Rodent Infestation

As the flu begins its seasonal spread across the country, there is another, lesser known threat that also rises in the winter – rodent infestation. While people rush out to get their yearly flu shots with the expectation of staying healthy during these colder months, taking precautions to keep mice and rats out of your home will also help to ensure a happy and healthy family. The winter months see a peak in rodent problems as mice and rats seek warmth and steady access to food. Keep reading to learn more about the health risks rodents pose when they gain access to your home and what you can do to ward off an infestation as the weather keeps cooling down.

Whether you think mice and rats are cute and cuddly or are more likely to jump on the nearest chair at the site of one skittering across your kitchen floor, they should not be welcome visitors in your home. As mice and rat feces accumulate, the potential to spread harmful and even deadly bacteria increases along with possible allergic reactions. Hantavirus (symptoms include fatigue, fever, and muscle aches), bubonic plague (better known as the “Black Death” which wiped out one-third of Europeans in the Middle Ages), salmonellosis (Salmonella poisoning with symptoms such as diarrhea, fever, and abdominal pain), and rat-bite fever (potentially fatal with symptoms including fever, vomiting, headaches, rash, and muscle pain) are all real risks when you share your kitchen with mice and rats.

Actions you can take to proactively prevent rodents from getting into your home are much the same as those you can take to prevent insect infestations. Repairing damaged window and door screens and screening vents and chimneys are a great place to start. Making sure any cracks and holes in and around the outside of your home are repaired will also help with prevention. Cutting off food sources by sealing food in air tight containers and keeping a clean and tidy kitchen are paramount, along with regularly disposing of garbage. It may also help to store trash cans and wood piles away from your home.

Should you find yourself with an active rodent infestation, never fear, Sunstate will be there to assist you. Using various methods such as rodent monitoring, baiting, trapping, and exclusion, Sunstate will take care of the problem with a child and pet friendly program. We will help to keep your home safe and rodent free!