its body. Its fur is brown with black specks, and it has small ears and eyes.
Finally, gray squirrels are one of the least known disease-carrying rodents. They’re cute, after all! However, these gray tree squirrels, growing up to 15 inches in length if you include their bushy tail, are known to carry tularemia, typhus, and the bubonic plague. As far as property damage, these rodents also may cause irreparable harm to trees and attic insulation, all while potentially wiping out other native squirrels and baby birds.
How Can We Prevent Rodents?
Rodents of all species are attracted to the same things: food, water, and shelter. The best rat, squirrel, and mice deterrent is making sure they cannot access these things on your property. To manage this, try these prevention techniques:
- Seal any holes as small as a dime or the width of a pencil with silicone-based caulk or steel wool.
- Make sure doors and windows seal and screens are intact.
- Keep any food on the property stored in glass or metal containers, including pet food.
- Fix anything causing excess water or moisture, including leaking pipes, clogged gutters, or landscaping issues.
- Regularly take out indoor trash. Store outdoor trash away from home. Make sure trash receptacles are sealed at all times and cleaned at least weekly.
- Trim trees back from roofs, don’t keep shrubs or pots under windows or near doors, and store firewood and other convenient hiding places away from exterior walls.
How To Get Rid Of Rodents: Prosite
Because of their numbers and adaptability, rodents aren’t easy to deal with on your own. Not only can they outsmart us at times, but over-the-counter traps can be dangerous and ineffective. While poison and sticky traps can make your pest problem worse, they can also put your own health in jeopardy.
Don’t rely on dangerous, ineffective methods to get rid of rodents. The most effective squirrel, rat, and mice deterrent is recurring, professional guidance from Prosite. With our year-round pest control program, you can get rid of rodents in your Yakima County home for good and protect your home against pests for every season to follow. Call Prosite to request your consultation today.