Residential Rodent Control Northern Virginia

While mice are infamous for their ability to break into pantries and chew through any box they come across, they have many other hidden talents you should be mindful of. When it comes to their eating habits, they have big appetites. For being so small, you may be surprised to learn that they usually eat between 15-20 times a day, which is why they like to stay close to their food sources.

If they have made their way into your home, they will never be far from your kitchen and wait for the perfect, quiet moment to snag a morsel. Mice are also very athletic. They are quite adept little climbers, jumpers and swimmers. They can jump at least a foot in the air and there are very few places they cannot break into. Their teeth can chew through tightly sealed plastic containers and, as such, your food do not stand a chance.

In the beginning, it may slip your attention that there are mice in your home. They are sneaky and quiet, but as they quickly reproduce, soon you will be able to see the signs. The most obvious sign is chew marks on food containers or boxes – this is a dead giveaway. But if mice are sneaky and only snatch up crumbs or snacks let out in the open, you might not realize they are there.

Another important sign to watch for are their droppings. Mice defecate between 40-100 times a day. Spotting little dark brown, oval shaped mice droppings around your pantry, cupboards and walls means you need professional rodent control ASAP.

Rodents are the worst germ spreading pest you can have. Not only do rodents leave droppings frequently, but they are quite literally urinating everywhere they go. They spread micro droplets of urine as they travel around your home. Basically, everything they touch and every square inch of ground they cover, is contaminated with their urine.

Keeping your home sterilized if there are rodents present is nearly impossible. It takes a professional to completely remove a tough rodent infestation with confidence. Otherwise you will always wonder, “Did we get them all? Was there one mouse we missed?” Just one pregnant mouse can start the whole cycle over again.

A female mouse can start reproducing as young as 2 months old and then after that, she can have as many as a dozen offspring every 3 weeks. This means that one female mouse can potentially have as many as 150 offspring in a year. Multiply that by the fact that all her female offspring are also reproducing roughly 150 offspring in a year… so in a very short time you can have a very big problem.

Mice can live indoors up to a year or more so though their life cycle is fairly short, the infestation will never die off without trusted rodent control practices and methods, best performed by your experienced Green Pest Services technician.

When most homeowners see a rodent scurry through their kitchen, their first thought is to run to the store for some mouse traps. Mouse traps might catch a couple of mice but you may be underestimating the scope of the problem. A couple traps won’t make a dent in the problem if you have dozens and dozens of mice hiding quietly within your walls. Traps might also work for a couple mice, but even with their tiny brains, rodents are smart and learn quick. After while, they learn either how to snatch the bait without being caught or to avoid those traps all together and find food elsewhere. If you find entrance points into your kitchen where mice are getting in and seal them yourself, you have only put a bandaid on the problem. The mice are still within the walls and can chew openings wherever they please. Poisons you can buy at a store are also quite dangerous if you have pests or children around. Green Pest Services uses only treatments and methods specially formulated to harm and remove the mice without hurting the precious family members in your home.

These are a few reasons why do-it-yourself rodent control can backfire but the biggest reason you should not attempt DIY rodent control is for your safety. Rodents carry and spread many dangerous, even deadly diseases and exposing yourself to this without proper education and training means you be exposing yourself to these serious pathogens.

Rodents have been infesting all around the world for centuries. For thousands of years, we have been fighting to keep rats and mice out of our food as they have spread disease and death to many civilizations. Outbreaks of the bubonic plague due to interaction with rats are some of the worst epidemics of all time. Rodent-borne diseases have killed millions and millions of people and to this day, still bring destruction and devastating consequences to those who come in contact with the viruses and pathogens they carry. Here are a few of those that afflict us today:

