There are people who choose to have rats or mice as their pets. While this may be the case, the rodents remain a nuisance and unwanted guests in the majorities of homes and businesses. These animals can not only chew into your piping, insulation, drywall and electrical wiring, but they can also pose health risks, especially when they contaminate your food. If you need reliable pest control Westwood is a good place to begin your research for the best service provider.

Before the professionals can get started on an eradication program, they must first establish the kind of pest they are fighting. It is common for people to assume that mice and rats are the same, though these two rodents have some major differences. In fact, their dissimilarities make it impossible for rats to be eradicated using mouse traps.

When battling with extensive infestation, sources of food and water will be inadequate, forcing the rodents to roam around even during daylight hours. In case you spot a pest running across your room, you should check out its appearance. A fully-grown mouse will not be anything bigger than seven and a half inches. Mice also have slightly hairy tails that are quite thin and their noses are triangular.

Rats are on the other hand bigger in size and an adult can be about eighteen inches. You can also identify rats by their noses which tend to be round and they also have thick, hairless tails. Mice are usually gray or brown in color, though you can find brown, gray and black rats.

Rats and mice are both excellent swimmers and they can gain entry into your home through broken drains and toilets. They are also nocturnal and you may hardly see them during the day unless they are in grave need of food. It pays to understand that both species are able to stand on their hind legs.

The nesting habits of rats are quite different from those of mice. Mice favor living indoors around warm areas, possibly close to food and water sources. Within homes, they could build their nests in cozy areas such as behind the cooking stove or inside the pantry. Usually, mice will create their nests using strings, food wrappers, shredded paper or pillow stuffing.

Rats also prefer soft nesting materials such as hair and cloths. However, they prefer living in gardens and holes under the building. They can also make their nests under thick shrubs and bushes or in your walls, attic and nearby trees. For them to access your home, they will create routes that they will use each day in search of food and water.

The droppings of both rats and mice are rod-shaped. However, rat pellets are nearly two times bigger than the pellets left behind by mice, possibly because of the significant differences in their body size. Because rats are naturally cautious, it will not be easy for you to trap them. Catching mice on the other hand is easier because the pests are naturally curious.