Dave's Pest Control

Category: Rodents

  • Tips to Get Rid of Mice in your Homes

    Tips to Get Rid of Mice in your Homes

    Mice infestations are a common problem across the U.S., but homeowners in Florida face more challenges when dealing with these rodents due to several factors. Florida’s warm and humid climate creates an environment where mice can perfectly survive the whole year. If you’ve noticed scratching noises in your walls, mouse droppings, or gnawed furniture, it’s time to call a professional rodent control service in your area.

    Lets look at some effective strategies to get rid of mice in your homes. We’ll address the prevention methods, and best extermination practices to help you protect your homes.

     

    How Do Mice Enter Florida Homes?

    Before you can eliminate mice, it’s necessary to understand how they’re getting in. Florida homes often have structural loopholes that allow mice to enter, such as:

    • Cracks in Walls and Foundations
    • Roof Openings
    • Plumbing and Electrical Lines

    Signs of a Mouse Infestation

    To confirm, your home is infested by the mice, rats or rodents, you should know the signs of their infestation. These are some common signs that can make sure if your home is infested by mice.

    • Mouse Droppings
    • Gnaw Marks
    • Nocturnal Scratching Sounds
    • Nests

    How to Get Rid of Mice in Your Florida Home

    Once you’ve identified a mouse problem, it’s time to eliminate them. Here are the most effective steps for getting rid of mice:

    1. Seal Entry Points

    The first step in eliminating mice is to stop them from entering your home. Inspect your home thoroughly and seal all cracks and gaps using materials such as steel wool, caulk, or metal mesh.

    Pay special attention to areas around pipes, vents, and doorways. Mice can squeeze through very small holes, so even tiny gaps should be addressed.

    2. Use Mouse Traps

    Traps are one of the most effective ways to reduce the mouse population in your home. There are different types of traps available:

    • Snap Traps: These traditional traps are highly effective. Bait them with peanut butter or cheese.
    • Glue Traps: Less humane but effective for catching mice in larger numbers.
    • Live Traps: If you prefer a no-kill option, live traps allow you to catch and release mice. Be sure to release them far from your home to prevent their return.

    Place traps along walls, behind furniture, and near entry points where mice tend to travel.

    3. Place Bait Stations

    Bait stations use poisoned bait to kill mice. These stations are sealed to prevent pets and children from accessing the poison, making them safer for households. Florida’s humidity can cause bait to degrade faster. Be sure to check bait stations frequently to ensure they remain effective.

    4. Remove Food and Water Sources

    Mice are drawn to easy access to food and water. Keep your home free of these temptations:

    • Store Food in Airtight Containers: Mice can easily chew through cardboard and plastic. so you should use glass or metal containers.
    • Clean Up Crumbs: Wipe down counters and sweep floors daily to remove crumbs and food debris.
    • Fix Leaks: Mice need water to survive. Fix any leaks in pipes or faucets, especially in the kitchen and bathroom.

    Preventing Future Mouse Infestations

    Once you’ve successfully eliminated mice, take these steps to prevent future infestations.

    1. Keep Your Yard Clean

    Florida’s warm climate makes it easy for mice to live outdoors before migrating into your home. To prevent this, keep your yard tidy:

    • Trim Overgrown Vegetation: Mice use shrubs and trees to get closer to your home. Keep bushes trimmed and trees pruned to prevent easy access to the roof.
    • Store Firewood Off the Ground: Mice love hiding in firewood piles. Keep wood stacks at least 18 inches off the ground and away from your house.

    2. Maintain Your Home

    Regular maintenance is crucial for keeping mice out.

    • Check Weatherstripping: Ensure that doors and windows seal tightly. Replace damaged weatherstripping.
    • Inspect Vents and Chimneys: Use mesh screens to cover vents and chimneys to block entry points.

