Rodents: Facts, Identification & Control
Rodents’ biology and habits can make them challenging to control, and they present a serious menace to your home. If you’re in need of rodent control services, here’s what you should know about these pests:
Rats
- Instincts: Rats are instinctively wary of things new to their environment, including rat control measures such as traps and bait, and colonize in attics, burrows, under concrete and porches, in wall voids and other hard-to-reach places.
- Disease: Rats can harbor and transmit a number of serious diseases. They can also introduce disease-carrying parasites such as fleas and ticks into your home.
Mice
- Access: They invade your home seeking food, water and warmth.
- Contamination: Each mouse can contaminate much more food than it eats.
Rodent Facts
Rodents are warm-blooded mammals that, like humans, can be found throughout the world. They have oversized front teeth for gnawing and check teeth, which are adapted for chewing. Rodents chew on a variety of items available to them and cause great damage in and around homes.
Rodents tend to be rapid breeders. Some species breed year-round, and populations are maintained through constant reproduction. Because of the rodents’ body plan, they are capable of squeezing through spaces that appear to be much too small for them. All such holes should be sealed to prevent entry and reentry of rodents. A pest control professional should be contacted for assistance.
Rats and mice are both extremely destructive within agricultural communities. A number of species feed on seeds and grains. The feces and urine of some rodents may contaminate surfaces with which they come into contact.
Disease Information
- One-page fact sheet about rodents.
- Latest information from CDC regarding hantavirus cases in the United States.
- Rodent FactsLargest Rodent Rodent Sounds Small Rodents Rodent Handling Rodent Family Rodent Droppings Burrowing Rodents Rodent Infestation
- Rodent IdentificationRodent IdentificationTypes of Rodents Mole Rodents Desert Rodents
- Rodent ControlRodent ControlRodent Repellents Snakes and Rodent Population Rodent Traps How to Get Rid of Dead Rodent Smells Rodent Smoke Bombs Household Rodent Control Homemade Rodent Control
- Rat ControlRat Control Rat Repellents Rat Bait Rat Traps Natural Rat Deterrent What to Do When You Find a Dead Rat
- Mouse FactsMouse Facts Mouse Anatomy What Do Mice Eat? Mice Feces Mouse Home Infestation Differences Between Rats and Mice
- Mouse IdentificationMouse IdentificationTypes of Mice Species of Mice Black Mice Brown Mice Country Mice Field Mice
- Mouse ControlMouse ControlHow Mice Enter Homes Mouse Repellent Sprays Electronic Mouse Repellents Humane Mouse Traps How Mouse Traps Work How to Get Mice Out of House Walls How to Get Rid of Mice How to Kill Mice Trapping Mice How to Clean Up After Mice Infestation
- Mouse ReproductionMouse ReproductionMouse Babies
- Rat FactsRat BehaviorRat Borne Diseases Rat Diet Rat Fleas Rat Habitat Rat Hole Rat Identification Rat Infestation Difference Between Rats and Muskrats Rat Sense of Smell Rat Tracks Rat Varieties What Does a Rat Look Like? Enemies and Predators of Rats Rat Bites
- Rat Health ConcernsRat DiseasesRat Health Problems Rat in My Kitchen
- Types of RatsWestern Wood RatsFruit Rats Giant Mole Rats Oklahoma Rat Species
For information on other pests, visit the pest library home page.