Florida has some very mild winters. If you are here from way up north you may even call this weather balmy all winter. Winter rodents love the Florida weather. The longer you live in Florida you start to find these cold winter days are colder than you remember. Same goes for the rodents here. When the days get shorter and colder, rodents too start looking for a cozy place to stay warm on those cold Charlotte County Florida nights. How do you know if you have rodents in your home? How do rodents enter your home? What are the dangers and most importantly, how can you control and stop rodents from entering your home.
Here’s Your Sign…of a Winter Rodent Infestation
You might think it would be obvious if you had a rodent problem at your house. But is that the case? First, winter rodents are practically invisible with their stealthy moves. Since most are active at night when you are sleeping, you may never even notice them. The next step is to look for evidence they have been around. The one thing is in common with all rodents. They are not clean and tend to leave tell-tale signs they have been around. Some of these signs of a rodent infestation include:
- Sounds – very light running or scratching sounds
- Waste – either visible feces or perhaps an ammonia smell indicating urine
- Chewing Marks – you might notice teeth or chewing marks on baseboards or other hard surfaces.
- Paper Shredder – no not the kind you use to destroy private documents. Rather, the rodents will shred paper, boxes or insulation as they work on building a comfy home.
How Do Rodents Get Into My Home?
The best way to keep rodents from causing damage to your home, is to keep them out. Our company focus is on pest control not treatment. Rodents are slick little critters that are very smart and crafty. You can help prevent rodents from getting into your house in the first place by reviewing the following suggestions:
- Make sure window are sealed and caulked if needed
- Foundation gaps, spacing or holes need to be closed up
- Entry points for utilities, water, power or AC. Seal these areas up!
- Garages are a welcome area, if the rodents get into your garage, they will eventually make it into your home. Keep our garage organized and clean so you can spot any rodent activity!
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What If I Have Winter Rodents?
You’ll want to act fast to avoid the problem getting worse, or more damage to your home. We mentioned above ways that winter rodents can enter your home but there are some other practical suggestions that you can apply as well.
- Do not pile up leaves or debris around your home
- Don’t leave dirty plates in the sink, food attracts rodents!
- Bird feeders near your home can keep feeding rodents and invites them closer to your home.
- If you feed your dog or cats outside, don’t leave any food out and open. Rodents including mice, rates, racoons and opposums will be attracted.
After hurricanes or flooding here in Florida there can be a greater likelihood of rodents getting into your home. The CDC has some great information on rodent control after a disaster you might enjoy reading for more tips.
You can always place traps to catch them on your own, or give us a call. You can even complete an online form and we’ll come out to give you and estimate and help protect your family. We will work with you to plan out how to prevent them from entering your home in the future. Our pest and rodent plans focus on preventing the pests from getting into your home. Here in Charlotte County Florida we have been helping families stay safe. If you live in Punta Gorda, Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Port Charlotte, Arcadia, Englewood or other cities in the area, we are here ready to help you!
