Just about every type of troublesome wildlife pest a person can think of dwells within the large state of Texas. Of all the animal species that exist in the United States, the state of Texas is home to three fourths of them. Texas is home to 33 bat species, which is more than any other state. Rodents make up one third of all mammal species in Texas. Common rodents in Texas include squirrels, pocket gophers, numerous rat and mouse species and scores of others. Of all the wild animals that are known to invade, damage or nest within Texas homes, rats and mice are probably the most hated. While some years see a greater amount of rodent infestations than others in Texas, residents can always expect a massive influx of rodents within residential areas of the state once the winter season nears an end.
Rats and mice do not just invade homes where they annoy occupants with the noises they make while hiding away within their obscured nesting spaces, but they also cause expensive damage in hard to reach areas. For example, pest controllers in Texas have found rats chewing on cables and electronic wiring within attics, basements and utility boxes. It is also not uncommon to find rats infesting garages where they sometimes chew away at electrical wiring within vehicles. Even worse than having to shell out money to repair expensive rat-induced damage to electronic devices, fires can start as a result of rats chewing through electrical wires. Rats also commonly chew on pipes, eat threw water hoses, gnaw on clothing, tear up furniture, and they damage floorboards, drywall and insulation. And if all this is not enough, rats and mice also facilitate the spread of diseases to humans. Unfortunately, one of these diseases, typhus fever, is becoming more common among Texas residents. For example, up until July of last year, Galveston health authorities documented 18 typhus cases, while only one case was reported in the area during the entire 2017 year. Many residents are contracting typhus indoors, as dogs spread the disease to humans after contracting the disease from fleas that they picked up from backyard rats and opossums. Although a pest control professional is almost always necessary to eradicate a rat or mouse infestation within a home, typhus can be prevented by making sure that dogs receive flea treatments.
Have you ever killed a mouse or rat within your home with a simple trap?
