Are you worried You Might Have Rodents?  Here are 8 Signs That You May Have an Infestation
Rat season is here again in Arizona’s deserts and populations of many species of rodents are moving into never-before infested areas.   Although your home may not have experienced problems with pests in the past, it is a good idea to keep an eye, an ear, and a nose out for signs that rodents have invaded your home.  Here are just some of the most common signs that you may have a rodent problem.

Rodent Droppings

This is one of the most obvious signs that you have a rodent problem. Droppings may be found in places where food is stored such as in kitchen cabinets and drawers. Given that mice like to move about in places that offer them protection from predators, you may find droppings in cupboards or under the sink, along walls, or on top of wall studs or beams. Additionally, mice will leave droppings near their nests, in storage areas such as sheds, barns, or cabins loaded with boxes, bags, old furniture, and other objects as they make an ideal home for rodents.

Rodent Nests

Rodents prefer to build their nests out of materials that are soft, fuzzy, or warm. Common rodent nest materials may include shredded paper, bunches of dry grass or small twigs, fabric, and furniture stuffing and batting.  Rodents nest in quiet areas near food and water where they can find safety from predators. Inside buildings, ideal places to look are:
•    inside cabinets
•    under or inside dressers
•    in and among boxes
•    behind and inside machinery and appliances
•    inside upholstered furniture
•    inside double walls or the space between floors and ceilings

Food Containers or Food That Appears To Be Nibbled

Usually you will discover droppings near to a favorite rodent food source. Rodents can chew through plastic, so plastic bags and Tupperware -style containers do not protect food items.  It would definitely be advisable to carefully inspect all food and food storage items and areas if you suspect rodents have entered your home at all.

Evidence of Gnawing

As previously mentioned, rodents will gnaw on almost anything that includes such things as wood, paper board, cloth sacks, and materials even harder than these.  Rodents’ teeth grow continuously and they must gnaw to keep them short.  That may help to explain why table and chair legs or similar surfaces show gnawed spots or tooth marks in rodent-infested places.

Small Debris Piles

If you happen upon a small pile of insect legs and peanut shells near a cabinet door, you may have found a rodent “feeding station.”  Feeding stations are somewhat hidden spots where rodents eat the food they have collected and discard their trash. In these areas, rodents may leave larger-than-normal amounts of droppings/urine, plus remnants of a variety of their “foods” such as nut shells, bits of plastic or paper, cockroach carcasses, and other indigestible items.

You Notice an Odd Musky Smell

In closed-up rooms infested by rodents, you will commonly smell an unusual, musky odor.  This odor is the hallmark of the common house mouse and to the trained nose, the odor is unmistakable.

You Hear Strange Noises at Night

No, you aren’t losing your mind, but there may be someone wandering around in your attic at night.  As many rodent species are nocturnal, an infestation in an attic may be most obvious from the sounds coming from attic areas at night as mice and rats will run, climb, scratch and gnaw on beams and wiring while using insulation in these areas as an ideal nesting material. Depending on the size of the individual rodent, noises made in these areas can be quite loud and unsettling.

You See a Mouse in Your House

All species of rodents generally prefer to keep to themselves and avoid humans completely. If you have mice or rats, unless the infestation is large, you may never see one at all.  It is fair to assume that if you have seen a mouse in your house, the infestation is well underway at it is time to call a professional for help.

Prevention and Solutions

Obviously, prevention is the best solution to any pest problem. Infestations by rodents and the damage they cause are not only costly to repair, but also a serious health hazard here in Arizona.  Both hanta virus and the plague have been found in Arizona in the past year which makes vigilance even more important.  To avoid a potential rodent infestation, one must do everything they can to make certain that their home is “rodent proof.” If you have any of the signs mentioned here, you may want to take action immediately to solve your pest problem before it becomes worse by contacting a pest control or wildlife management professional as soon as possible.