Identifying and Treating a Rodent Infestation

OAKLAND — It’s not always easy to know when rodents have infested your home—after all, they’re quite good at hiding. Fortunately, even if you can’t see them, there are plenty of clues that can alert you to their presence, including:

• Scratching and scampering sounds
• The odor of a deceased animal
• Droppings

If you notice these types of clues, you should call a rodent exclusion professional as soon as possible. Why the urgency? There are a couple of reasons.

First, rodents can do a lot of damage in a very short period of time. One rodent can leave anywhere from 30 to 80 droppings each day; if you have two or three rodents in the house, that’s easily 100 to 200 droppings (or more) per day. And this doesn’t include the other damage rodents can cause, such as chewing up wiring and insulation. The longer you wait to call a professional, the more work will be needed to repair the damage.

The second reason to act fast is the health risk posed by a rodent infestation. Rodents can transmit deadly diseases such as salmonella and hantavirus through their droppings, so it’s not something you want to procrastinate about.

A rodent exclusion professional will perform a thorough inspection of your home, assess the damage and give you a report of what’s needed to resolve the situation. By acting as soon as you notice the signs of rodent infestation, you can minimize the damage and risk of disease exposure.