Rodent Prevention
Identifying Rodents
Learn The Differences Between Rodents
House mice are a common type of rodent in Central Texas homes. Learn how to identify house mice, common house mouse behaviors and how to deter these pests.
Not sure what kind of critter is running around your house? Learn how to spot the differences between voles and mice.
Rodents In The News
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Homeowners never want to find out they have a rodent infestation. Knowing the warning signs, the difference between types of rodents and how to avoid attracting them are keys to preventing a rodent invasion.
Click below for tips on what to do and what not to do to keep rodents out of your home, and read on to learn more facts from ABC’s rodent specialists.
Learn The Differences Between Rodents
Identifying Rodents
Not sure what kind of critter is running around your house? Learn how to spot the differences between voles and mice.
House mice are a common type of rodent in Central Texas homes. Learn how to identify house mice, common house mouse behaviors and how to deter these pests.
Rodent Facts
Everyone needs their beauty sleep, including mice. Since most mice are nocturnal, many homeowners see the signs of mice before they see one scurrying around. Learn how to catch an infestation even while mice sleep!
Rats are hungry pests that have food preferences, but will eat just about anything they can get their paws on to survive. Learn what rats like to eat so you can help deter them!
It’s important to know that mice reproduce rapidly. Learn how many mice can live in a nest and what these nests look like!
What Our Customers Are Saying
“We were experiencing problems with rodents in our walls. They were gnawing and scratching nonstop. We called ABC Pest Control and Paul made the initial inspection and estimate for sealing every possible entry point as well as rodent removal. Their estimate was half of what other companies quoted, plus ABC included additional ongoing services the others did not offer. Miguel with ABC Pest Control showed up on-time and worked nonstop for 8 hours sealing the entry points and placing bait boxes as well as traps. Our roof has a very steep pitch and multiple vents which made the job challenging, but Miguel worked tirelessly to complete the necessary repairs. Miguel was very professional and I could tell he was well trained. ABC definitely has a happy customer!!”
- Don B.
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Rodent Prevention & Tips
Just one mouse seems like a big enough problem, but what if you have many mice? What equates to an infestation? Read on to learn more about how fast mice breed and what can make a few mice qualify as an infestation.
Your garden should be for beautiful flowers, vegetables and fruits, not a feeding ground for mice. Read on to learn how to get rid of mice in the garden and how to keep them away!
Bird feeders are a great way to attract beautiful birds to your yard, but can they also attract pests like rats? Learn how to ensure you’re not inviting rats onto your property.
What sounds like the start of a sci-fi movie is true: scientists have learned how to make mice’s skin look transparent. Does this mean humans are next? Learn more!
They may be pests at home, but these trained rats have detected explosives without triggering the devices, saving lives in the sub-Saharan region.
A drug that has reduced neuron swelling in mice with spinal cord injuries has scientists exploring its potential for humans. Find out more about this new study!
Rodent Facts
Everyone needs their beauty sleep, including mice. Since most mice are nocturnal, many homeowners see the signs of mice before they see one scurrying around. Learn how to catch an infestation even while mice sleep!
Rats are hungry pests that have food preferences, but will eat just about anything they can get their paws on to survive. Learn what rats like to eat so you can help deter them!
Rodent
Prevention & Tips
Rodents
In The News
They may be pests at home, but these trained rats have detected explosives without triggering the devices, saving lives in the sub-Saharan region.
A drug that has reduced neuron swelling in mice with spinal cord injuries has scientists exploring its potential for humans. Find out more about this new study!
What sounds like the start of a sci-fi movie is true: scientists have learned how to make mice’s skin look transparent. Does this mean humans are next? Learn more!
It’s important to know that mice reproduce rapidly. Learn how many mice can live in a nest and what these nests look like!
Just one mouse seems like a big enough problem, but what if you have many mice? What equates to an infestation? Read on to learn more about how fast mice breed and what can make a few mice qualify as an infestation.
Your garden should be for beautiful flowers, vegetables and fruits, not a feeding ground for mice. Read on to learn how to get rid of mice in the garden and how to keep them away!
Bird feeders are a great way to attract beautiful birds to your yard, but can they also attract pests like rats? Learn how to ensure you’re not inviting rats onto your property.
Ask An Expert At ABC
What can you do around your home and yard to make it less attractive to rodents?
"Remove areas that allow them to harbor. If you don’t have garbage areas, it doesn't allow them to hide in those spots. I'm not saying to completely remove everything out of your yard, but if we can remove garbage areas, if we can remove water sources and remove food sources, they're not going to be real interested in that area, in that home, in that yard."