    Call Professional Mice Pest Control if Needed

    For large infestations or ongoing problems, it may be best to call a professional mice pest control in Florida. Professionals can provide more comprehensive solutions like long-lasting bait stations and home inspections to identify vulnerabilities so If you have mice or rodent issues, call Dave’s Pest Control for a free estimate and schedule your inspection. Our exterminators are experts in mice and rodent eradication.

  • Top 7 Diseases Directly Transmitted By Rodents

    One of the most common groups of household pests is rodents. These tiny creatures are known for getting in walls and attics, chewing on your electrical wiring, and even damaging the structural integrity of your home. We offer our animal control solutions in Daytona, Port Orange, Edgewater, New Smyrna and throughout Flagler and Volusia Counties and parts of Brevard County.

    Aside from being gross, rodents are dangerous and are capable of transmitting to you and your pets.

    Diseases Transmitted by Rodents

    Below is a list of the top seven diseases that reveal how important it is to utilize pest control services to keep your home rodent free.

    1.Salmonella

    Since mice and rats have no control over their bowel movements or urination, they can easily contaminate your food or countertops with the salmonella bacteria. When you consume this bacteria, you may suffer everything from abdominal cramps and diarrhea to nausea and vomiting. Typically, the infection takes up to a week to run its course through the body.

    2. Rat-Bite Fever

    Should you spot a rodent and attempt to catch it on your own, you run the risk of getting scratched or bit. If that rodent happened to carry the Streptobacillus moniliformis bacteria, you might come down with rat-bite fever. This illness leaves patients with muscles weakness, achy joints, a headache, fever, and sometimes a rash. Strong antibiotics are needed to treat this disease, and without them, the disease can be fatal.

    3. The Plague

    Yersinia pestis is the bacteria that causes the plague, and it is transmitted primarily by fleas that have been in contact with an infected rodent, or through contact with the infected animal’s bodily fluids. Symptoms of the plague include pneumonia, fever, weakness, painful lymph nodes, and skin and tissue that begins to turn black before eventually dying. Antibiotics are the treatment, and they work best when administered early on.

    4. Leptospirosis

    Also caused by a bacteria, leptospirosis is transmitted when one comes into contact with an infected rodent’s urine. It is impossible to contract leptospirosis and not experience any symptoms for a long time. When leprosy does present itself, it shows up through jaundice, red eyes, diarrhea, fever, chills, muscle aches, and a rash. If they are not given antibiotics early on, a person may also experience kidney or liver failure.

    5. Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis

    The common house mouse is responsible for transmitting the Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus. Initial symptoms leave a person feeling unwell and without an appetite. Muscle aches and headaches are also common, and if the virus doesn’t clear up after that, it is possible to develop meningitis or encephalitis. Corticosteroids and a drug called ribavirin are used to treat lymphocytic choriomeningitis.

    6. Tularemia

    Humans can become infected with the Francisella tularensis bacteria when they consume contaminated foods or handle an infected animal carcass. If infected, you may experience a high fever, sore throat, swollen lymph glands, cough, chest pains, and difficulty breathing. A 10 to 21-day course of antibiotics is needed to recover from tularemia.

    7. Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome

    There are two ways you can contract the hantavirus. You can come into contact with rodent urine or droppings, or you can breathe in the dust that is contaminated with infected rodent urine or droppings. Since this syndrome has no known cure and a 38 percent mortality rate, it is important to seek medical attention immediately if you begin to show symptoms. These signs include dizziness, abdominal pain, muscle aches, fatigue, coughing, and shortness of breath.

    While it’s not a disease, rats and other rodents love to gnaw at electrical wires and are one of the most common sources of house and condo fires in America and throughout the world.

    If you notice any evidence of a rodent infestation, contact Dave’s Pest Control Inc. and get a free estimate. Dave’s Pest Control has been providing rodent control, pest control and other extermination services in Port Orange, Daytona, Deland, Edgewater, Ormond Beach and through Flagler and Volusia Counties over 35 years. Aside from exterminating rodents, we can rid your home of termites, bed bugs, cockroaches and other pests.