4 Myths About Rodents You Shouldn’t Believe

Though small, rodents reproduce with terrifying speed, carrying hazardous disease and destroying property at astonishing rates. Believing common myths enables their success while harming your household's health through complacency. Here are four common myths that rodent removal professionals regularly hear and the truth surrounding these misconceptions

Myth #1: Rodents Primarily Live Outdoors

While some rodents prefer fields and forests, others, like Norway rats and house mice, have adapted to indoor living. Attracted by warmth and food scraps, they build intricate networks of tunnels in walls and ceilings. Here, rodent families spawn sizable colonies just out of sight. Attempting do-it-yourself removal often disrupts tunnels, scattering infestations deeper into inaccessible spaces. This demands professional intervention from rodent removal services.

Myth #2: Rodents Only Contaminate Food They Directly Contact

Even if you successfully block a rodent's access to food storage, that doesn't prevent contamination. According to PestWeb, rats produce approximately 20 to 50 droppings per day, and mice produce approximately 40 to 100 per day. They deposit traces of urine constantly. Both substances harbor dangerous pathogens that are easily spread through dust, fabrics, box surfaces, and more. Air currents circulate particles throughout living spaces, creating widespread contamination hazards until they are completely removed.

Myth #3: Traps Effectively Control Rodent Populations

It's tempting to believe placing a few traps will swiftly end a rodent problem. Unfortunately, their rapid reproductive cycle quickly compensates for losses. Close rodent relatives reach sexual maturity just weeks after birth and reproduce rapidly. Without eliminating environmental factors attracting infestations, DIY traps barely dent exponentially growing populations. This level of infestation control requires professional pest management and rodent removal.

Myth #4: Occasional Sightings Are No Cause For Concern

Assuming a stray rodent sighting here and there is harmless severely underestimates how quickly new infestations establish. According to WebMD, every year, female mice can have up to 35 babies. Since rodents hide expertly within homes, occasional sightings likely indicate sizable established colonies necessitating professional removal.

Rodents threaten households in ways small critters seemingly shouldn't. But underestimating them places your family's health and home at risk. Protect yourself and your loved ones by acting promptly at the slightest sign of infestation. If you suspect you have mice or other rodents living in your home, Essential Pest Control can help you determine why they are there, get rid of them, and help prevent them from coming back. Contact us now to get started.