• Hantavirus: You can contract hantavirus by coming in contact with rodent feces and urine and as previously discussed, when you have a rodent infestation, this is very easy to do. It is an extremely dangerous virus because once infected, it can progress to Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, or HPS, which can be fatal. Within close proximity to the feces or urine, the virus can be inhaled and is very dangerous. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, fever, chills, muscle pain and fatigue to name a few. If it progresses to HPS, it moves into the respiratory system causing distress and respiratory failure. This is a very dangerous disease and when it comes to rodent control, you need the help of a professional.
• Bubonic plague: While this disease ravaged communities in the Middle Ages, it is not extinct in today’s world. You are still at risk of becoming infected with this virus if you are bit by an infected rodent flea. It causes fever, headache and swollen lymph nodes. As the virus progresses, it causes tissue and skin in the extremities to turn black and die. It is a terrifying disease and several dozen people are diagnosed with it each year within the US. Unfortunately, if not treated quickly, the disease is still fairly fatal.
• Salmonella: This virus is spread through rodent urine and feces. It causes diarrhea, abdominal pain and vomiting and can be quite dangerous to the very old and very young. It is easily contracted when rodents are present and extreme sanitation measures should be taken if you find rodents in your home.
• Rat-bite fever: This disease is spread through the consumption of rodent contaminated food or any kind of contact with infected rodents. This disease is very dangerous causing flu-like symptoms, rashes, vomiting, muscle pain and joint pain. Rat-bite fever can even eventually damage the brain, heart and lungs leading to death.

Rodent infestations are serious business and the utmost care and precautions should be used if you find a mouse in your home. Professional rodent control technicians are experienced, knowledgeable and take care to protect your family. Some diseases that rodents carry, such as Hantavirus, can become airborne, requiring respirators to safely handle the rodent infestation. As respiration devices are not a common household product, trusting the task of rodent removal to your local Green technicians is your safest and most effective bet.

Slightly different than its cousin, the mouse, a rat infestation is quite a bit more nerve wracking. Aside from the fact that they are bigger than mice and thus a little scarier to encounter, there are a few other tidbits you should be aware of if you suspect rats have move inside your home, garage or shed. Unlike mice, they can chew through just about anything, including cement, brick, wood and even lead pipes. Their jaws and teeth are very strong. This is why rodent inspections are so vital – a pest control technician is trained to spot holes that rats may have created in the exterior of your home or garage.

Rats reproduce at an alarmingly fast rate. In just one year, a pair of male and female rats, if left to breed unchecked can reproduce as many as 2,000 descendants, meaning that all their offspring also producing offspring and so on. Rats can pretty much eat anything to stay alive… even their own feces if they are desperate, so starving out a population of rats is next to impossible. These rodents can also be quite aggressive so trying to remove a rat problem alone can be quite a frightening task, aside from the potential virus exposure. It is best to leave rat control to your Green Pest Services experts. We truly  care about our customers and would hate to see you get hurt.

The most common types of rodents homeowners encounter are deer mice, house mice, Norway rats, and roof rats. House mice are more common in the city, while deer mice are more prevalent in the country. Norway rats are typically gray or brown, they are slightly smaller than roof rats and tend to burrow while roof rats have unusually large ears, a pointy nose and tails as long as their bodies. No matter the type of rodent in your home, they all cause a great deal of stress and upset to members of the home. Immediate rodent removal is imperative for the health of you and your family members.

Aside from the obvious health risks of a rodent infestation, these animals can cause a great deal of damage to your home if left untreated for a period of time. Rodents destroy insulation and chew through support beams within your walls, they can eat through drywall and can chew their way through boxes and plastic totes of all sizes. The chaos they can create when found nesting in basements, attics or sheds can be a real mess. Nothing is worse than finding that they damaged precious possessions or stored mementos you have wished to keep safe. The cost of repairing and replacing things a rodent infestation has destroyed can really take a hit at you financially. Saving money in the long run with routine rodent inspections will help you keep your family and possessions safe from this incredibly destructive pest. Call us today, we care about our customers and will quickly and efficiently remove even the most difficult rodent infestations.