Any homeowner will agree that managing household pests, like rodents, are a big problem to handle. Rodents and humans have long coexisted. Large and tiny rodents alike seek out food and shelter among their human counterparts. While many folks will keep them as pets, when unwelcome rodents move into your home or business it can be a big, expensive challenge. Not only will rodents cause a lot of damage, but they also carry and spread many diseases that can be harmful to humans and pets. The Bay Area has rodents just like everywhere else, and Bay Pest Solution, LLC offers some basic information on what to do if one encounters any kind of rodents on their property.

The Dangers Of Rodents

Rodents bring the risk of disease, both through contact with them and their feces, including Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, Lyme disease, leptospirosis, salmonellosis, and tularemia. Living in and around San Francisco and the Bay area there are several kinds of rodents to keep an eye out for. The three most common kinds of rodents that people encounter are rats, mice, and sometimes squirrels. Read on to learn some basic facts about these common pests and what to do if rodents move into your home or business.

Types of Rats In The Bay Area

In the Bay area rats are an ongoing problem, again nothing new simply a long-standing side effect of humans creating warm, comfortable spaces to live that are full of food. There are two types of rats to keep an eye out for, the Norway rat, and the roof rat.

Norway rats are often called sewer or street rats and they can be quite destructive in and around a property. They are brown, with intermittent black hairs, with lighter bellies. They can grow between 12 and 18 or so inches long including the tail yet can squeeze in through a hole about the size of an American quarter.
Norway rats reproduce rapidly and will soon infest anywhere they settle in if they are not removed. They will gnaw through walls, insulation, and wires, causing significant, possibly catastrophic damage to homes.
Roof rats are darker-colored, usually brown with some black hairs. They can grow up to about 16 inches long, including their tail.
Roof rats will eat almost anything including bugs. These rodents are usually nocturnal and can climb very well so they can be found in attics and higher levels of buildings.

These two types of rats are common everywhere humans live, they can be aggressive and bite if they feel threatened. Getting rid of rats is a difficult task, and not one any property owner wants to take on alone.

House Mice

Another common California rodent found in the Bay area house mice. House mice are tiny rodents, yet mighty big when it comes to the damage they do to a home. House mice are a range of gray-colored, with lighter undersides. They reach about 4 inches and can squeeze into holes that are quite small, about the size of a dime or even a pencil eraser. They will spread droppings and urine that spread disease. House mice love to burrow into insulation in walls and attics, signs of mice include obvious paw prints and gnaw marks left behind. House mice like dark safe nesting places, look for oily marks on walls near paw prints, as well as the musky odor of their urine, all telltale signs of mice.

Squirrels In The Bay Area

Ground squirrels are another common rodent to see in California and the Bay area. Ground squirrels like to burrow and will dig huge holes near buildings and in yards. They will destroy gardens and wreak havoc when they get inside a building. Tree squirrels are also common, both can destroy yards, kill trees, and cause major damage if they set up camp inside a home of business.

Preventing A Rodent Infestation

As with many other household and common urban pests, keeping rodents at bay is best done by preventing them from getting in at all. Taking some basic precautions can go a long way in preventing these pests from making themselves at home, Bay Pest Solution, LLC offers several ways to help both commercial and residential property owners with this. Rodents are much easier to keep out than they are to eliminate from your home. Here are a few tips to keep them away:

Block all holes, cracks, and openings, rodents might get in through, inside, and outside the property.
Keep an eye out for holes or big cracks near your foundation.
Keep your trash in bins with lids.
Keep pet food and birdseed in airtight containers, and inside if possible.
Keep your property clean of scraps, crumbs, and food waste. This includes outdoor cooking and picnic areas.
Keep storage areas free of clutter, rodents love to hide in old boxes, etc.
Trim bushes, trees, and shrubs near buildings to discourage rodents.
Never ignore rodents or think there is just one, they are sneaky, clever, and great at hiding.
Call a professional for help If you see rodents, rodent droppings, or suspect you have a problem.

Call In The Professionals At Bay Pest Solution, LLC

If you see one rodent, especially mice or rats in or around your property it is highly likely they are not alone. Often seeing one rodent is the only hint one will get. Getting rid of rats, mice, squirrels, and other rodents is not something that is easy to do. This is in part due to not knowing how large the infestation is or knowing the best course of removal so consulting professionals like Bay Pest Solution is always advisable. The Bay area is a great place to call home, rodents think so too, which is why Bay Pest Solution, LLC works so hard to keep homes and businesses rodent-free. Call their talented team today to see how they can help tackle your rodent problem and prevent one from ever happening again.