Manuel Ortiz:
What kind of damage can rodents do to a home and yard?
"Rodents love chewing. Rodents would chew through siding, they chew through different types of wood, and they get into the attic. Not only do they just tunnel through your insulation, they mat it down so that insulation's value just drops.
They chew water lines. They chew electrical lines. If they hit a water line, a pressurized water line can burst and lead to a lot of damage. Then you're looking at damage inside of the home. They love to chew. They love to look for water sources for the most part, and a lot of times when they're in your attic, they're chewing on these pipes to get either condensation around the pipe or water from the inside of that pipe.
Once they find that, they'll chew through that pipe and it'll burst in your attic and cause a lot of water damage."
Manuel Ortiz:
We asked ABC Austin's General Manager of Pest Control, Manuel Ortiz, some commonly asked questions about rodent control. Check out some of the answers below or watch the full interview here!
What are the signs of rodents that homeowners should look out for?
"Well, the dead giveaway is rodent droppings. Whenever you have rodents in your home or around your home, you'll start noticing gnaw marks or places where they're trying to chew to get into the house. You'll notice odors. Odors are a big one, something that you're not used to smelling, possibly urine, because a lot of times rodents use urine and pheromones to communicate, so there'll be that and noises. You'll hear them up in your attic."
Manuel Ortiz:
Do rodents carry viruses?
"First off, there are concerns, obviously, with the Hantavirus when it comes to rodents, a lot of times, it's with mice. Leptospirosis is another one.
With raccoons, you're thinking rabies. I recently sat through a talk where rodents were being tested for COVID. And what they're finding is that rodents are running through the sewage lines and picking up different variances of the virus.
From there, they're moving through the sewage lines into the surface of people's homes. The concern is that a lot of times, rodents will find their way through plumbing into your home, especially through the sewage lines.
That's a major concern right now. They're testing the rats for the COVID virus, and they're finding roughly from 70-something rats, 13 or 14 of them might have the COVID virus. There is a concern there.
You know, it's definitely something we're thinking about."
Manuel Ortiz:
"Well, the dead giveaway is rodent droppings. Whenever you have rodents in your home or around your home, you'll start noticing gnaw marks or places where they're trying to chew to get into the house. You'll notice odors. Odors are a big one, something that you're not used to smelling, possibly urine, because a lot of times rodents use urine and pheromones to communicate, so there'll be that and noises. You'll hear them up in your attic."
Manuel Ortiz:
What are the signs of rodents that homeowners should look out for?
Ask An Expert At ABC
What can you do around your home and yard to make it less attractive to rodents?
"Remove areas that allow them to harbor. If you don’t have garbage areas, it doesn't allow them to hide in those spots. I'm not saying to completely remove everything out of your yard, but if we can remove garbage areas, if we can remove water sources and remove food sources, they're not going to be real interested in that area, in that home, in that yard."
Manuel Ortiz:
Manuel Ortiz:
"Rodents love chewing. Rodents would chew through siding, they chew through different types of wood, and they get into the attic. Not only do they just tunnel through your insulation, they mat it down so that insulation's value just drops.
They chew water lines. They chew electrical lines. If they hit a water line, a pressurized water line can burst and lead to a lot of damage. Then you're looking at damage inside of the home. They love to chew. They love to look for water sources for the most part, and a lot of times when they're in your attic, they're chewing on these pipes to get either condensation around the pipe or water from the inside of that pipe.
Once they find that, they'll chew through that pipe and it'll burst in your attic and cause a lot of water damage."
What kind of damage can rodents do to a home and yard?
Do rodents carry viruses?
Manuel Ortiz:
"First off, there are concerns, obviously, with the Hantavirus when it comes to rodents, a lot of times, it's with mice. Leptospirosis is another one.
With raccoons, you're thinking rabies. I recently sat through a talk where rodents were being tested for COVID. And what they're finding is that rodents are running through the sewage lines and picking up different variances of the virus.
From there, they're moving through the sewage lines into the surface of people's homes. The concern is that a lot of times, rodents will find their way through plumbing into your home, especially through the sewage lines.
That's a major concern right now. They're testing the rats for the COVID virus, and they're finding roughly from 70-something rats, 13 or 14 of them might have the COVID virus. There is a concern there.
You know, it's definitely something we're thinking about."
We asked ABC Austin's General Manager of Pest Control, Manuel Ortiz, some commonly asked questions about rodent control. Check out some of the answers below or watch the full interview here!