One of the scariest things about rodents is just how sneaky they can be. Given that mice and, especially, rats are so much larger than most common pests in Riverside, it may seem surprising that they could live in your house without you knowing it. However, rodents are such good survivors – and such annoying pests – because they’ve learned how to adeptly avoid potential threats, humans included. When mice or rats enter your home, they stick to remote areas like attics and crawl spaces, and they’re most active by night, when humans sleep.
The first sign of a rodent infestation in your Riverside home will often be their droppings. Mice and rats aren’t too picky about where they do their business. Places that droppings are often found include near baseboards, under shelves in the garage, and beneath sinks. Based on the size of the droppings, you can determine what sort of rodent problem you’re dealing with; rat feces are much larger than mouse feces.
Since rodents are so good at staying out of sight, you might not discover a rodent problem in your Riverside home until you hear them moving through walls and ceilings. While rats and mice aren’t particularly loud, you might hear them scratching about and squeaking, especially late at night, when the house is quiet and rodents are on the move. If you have cats or dogs, they’re likely to hear the mice before you do, and a sudden change in their behavior – such as staring intently at a particular spot on the wall – can be a sign of a rodent presence.
Rodents may leave other signs of their presence as well. If you find hidden piles of shredded materials like insulation, cardboard, and drywall, these are probably rodent nests. You may also notice oily stains on baseboards; these smudge marks are left by the greasy fur of mice and rats. Be on the lookout for gnawing damage caused by rodents, too.
