Managing the Threat of Bats, Rats & Mice in Winter
For those of us in the business of managing conflicts between humans and assorted wildlife, winter is the season of tiny occupations.
When the temperatures fall, rats, bats – and more commonly mice – will take advantage of human hospitality, migrating into office buildings, warehouses, retail sites and homes looking for food, water and a place to get out of the cold. It takes very little for your building to end up on their shortlist of winter get-away or hibernation sites.
Offices, warehouses and even manufacturing facilities are all targets for these little pests. Workplaces are full of food, from desk drawer snacks to garbage cans to lunchroom leftovers. Rats and mice are incredibly creative at getting in. And while you may think your facility is locked up tight, a space of as little as ¼ inch is as good as a key under the mat to a family of mice.
Uninvited Rodent Guests Bring Plenty of Baggage
Mice are the most common rodent complaint at this time of year, says RAC owner Rusty Fields. “Homeowners with million-dollar luxury homes, offices, stores, warehouses and storage units — everyone has mice,” he says. “Cold weather brings them in.”
How do you know when mice have moved in? While mice are excellent at hiding, they’re not quiet, and they’re not tidy. Don’t ignore reports of scratching or squeaking sounds in the walls, signs of chewing around baseboards or food cabinets, the smell of urine or any signs of the rice-sized waste pellets they leave behind.
Mice multiply quickly and leave behind more than a mess.
Many diseases are transmitted by mice and other rodents, including hantavirus, salmonella, and lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCMV). Rodent urine and droppings that dry up and combine with dust and other airborne particles transmit dangerous viruses through inhalation. Rats spread leptospirosis and tularemia. Bats seeking warm, dark spaces to hibernate in during the cold months also spread viruses.
Your health is not the only thing at risk, however. Mice and rats damage walls, insulation, electronic cables and wiring with their constant chewing, leaving a building at risk of shorts and even fires.
Whatever type of rodent is rattling around inside your home, office, warehouse or residential building, quick action is needed to protect the health of your family, tenants, workers and customers. Don’t make the mistake of letting a “small” pest become a big problem.
Expert Help for Evicting Seasonal Rodent Intruders
Get professional help for all of your rodent issues. At RAC, we are licensed, professional and experienced in the best practices for eliminating – and preventing – rodent infestation. A professional inspection can do more than start the eviction process; it can show you where you may be inadvertently putting out the welcome mat for ongoing rodent intrusion.
Contact us to learn more about professional rodent removal, exclusion and remediation services from RAC. Our customers rely on us for safe, effective and cost-effective pest and wildlife solutions for commercial, industrial and residential properties.