Spotting Unwanted Guests: 5 Signs of a Rodent Infestation

Last Updated on April 16, 2024 by SampleBoard

Even with a pretty nasty rodent infestation, the signs aren’t always obvious. Many rodents are so tiny and sneaky that you barely even notice their presence. It’s a scary thought, really!

The good news is, if you have some suspicions of a rodent infestation, like maybe you’ve seen a gray spot zip across the floor one day but aren't sure, there are some signs you can look out for.

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1. A Foul Odor

Even just a rodent or two in your home can leave a very distinct and smelly aroma. Their urine alone is quite strong and sour-smelling.

As time passes, you may notice a rotten, decaying smell, particularly if a rodent has died somewhere on your property, whether on the floor in plain sight or inside your walls or air duct.

The odor can get very pungent and unmistakably noticeable to everyone. It can linger for days or even weeks at a time, and you may not know where the source of the smell is coming from.

That's when professional pest control services, like Waynes Pest Control in Knoxville, can be invaluable in identifying and eliminating the root cause of such odors.

2. Rodent Droppings

Rodents like rats and mice leave dark brown pellet-like droppings where they’ve been scurrying. If and when you spot them, you clean them up, only for them to show up again somewhere else shortly.

Rodent droppings are a definite sign of an active rodent infestation on your property.

3. Bite Marks

Gnaw marks on wooden furniture, tiny shreds on corners of papers or a stack of napkins you left out, or a chewed-up cord or wire are all signs of a pest.

Of course, these can result from your own pets, but if you don’t have pets or any evidence that your pets have done these bad deeds, rodents might be the cause.

4. Faint Noises

Do you ever hear tiny noises when the room is quiet, multiple times a day, on a daily or near-daily basis? Perhaps you notice sounds of soft scratching, chewing, or scampering.

You might notice or hear an object sliding or shifting around. A rodent running around or up to no good may be to blame.

5. Strange Pet Behavior

When a pet starts acting out, you wonder if they just have the zoomies or seeing a ghost. You think to yourself, do you call the Ghostbusters or a therapist? (Just kidding!)

Your pet can notice the rodents before you. Their heightened sense of smell and vision make it easy for them to come across these tiny, smelly critters.

Not to mention, our pets have a different perspective than we do and are more similar in size than we are to rodents, which allows them to spot rodents more efficiently, especially under and between furniture.

Whether you’re optimistic or not that there’s a rodent infestation on your property, you can always have a Rodent Exterminator come out to investigate the situation.

Conclusion

A rodent infestation can be a big problem, but it isn’t always noticeable, especially in the early stages.

As time goes on, you may notice some little hints here and there, even if you don’t put two and two together right away.

Above are some signs of a rodent infestation in your home or building that you should be looking out for.

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