Rodents
Rodents are mammals which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and lower jaws. Most rodents are small animals with robust bodies, short limbs, and long tails. They use their sharp incisors to gnaw food, excavate borrows and defend themselves. Rodents can be found in almost every terrestrial habitat, including man-made environments. Example of rodents include mice, rats, squirrels, prairie dogs, porcupines, beavers, guinea pigs, and hamsters.
Rodents, like mice and rats, can be difficult to keep out of structures due to their ability to squeeze through small spaces. Rodents can cause major property damage due to their razor sharp incisors and ability to chew through a variety of materials. Rodents are also know to spread dangerous diseases including Hantavirus, Leptospirosis, Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis (LCMV), Tularemia, Salmonellosis, Rat-bite fever and Plague. These diseases are transmitted through fecal and urine contaminated food and surfaces, bites, infected fleas from rodents and directly handling rodents.
If you see signs of rodent infestation, please call Barnes Pest Control and get your service started as soon as possible. Rodents are known to reproduce quickly, so what may be a small problem now can turn into a big problem quickly.
The most common types of rodents in our area of NE Mississippi are listed below:
House Mice
House mice are gray with a cream-colored belly, weigh 1/2 to 1 ounce, a body 3 to 4 inches in length, and a tail which is 3 to 4 inches in length. The muzzle is pointed, ears are large, and the eyes and body are small. House mice are very social and will explore anything new. House mice live in structures, but can survive outdoors. They prefer to nest in dark, secluded areas and will build nests out of paper products, cotton, packing materials, wall insulation, and fabrics. House mice pose serious health threats due to the many diseases they carry.
Norway Rat
The Norway rat is the largest of the rodents, with the head and body measuring 7 to 10 inches, the tail an additional 6 to 8 inches and weighs 7 to 18 ounces. The fur is coarse, shaggy and brown with black hairs scattered throughout their coat and a lighter colored belly. Norway rats have a blunt muzzle, small eyes and ears, and the tail is shorter than the head and body combined. Outdoors, they tend to live in fields, farmlands, and structures and will burrow in soil near riverbanks, in garbage and woodpiles, and under concrete slabs. Indoors they often nest in basements, crawlspaces, piles of debris or undisturbed materials, loading docks and sewers. Rats are associated with various diseases and may occasionally bite if they feel threatened.
Roof Rat
Roof rat has a head and body measuring 6 to 8 inches, the tail an additional 7 to 10 inches, and slight body weighing 5 to 9 ounces. The fur is soft, smooth and brown with black mixed throughout its coat and a lighter colored belly. Roof rat has a pointed muzzle, large eyes and ears, and a scaly tail, which is longer than the head and body combined. Outdoors, roof rats prefer sheltered or covered habitats and are attracted to lush landscapes, dense vegetation and fruit trees. They prefer to nest in the upper levels of buildings, such as attics and rafters. Seeking indoor shelter for a place to nest, they will enter garages, sheds and homes. They are known to carry diseases and may show aggression and bite when they feel threatened.