Protect Your Business: 3 Rodents to Watch Out For

Rodents, such as mice and rats, are widespread across the U.S., but that doesn’t mean your business should become a welcoming place for them. Regardless of your industry, preventing rodent infestations is crucial for maintaining compliance, safeguarding your reputation, and protecting your profits.

Learn more about common rodents, the damage they can bring, and how to implement rodent control and prevention that fits your business needs by reading on.

Rodents to Watch Out For

Commensal rodents, such as Roof Rats, Norway rats, and House mice, live in close association with humans, relying on them for food, water, and shelter. These opportunistic feeders move wherever food is abundant, causing significant problems for businesses. Their presence can lead to lost inventory, potential shutdowns, and a damaged reputation. Whether you’re in food supply, food service, retail, hospitality, or property management, staying vigilant for signs of rodents should be a critical part of your daily operations to protect your business.

House Mice

House mice are constantly seeking food and a warm, safe place to nest. Typically light brown to dark gray in color, they range from 2 to 5 inches in length. Due to their ability to squeeze through openings as small as a pencil, it’s crucial to stay vigilant with repairs and sealing entry points if you want to keep them out.

Since mice are nocturnal, they are most active at night when you and your staff might not be around to spot them. However, you’ll likely notice signs of their presence, such as gnawed baseboards, chewed food containers, and droppings. Their droppings are typically about a quarter-inch long with pointy ends and often found in clusters. Mice are drawn to carbohydrates, particularly grains, oats, and fruits, and tend to nest close to food sources, especially in walls near kitchens or storage areas.

How To Help Prevent House Mice

Mice can easily find their way into your business if the right conditions are present. To help keep house mice out of your business, follow these simple but effective prevention tips:

Seal Holes and Cracks: Prevent mice from entering by sealing up any gaps or cracks and filling openings with steel wool, which they can’t chew through.
Maintain Vegetation: Create a barrier of at least a few feet between the building and any plants, and regularly trim trees and shrubs to prevent them from touching the structure, giving mice easier access.
Clean and Disinfect: Regularly wipe down and sanitize surfaces in kitchens and other food preparation areas to eliminate potential food sources and discourage mice.
Sealed Containers: Ensure that food is kept in tightly sealed containers and stored off the floor to make it harder for mice to find and access food.

Norway Rats

Norway rats, also called brown rats, street rats, or sewer rats, are omnivores that eat almost anything. They have an excellent sense of smell and use it to track down food. These rodents can grow up to 11 inches long, with brown or gray fur, and can squeeze through openings as small as ¾ of an inch. They also reproduce quickly, with a single female producing up to five litters each year.

Since Norway rats like to burrow, they often nest underground. If they enter your business, they’re likely to hide in basements or crawlspaces where it’s dark. These rats are known to carry pathogens that can contaminate food and inventory, leading to long-term issues for businesses. Watch for signs like gnaw marks, greasy rodent runways, scampering sounds, and droppings that are longer and pellet-shaped, though less abundant than mouse droppings.

How to Help Prevent Norway Rats

Norway rats can easily infiltrate your business when the environment supports it. To help keep these pests out, follow these simple yet effective prevention strategies:

Remove Moisture: Remove sources of moisture, such as leaks from pipes or faucets, to prevent attracting rats in search of water.
Clean Trash Receptacles: Regularly clean trash receptacles and ensure dumpsters are securely closed to avoid providing food or shelter for rats.
Trim Vegetation: Prune plants and shrubs around the building to eliminate potential hiding and burrowing spots for rats.
Store Food Properly: Never leave food exposed, especially overnight, to prevent attracting rats looking for an easy meal.

Roof Rats

Roof rats are commonly found outdoors but often venture inside businesses in search of food and shelter, especially in areas like attics, roofs, and chimneys. They are excellent climbers and can easily move from tree branches or power lines to the roof of a building. Once on the roof, they can enter through small openings, as small as a quarter in size.

Typically ranging from light to dark brown, roof rats are smaller than Norway rats, measuring up to 8 inches long. While they primarily seek out seeds and plants, they will eat almost anything available, including plastic and soft metals, to access food. These rats also hoard food for later use. Signs of their presence include gnaw marks, electrical problems caused by chewing on wires, greasy rub marks along their travel paths, and droppings around ½ inch long with pointed ends.

How To Help Prevent Roof Rats

Given the right circumstances, roof rats can easily invade your business. Keep them away by implementing these simple and effective prevention techniques:

Trim Trees: Cut back any branches that overhang or touch the roof to prevent rats from using them as a pathway onto the roof.
Inspect and Seal: Regularly check the roof for any holes or openings and seal them to prevent rats from gaining access to your building.
Maintain Cleanliness: Keep food preparation and storage areas clean, ensuring food is properly sealed and stored to prevent attracting rats.
Dispose of Waste: Regularly remove garbage and securely store dumpsters to reduce the chances of rats being drawn to food waste.

What to Do If You Suspect Rodents

Rodent infestations can escalate quickly, making it essential to call a pest control expert like Terminix Anderson to protect your business. A technician will assess your property, identify the rodent species, and recommend effective elimination and prevention strategies. While there are several signs of a rodent problem, spotting one, alive or dead, is the most obvious.

If you see a rat or mouse in or around your business, contact Terminix Anderson immediately to prevent the issue from worsening.