Rodents

There are few things that can bring out fear and loathing like a wild rat or mouse in the house. Sure some like them for pets, however the majority of the population would rather never see a rat or mouse in their life if they could. Their urine and feces are left behind on any uneaten food and can contaminate entire surplus supplies of food for pets, livestock, and humans. As omnivores, they will eat anything. They can fit through holes as small as 1 inch wide (about the size of a quarter), heating vents, toilets, and gaps anywhere electrical conduits, utility or air conditioning lines, or water pipes enter a building. Rats and mice begin breeding as soon as five weeks of age and continue until about age two. Females are fertile approximately every three weeks and can produce litters from 6 to 20 babies at a time. Their their teeth never stop growing, so in order to keep them from becoming too long rodents must constantly gnaw to wear down their teeth. Burrows may indicate the presence of rats or mice, but could also indicate other burrowing animals such chipmunks. To find out if the burrow is in current use, loosely fill it with soil or leaves and check it in a day or two to see if it has been reopened. Other signs of rodent activity are gnawed holes up to two inches wide in baseboards or at door frames, vents, and crawlspace openings.