It’s hard to identify the animal invading your space if they are most active during the night. You may not ever spot the critter in question, but you may be able to spot the signs of their infestation. Below our Critter Control® of Tampa team breaks down all the visual clues that could indicate that you have a potential animal problem, and what animal it might be.
How to Identify Rats & Mice
Droppings
Rat droppings are typically dark brown and shaped like a grain of rice. Mouse droppings on the other hand are typically smaller than that of a rat’s, and are about the size of a cupcake sprinkle. Mice normally leaving their droppings in piles so they may be easier to spot.
Rub marks
Grease and dirt on a rat or mouse’s body will leave smudges on walls and baseboards.
Scratching
Black rats are great climbers, so you may hear their sounds as they make their way up studs and across joists.
Gnawed plastic or furniture
Mice will also gnaw through baseboards to make easy access points into and out of a home. Brown rats, on the other hand, will create extensive burrow systems for shelter, food storage, and nesting.
Nests
Rats will shred just about anything to build their nests: insulation, cardboard, wood, drywall, and plastic.
Tracks and rodent sightings
Both types of rodents (and all of their sub-species types) leave foot and tail marks in dust and dirt.
How to Identify Squirrels & Raccoons
Nests
Squirrels and raccoons will normally make nests in trees or hollow openings in tree trunks. They are however, not opposed to nesting in piles of organic debris, another animal’s burrow, chimneys, attics, storm sewers, barns or sheds.
Foot patter on the roof
Squirrels and raccoons may access your attic via the roof, so listen for the patter of their feet at night and early morning.
Missing garden plants
Both squirrels and raccoons will eat the bark on young trees or garden vegetables; they don’t like aromatics, like lavender.
Fights
Seeing two animals fight means that there are too many of that animal in the area for the resources available.
If you suspect you have any of these animals living in your home, give the experts at Critter Control® of Tampa a call today. Be sure to ask about our three-year exclusion and lifetime warranties.