No one wants a mouse or rat infestation in their home, and in a line if you have a rodent infestation then pest control is absolutely the best solution. However, some people like to know if they have mice or rats in their house – and it is worth remembering that rodent infestations also include squirrels, another common rodent that will make itself at home in your loft or roof space.
If you have mice in your attic, they can be surprisingly loud when they are moving around so it is easy to think it can be rats or even squirrels in your loft. Commonly squirrels are more active at dawn and dusk and more likely to be active during the day. You will probably hear mice and rats moving around more during the night, although there is no hard and fast rule. Squirrels are definitely more visible and there is a good chance you will see squirrels going in and out of your roof space, whereas rats and mice will move around using tunnels and wall cavities so are much harder to spot.
If you decide to investigate further and look for signs of rodents in your attic, then you might find rodent droppings in your attic. Size is the giveaway factor here, as mouse droppings are much smaller and an obvious sign a mouse infestation.
Chewed cabling, wood or plastic is another sign of rodent activity. Again, size is the key sign here as mouse chew marks are much smaller than chew marks made by rats or squirrels. Mice will also find their way into kitchen cupboards comparatively easily – they can squeeze through tiny gaps no wider than a pencil. Mouse droppings in cupboards is a common sign of a mouse infestation, whereas squirrels will stay in your roof space or attic rather than venturing down into your kitchen.
As mentioned, it is quite common to see squirrels going in and out of your loft during daylight. They will often climb up nearby trees and jump across onto your roof, making nests inside using insulation. However, if it gets to the stage where you are seeing live mice or rats in your house, or moving around your garden close to the house walls, then the rat or mouse infestation is probably well established by this time.
Either way, if it’s squirrels, mice or rats taking up residence in your home they are normally unwanted guests and rodent pest control is by far the quickest and easiest way to get rid of them. All rodents will cause huge amounts of damage to wiring, insulation, woodwork and plastic piping. They also carry disease and once established mice and rats will start coming into your kitchen in search of food.
We always recommend using a local pest control company with a rodent extermination service. Grey squirrels are an invasive species in the UK, so are also counted as a pest and need to be dispatched. A pest control service with a good reputation and attention to detail is important, as you want to know they will provide an efficient and effective rodent extermination service. They will also be able to advise or help with pest prevention and proofing to help stop the same problem recurring.
