Rodent Identification & Prevention

Rodents are a large group of mammals tied together by one key thing; their constantly growing teeth. All rodents have a front set of incisors that never stop growing. They are particularly destructive pests because they continuously have to grind down these teeth to keep them the right length. This results in a lot of property damage, which we'll talk more about below.

Common Oregon rodents include your requisite rats and mice, as well as yard-dwelling rodents like gophers, voles, and moles (though moles aren't technically rodents, most pest control includes them in outdoor rodent control programs). The most dangerous rodent infestations you can get are rat and mouse infestations, but outdoor rodents can still do plenty of damage.

Outdoor rodents are typically not as dangerous as indoor rodents. They do carry diseases, but the fact that they don't come into contact with you means they're less likely to spread them. The one exception to this rule is if they bring ticks or fleas onto your property, which can spread diseases. Aside from this, the main danger of outdoor rodents is property damage. Gophers, voles, and other outdoor rodents can damage your lawn, landscaping, and the exterior of your house.

Even so, these rodents are nothing in comparison to rats and mice. Rats and mice are destructive little devils when they invade your home, chewing on everything from plumbing to furniture to electrical wiring (which can and does cause house fires). They also spread a myriad of different diseases that can make you very sick and even land you in the hospital. These factors make them the most dangerous rodents to have on your property, and why rodent control should be one of your top priorities.

Unfortunately, it's very easy to wind up with a rodent problem, especially with rats and mice, as they are often invasive species that depend on human habitations, at least in part, to fulfill their basic needs. They are highly motivated to get into your home, and lots of seemingly innocuous things can attract them. Uncovered garbage is a big rodent attractant. Pet food sitting out uneaten is another, as is easy access to your house through open crawl spaces, attics, and the like.

Where you'll find rodents depends on the species infesting your property. You will find rats and mice mostly indoors in places that don't see a lot of foot traffic, such as crawl spaces, basements, garages, etc. If you have outdoor rodents like gophers, moles, or voles, you will find them tunneling underground and digging burrows all over your yard.

It is usually not possible to get rid of rodents once you have an established infestation. Rodents breed incredibly fast, which generally means that store-bought rodent control solutions cannot stand up to their replacement rate. For example, snap traps can only kill one rodent at a time, and the likelihood that the rodent they killed has replaced itself many times over is very high, especially true with rats and mice, which can have dozens of pups per year.

You're going to need professional help to deal with rodent infestations. Here at Bugs Northwest, we might have bugs in our name, but we are experts in every rodent variety that plagues the Pacific Northwest. No matter how big or established your rodent infestation is, we can handle it with our state-of-the-art rodent control technologies and techniques.

Effective rodent control encompasses more than just eliminating infestations after they get started. In fact, the best rodent control is rodent prevention. There are lots of things you can do to stop an infestation before it starts:

• Seal all potential entryways into your home with metal rodent mesh. 
• Make sure you have tight covers for all indoor and outdoor garbage cans.
• Declutter your house and yard to eliminate rodent hiding spots.
• Store all pantry foods in airtight, gnaw-proof containers, including pet foods.
• For outdoor rodents, consider using scare tactics like fake owls and hawks around your property.

And remember, if you wind up with a rodent infestation, the best course of action is to call the pros here at Bugs Northwest.