Rodent Control in Sacramento, CA
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Rodent Control in Sacramento
Types of Rodents in Sacramento
In the Sacramento area, home and business owners deal with several types of rodents. Some of the most common rodents are:
- Norway Rat
- Roof Rat
- Field/ House Mice
Norway Rats
Norway rats, also known as brown rats or sewer rats are a large burrowing rat that weighs about a pound at maturity. They have brown or brownish red fur, and long tails. Norway rats burrow and form nests about 100 feet from food sources, often in fields or under woodpiles or other clutter. They may also live in sewers in cities, or under the foundation of your home.
The Norway rat has about 6 litters per year, and usually have between 6 and 12 babies per litter. These rats leave large black droppings, about ½” to ¾” long. If you have a Norway rat infestation, you may notice gnaw marks around your home and property, or small food stockpiles or grease marks around their nesting areas.
To prevent a Norway Rat infestation, take the following steps:
- Seal any external opening with caulk or steel wool. These rats can get through very small openings.
- Clean up woodpiles on your property. Keep stacks of wood far away from your home.
- Seal your food in air-tight containers.
- Get rid of clutter outdoors, pick up any debris, eliminate yard waste. These can be used for nesting material or places to hide their burrow entrances.
- Fix leaky pipes and garden hose seals. Each Norway rat needs about one ounce of water per day. Eliminating water sources will make your property inhospitable to rats.
Roof Rats
Roof rats are the other type of rat commonly found in California. Also known as black rats or ship rats, roof rats live above ground, and are known to nest within attics, roofs, in treetops, or closer to the ground in piles of wood or rubbish. They can also nest in the walls of your home, in cabinets, or in false ceilings. The roof rat is about 13 to 17 inches long, head to tail, and has a thin body with dark gray or black fur. These rats have a pointed nose, long tail, and large ears.
The roof rat leaves black droppings, about half an inch long, with pointed ends. You may see signs of gnawing if you have a roof rat infestation. They will eat anything, including electrical wires, paper, and cardboard. Roof rats weight about half a pound at maturity. They have new litters about every 2 to 3 months. These rats are notorious for carrying diseases, including bubonic plague, so these infestations are particularly serious.
How can you prevent an infestation of roof rats? These are steps you can take.
- Seal every hole on the external part of your home with silicone or caulk. Roof rats only need a hole the size of a quarter to enter your home. Plug any external opening with steel wool
- Store all food in air-tight sealable containers.
- Trim all bushes and vegetation around your property regularly.
- Cut tree branches away from your house. Roof rats can climb the trees and enter through the attic.
House Mouse
The most common type of mouse in the Sacramento area, the house mouse weighs about three-quarters of an ounce, and breeds extremely quickly. An adult female house mouse can give birth to six pups every three weeks. These mice have fur that is dusty gray to black, and they are about two to six inches long head to tail. They eat grains, meats, fish, and other food that is left unsealed. House mice nest in dark secluded areas of the home about ten to thirty feet from food sources.
What are signs of a mouse infestation?
- Small rod-shaped droppings with pointed ends
- Gnaw marks on food storage, walls, or wires
- Strong urine smell
- Small food stashes
- Seeing small rodents, either alive or dead
Signs of Rodent Infestations in Sacramento
Rats and mice can cause stress and financial pain for homeowners and business owners in the Sacramento area. It might be difficult to know if you have a rodent infestation problem at first, because rats and mice nest in dark quiet areas, hidden from everyday sight. Their nocturnal schedule further conceals their existence within your home. While you are sleeping peacefully at night, they are actively causing damage while searching for food and creating new nesting sites.
Some of their favorite nesting sites indoors include attics, wall voids, behind large appliances, inside furniture & couches, closets, and even under cabinets. Outdoors, some common places include crawl spaces, under decks, woodpiles, overgrown grass, shrubs, trees, and also under foundations. These are some key signs to look for to help you identify if you are experiencing rodent issues.
- Scratching/ Scampering Noises in the attic, under floorboards, and inside walls.
- Gnaw Marks/ Holes on walls, wood, electrical wiring, and food packaging.
- Rodent Droppings in the attic, garage, fence line, and in any other suspected areas.
- Runways, rodents will scurry along pathways such as fence lines, foundations, and ledges.
- Strong Urine Odor, rodent urine has a strong musky odor.
- Rodent Nests, look for shredded materials indoors or burrows in the ground outside.
- Unusual Pet Behavior, your pet may act strange when they hear or small rodents in the house.
How to Get Rid of Rodents
Rodents are a serious pest issue and can prove very difficult to control. It’s important to identify if you have a rodent issue before it gets out of control or serious damage is caused. Here are a few helpful tips to minimize your chances of dealing with a rodent infestation.
- Rodent Proofing: sealing and repairing entry points & screens on the exterior of your home.
- Installing door sweeps and weather stripping.
- Keeping the attic and crawlspaces well ventilated and dry.
- Cutting tree branches back away from the roof.
- Removing food sources such as pet food, fruit trees, vegetable gardens, and bird feeders.
- Decluttering the inside and outside of your home as much as possible.
- Frequently Inspecting common nesting and runway sites for signs of rodent activity.
- Lastly, a regular rodent inspection & protection plan will help deter and eliminate rodents from your home or business.
Why Choose Pointer Pest Control?
Areas We Serve at Pointer Pest Control
We provide rat extermination and rodent control to the following areas in Sacramento County and Placer County.
- Sacramento
- Arden-Arcade
- Carmichael
- Citrus Heights
- Davis
- Elk Grove
- Fair Oaks
- Folsom
- Gold River
- Granite Bay
- Lincoln
- Loomis
- Orangevale
- Rancho Cordova
- Rio Linda
- Rocklin
- Roseville
- West Sacramento
Contact Your Local Rodent Pest Control Experts
Stop rodents before they become a costly nightmare in your home or business, let your local Pointer Pest Control experts help you control them. With over 18 years of experience in the Greater Sacramento area, we’re your friendly and reliable rodent pest experts.
Schedule your free rodent inspection today (916) 892-0005. We offer a pest service that is 100% guaranteed to work and backed by our Pointer Promise warranty to ensure your complete satisfaction (free unlimited treatments in between).
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