It’s not uncommon for alligators to make their way into the yards of Tampa residents. And while this large aquatic reptile is a serious threat to anyone in their proximity, you’d be surprised to know that on-the-loose alligators aren’t nearly as big of a danger to Tampa residents as rodents are.
Many different types of rodents comprise this central part of Florida. However, the most common rodents you'll likely find invading your properties are squirrels, house mice, roof rats, and Norway rats.
When dealing with rodents, there are numerous reasons why you have them, which correlates to why you’re having a hard time getting rid of them. There are three primary reasons you likely have a rodent problem on your Tampa property:
Food: All animals seek out food where they can do so safely. You've probably already attracted squirrels to your property if you have a vegetable garden, bird feeder, and nut or fruit tree. Mice and rats will eat practically anything. If you have these elements on your property, you're attracting rodents and may not realize it.
Predators: Rodents are preyed upon by a variety of animals. Hawks, owls, and other animals that kill and eat rodents include snakes, foxes, weasels, cats, dogs, and coyotes. Nesting inside a human residence offers rodents protection from these predators. Pregnant rodents are especially likely to enter human homes to give birth and protect their young from predators.
Weather and temperatures: Rodents frequently enter homes for protection from the winter weather. Despite what many people think, squirrels, mice, and rats do not hibernate in the winter. They're less noticeable because they stay warm inside a nest rather than venturing outside in bad weather.
These three attractants of rodents to your Tampa property are why you need to seal every opening, crack, and crevice to prevent rodents from entering. However, assistance from Tampa pest control will be the best solution for a rodent infestation.
Haskell Termite & Pest Control can help you fortify your home against future rodent invasions and eliminate any existing rodents by examining your home for risk factors that might allow them inside. Avoid using homemade traps, which put your health at risk and cost you time and money. To schedule a free inspection, contact Haskell Termite & Pest Control immediately.
What Do Rodents Look Like?
Except for Antarctica, rodents are found worldwide and are excellent climate and environment adapters indoors and outdoors. The top and bottom jaws of rodents have a pair of front incisors that are constantly growing. Rodents frequently chew on things to keep their incisors from growing too long. The common rodents that invade homes and businesses most frequently in Tampa are Norway rats, roof rats, squirrels, and house mice. To effectively remove and keep them away, it will be essential to identify each species correctly.
- Norway rats: The body of the adult Norway rat is long and "heavy." The fur on their underbelly is usually lighter in color, and it has an untidy appearance with patches of black hair throughout its brown color. They have small, protruding black eyes, small ears, and two-colored tails. As a result, Norway rats are not agile and frequently invade basements and first floors of buildings.
- Roof rats: Roof rats typically have a lighter underbelly and are dark brown or black with some gray hairs mixed in. They have long, thin, delicately built bodies and are usually smaller than the Norway rat. They are agile and can easily scale trees to enter the roofs of homes, which is how they acquired their name. Roof rats have large, dark eyes, ears, and pointed noses.
- Squirrels: Squirrels are typically small rodents with bushy tails, large eyes, and slender bodies. The length of their fur, its softness and silkiness, and the degree to which it is dense vary widely from species to species. The color of their fur is also highly variable and can be a variety of colors, including brown, white, black, yellow, gray, or even red.
- House mice: A small, slender body, long tail, oversized ears, and small, dark beady eyes are characteristics of the common house mouse. Usually, their body is a little bit shorter than their tail. They have a thick layer of soft velvety fur covering their long tail and ears. Their underbelly, typically tan or whitish, is lighter in color and can range from grayish-brown to dark gray or black.
Contact a certified pest professional if you suspect you have a rodent infestation. Since rodents are known for reproducing quickly, a seemingly minor issue could develop into a major one overnight. Get in touch with Haskell Termite & Pest Control to learn more about keeping rodents out of your Tampa property.
The Diseases Spread By House Rodents
It's common to have an unpleasant experience with a rodent trespassing on your property. The presence of rodents like mice, rats, and squirrels can pose several health risks. More than 35 diseases have an association with rats and mice. Through the handling of live or dead rodents, contact with rodent feces, urine, or saliva, as well as rodent bites, these diseases can be transmitted directly to humans. Rodent-borne illnesses like hantavirus, plague, leptospirosis, and tularemia can also be indirectly transmitted to people by fleas, ticks, or mites that have eaten an infected rodent.
Professional rodent pest control services provided by Haskell Termite & Pest Control can drastically decrease your likelihood of contracting rodent-borne diseases. Call to learn about our rodent removal process.
Why DIY Rodent Control Is A Waste Of Time And Money
Since rodents have evolved alongside human civilization for thousands of years, they can easily manipulate the traps we set. Not only are they unlikely to fall for the same traps over and over again, but they also reproduce quickly. In the case of certain species of rodents, their large family units can replenish their lost numbers in a matter of weeks, making it extremely difficult to catch rodents. For this reason, it is best to hire a pest control company to do the job.
Traps are an effective method for reducing population but are short-term solutions to the problem. You might find out, for instance, that using mothballs is an effective way to get rid of rodents because mothballs have an infusion of naphthalene, an odor offensive to rodents. By strategically placing mothballs throughout your home in key areas, you can not only prevent rodents from entering your home but also drive them away. This method may work temporarily, but rodents become unaffected by mothballs and crawl around or over them after a while. When these critters are motivated enough, offensive odors only deter them for a short time.
Poisons that you can purchase over the counter are not only ineffective, but they also pose a threat to your family as well as any pets you may have. The fact that many poisons take some time to take effect means that you may find dead rodents in inaccessible areas of your home. These dead rodents may attract other, even more, dangerous pests, such as botflies and maggots. A further consideration is that if you and other household members handle poisons, everyone may experience severe health hazards from the exposure.
Just think, after all the time and money you put in to rid your Tampa property of rodents, you still have a rodent problem. If you’re going to invest time and money into eliminating rodents from your property, invest in professional rodent control services. Contact Haskell Termite & Pest Control today to schedule your inspection.
Rodent Control The Easy Way In Tampa
It is important to remember that even if you successfully catch some of the rodents in your home with traps, you may need to find out if that's all. Mice and rats can coexist in your home without making any audible signs of their presence. Squirrels are excellent climbers and can wreak havoc in parts of your property you would never think to check; however, they all spread harmful diseases and bacteria and carry parasites that carry dangerous diseases and bacteria.
Regarding locating rodents, experts rely on strategies validated through experience in the field, and they set up traps to yield the most effective results possible. It is best to have a skilled and experienced expert look at the rodent problem before you set out even a single trap. You can save money by getting a professional involved in the process earlier.
Haskell Termite & Pest Control can assist with rodent control in the Tampa area. Our team members have the necessary credentials, training, and experience to remove rodents from residential and commercial properties in an efficient and risk-free manner. We can help you eliminate rodent infestations and develop a strategy to prevent further infestations in the future. Please get in touch with us as soon as possible for assistance.