Rodents In Houston, TX
What You Need To Know About Rodents
Rodents are crafty critters, and some have discovered how easy it is to coexist with people. Rodents are among the most common household pests, and the best way to control them is with the help of a local and experienced West Houston pest control professional.
What are rodents?
Rodents are mammals that have continuously growing front incisors that never stop growing. To prevent their teeth from overgrowing, causing pain, and preventing them from being able to eat, they continually gnaw on objects to keep them worn down.
If a rodent has entered your West Houston home, it is likely a mouse, rat, or squirrel. All three species live in large numbers in our region.
Mouse
Mice have small, oval bodies. Their tails and large ears are covered in a light layer of velvety fur. Their fur is usually grayish-brown, dark gray, or black, with lighter-colored fur covering the belly. A mouse has a triangular-shaped head and a pointed nose.
Rat
Adult rats are noticeably larger than adult mice. Their fur is usually light brown to dark brown, with their underbelly also lighter in color. Their fur tends to be coarser than mouse hair. Unlike mice, the rat’s scaly tail and ears are usually void of hair. A rat’s head is chunky, and its nose is blunter than a mouse.
Squirrel
Squirrels are similar in size to rats or a little bigger. Their fur is thick and varies in color (red, black, white, and brown). Most squirrels have long bushy tails they use for balance. They also have large eyes and pointed ears that sit up off their head.
Are rodents dangerous?
No one wants to share their home with rodents. In our homes, rodents leave trails of urine and feces and will quickly contaminate your family’s food. They will also cause a variety of other problems, including:
- Using their teeth to chew through wires, cables, vents, cabinets, walls, and floors.
- Digging through the grass and damaging plants, gardens, and grass.
- Carrying and spreading bacteria, pathogens, and parasites that make people ill.
- Urine and feces build up around nesting sites that produce a musty and unpleasant smell.
Rodents are dangerous pests, and removing those that have found their way into your home as quickly as possible is vital to the health and safety of you and your family.
Why do I have a rodent problem?
Rodents like to live with people because our yards and homes provide them with the things they need to feel comfortable. Whether you live in an urban center, in the suburbs, or on a quiet country road, rodents can and will take advantage of your property’s food, water, and shelter.
Food is the biggest attractant to rodents. Their keen sense of smell means that open trash cans, pet food, gardens, and outdoor eating areas, things found in most of our yards, can easily draw rodents to any of our properties.