Mice and Rats

MICE & RAT PEST CONTROL IN ST. GEORGE

Some people consider mice and rats to be adorable. But when it comes to wild mice and rats, they are anything but cuddly. Besides their ability to chew on almost everything (including home electric lines), these vermin carry many diseases with them that can be a danger to humans and especially to kids.

The most obvious sign of mice and rats is to discover their droppings. These black rice-shaped pieces of fecal matter are the source of the diseases they carry. When these creatures find their way into food, chewing their way into cereal boxes and climbing into flour bags, their droppings can infect people if they don’t discover them inside. As disgusting as that may be, there is another sign that may be a little more obvious. Mice and rats love to build nests with almost anything they can find, from paper to plant matter.

Other signs that you have mice or rats in the house are:

  • Actually seeing them bolt away
  • Food scraps and waste in out-of-the-way places, such as in shoes in closets
  • Scratching sounds in ceilings or in between walls
  • Bad smells coming from strange places

What kinds of mice & rats do I have to look out for in St. George?

The arid climate that we enjoy in St. George is also enjoyed by rats and mice. Three main species of mice are known for their desert-dwelling in Southern Utah: field mice, deer mice, and house mice. These mice types are adept adapters that are eager for food.
St. George is also home to a variety of rats such as the black rat, packrat, and brown rat. No matter their name, these critters can destroy properties by gnawing on wires and even wood.

What general concerns should I have?

In St. George where water can be scarce, rats and mice search for food and water in the dirtiest places. You will find them inside barns and stables, garbage containers, compost piles, and even inside the dark confines of your home. They will find a place to nest wherever they can, which makes exterminating rats and mice difficult. Their lifespan is 12 to 18 months, depending on how much food they can scavenge. These vermin multiply like mad, with females giving birth 5 to 10 times in a year and having 4 to 14 babies in each litter.

How can Nature’s Gate help?

When you discover a vermin infestation, the first thing to do is to rid your yard of places that mice and rats would live. Place traps in outdoor buildings, clean up any plant matter or garbage that you may have lying around in the open, and keep compost piles a fair distance from your home. Then, examine your home’s potential entryways, emphasizing inspections on window frames, door frames, and other joints that could be filled with caulk or other sealing materials.
If you do find that your home has been invaded and that trapping them with mice and rat traps isn’t enough, it’s time to give Nature’s Gate a call. We can ensure that rats and mice no longer have places to nest in your home. We can also give you advice about how to stop further infestations from happening in your basement, your outdoor buildings, and wherever else they may have tried to call home.

Contact us today and one of our expert technicians trained for pest control in St. George and the surrounding area will arrive and take care of your vermin problem permanently.