Rodents are sneaky, but they’re not perfect criminals. They always leave evidence behind. The scratching sounds at night, the mysterious droppings in your kitchen drawer, or those unsettling gnaw marks on your furniture. These are all signs that you might be sharing your home with rats or mice.
You likely have rats if you’re seeing larger droppings, gnaw marks, and holes. And you likely have mice if you’re actually seeing mice (since they are more curious than rats).
Either way, getting an infestation from them requires intervention from professional rodent exterminators, like Eden Advanced Pest Technologies.
Rodent Infestation Signs
The most common signs of mice in your house include:
- Droppings
- Gnaw marks
- Scratching and scurrying sounds
- Small holes (where they’ve chewed through)
- Musty odor from vents
- Grease marks
Rodents in Spokane, WA and Coeur d'Alene, ID
Our wet winters create perfect conditions for rats and mice to seek shelter indoors. In Spokane, WA and Coeur d'Alene, ID, we primarily deal with:
Deer Mouse
Unlike house mice (that tend to stay close to food sources), deer mice will venture throughout your space, leaving droppings in unexpected places. Don’t be surprised if you find their droppings amongst holiday decorations, rarely-used cabinets, and stored camping gear.
House Mouse
The signs you have a house mouse problem typically start in the kitchen or pantry. You’ll find their rice-grain-sized droppings in drawers, cupboards, and along walls. They also gnaw through food packaging, leaving behind contaminated food that must be thrown away.
Norway Rat
Signs of Norway rats specifically include large burrow holes around foundations, under concrete slabs, or in earthen banks. They prefer to nest at ground level or below, making basements and crawl spaces their favorite hiding spots.
Packrat
Packrat nests (called middens) are massive structures made of sticks, leaves, and collected objects. They’re often built in attics, sheds, or unused vehicles. So signs you have packrats include finding these large nests and noticing missing small objects around your space.
Roof Rat
To spot signs of roof rats, look for gnaw marks (especially on fruit) and droppings in attics or upper-level storage areas. You might also hear them running across your ceiling at night, when they’re the most active.
What Not to Do
Over the years, we’ve seen well-meaning homeowners make mistakes that actually make their rodent problem worse.
- First, don’t ignore the problem, hoping it will go away.
- Don’t rely solely on store-bought traps and poisons. While these might catch a few rodents, they rarely address the root cause: how the rodents are getting in.
- Avoid using poison bait stations indoors without professional guidance. When rodents consume poison, they often die in inaccessible places like inside walls or air ducts. The resulting odor can last for weeks and may require cutting into walls to remove the carcass. Plus, poison poses risks to children and pets.
- Don’t seal holes without making sure all rodents are removed. Trapping rodents inside your walls will lead to dead animals in inaccessible places, creating health hazards and terrible odors.
- Finally, don’t underestimate the health risks. Rodents carry diseases like hantavirus, salmonella, and leptospirosis. Their droppings and urine can trigger allergies and asthma, especially in children.
Call Eden Advanced Pest Technologies for Rat and Mouse Control
If you’re dealing with signs of a mouse infestation or any other evidence of rodents, don’t wait. The longer you delay, the worse the problem becomes.
Our trained technicians know exactly how to tell if you have rats or mice and can quickly identify which species you’re dealing with. We’ll inspect your entire property, identifying where rodents are getting in. We use an integrated approach that includes trapping, exclusion work to seal entry points, and ongoing monitoring to make sure the problem doesn’t return.
Contact Eden Advanced Pest Technologies today for a thorough inspection and customized treatment plan.
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