Once a rodent takes up residence in your home it can be hard to send them on their way. Though there are some signs that your home might be next on the list for the neighbourhood mouse or rat, it can be hard to pin point whether you actually have an infestation or not. One of the first warning signs that you should take note of isn’t something you will actually see: it’s the sounds a rodent is making in your home!
Whether a mouse is getting comfortable in your attic, basement or in your walls, there are some common tell-tale signs that they are there and the sooner you take action, the better!
Common Sounds that Rodents Make in Your Home
The good news about a pest infesting your home is that they usually aren’t very quiet about it. There are many sounds that you might hear when they are in your attic, basement, walls, subfloor or garage. The most common sounds rodents might make in your home are:
Scratching
Anytime a mouse or rat climbs, crawls, digs or moves around your home there is a good likelihood that they’ll be making scratching sounds.
Scurrying
Likely originating in your ceiling or walls, the sound of mice moving can be faint or it can be very noticeable. These movement sounds will often sound like something scurrying around and scratching the floor with their claws as they move from room to room in your home.
Chewing and gnawing
Rodents like mice and rats are almost constantly chewing and biting on things. Their teeth are very hard and they will use their teeth to help find a way into your home or to find something to eat. A rodent’s teeth never stop growing so they often chew and gnaw on whatever they can find to help sharpen them. Often the sound of this chewing can carry through the wood or other building materials and be heard in other places in your home.
Bumps or Thumps
Most commonly heard when rodents like mice or rats fight with each other, bumps or thumps in your walls or attic can be a sure sign that you have a new roommate in your home.
Vocal noises
Mice and rats often communicate with each other with varying pitches of chirps or squeaks, sometimes at pitches that are hard for humans to hear. If you do hear squeaking or others sounds of these rodents communicating with each other it might be time to call in some backup! Along with socialization sounds like squeaking or chirping, you might hear more aggressive sounds like hissing or shrieking, signaling that these pests are actually fighting with each other.
Timing: Get Rid of Mice ASAP
Though sounds in your home likely signify that you have a rodent or other pest there, they don’t do anything to tell you what kind of animal you are dealing with. However, paying attention to WHEN you are hearing noises actually can give you a hint to who might be terrorizing your home.
Since rats and mice are nocturnal, if you are hearing sounds primarily during the day, there is a good chance that your new pest isn’t one of these rodents. On the other hand, sounds that present at night will often be a sign of a mouse or rat infestation.
Other signs of rodent problems
Sounds aren’t the only sign of a mouse or rat infestation in your home. There are a few other common signs that you should keep a look out for in the event that the sounds aren’t prominent enough:
Droppings – Rodents are anything but clean and finding droppings in cabinets, drawers, under the sink or in your food pantry is a sure sign that they are in your home.
Smell – Rodent urine will often smell stale when it’s been present for awhile.
Holes – Whether you notice holes in food packages or in walls and floors, mice and rats are professionals at creating tiny holes to both get into your home, and to get into any of your food.
Rodents are noisy
While a pest infestation is never something you want to have to deal with, removing them isn’t an impossible task. Since rodents are fairly noisy creatures it’s not difficult to diagnose the issue and send them on their way. While there are some DIY methods for pest removal, it’s often wise to contact a professional to give you a hand.
