The Rodent Risk: Problem and Solution

What are Rodents?

Mammals of the order 'rodentia' are called rodents. They include:

• Rats

• Mice

• Squirrels

• Porcupines

• Beavers

• Guinea pigs

• With 2,277 species, they comprise the largest order of mammals

• Over 40% mammalian species belong to the order

• They can be found everywhere on the planet, except Antarctica and in the oceans

Range of Order

• Most are very small

• The world’s largest known rodent is the capybara, which weighs ~65kgs on average

• The African pygmy mouse is just 6cm in length and weighs only 7 grams at maturity

Size of Rodents

Rodents have an average life span of merely 1-3 years, but can do a lot in just a year:

• They hit puberty at 6 to 16 weeks

• They can reproduce throughout the year

• A litter size can be up to 22

• The breeding potential of a female rodent lies between 800 and 1,500

Rodents Breed Faster Than We Could Imagine

House Rats:

• Rattusrattus (house rats)

• Mus musculus (house mouse)

Field Rats:

• Bandicota Bengalensis (Lesser Bandicoot)

• Tetera Omdoca (Indian Gerbil)

• Nesoica Indica (Short Tail Mole Rat)

• Rattus Meltoda (Soft Fur Field Rat)

• Mus Booduga (Field Rat)

Types of Rats

Rats are divided into two types, based on their shelter:

Rats can:

• Eat and contaminate crops like vegetables, oil seeds and cereals at an early stage

• Chew electrical wiring, causing a fire

• Cause the loss of a fifth of the world's crop production every year

• Transmit many diseases to humans

• Bite children and even adults, if cornered

The Damage Caused

Though small, rats have the potential to cause much damage:

• Plague: An epidemic disease caused by transmission of Y. pestis

• Murine Typhus: A type of typhus transmitted by fleas on rats

• Salmonellosis: Infection by bacteria causing fever, vomiting, diarrhea and cramps

• Rickettsial Pox: A mite-borne infectious illness

• Rate Bite Fever: Contracted from the bite of a rat, it causes inflammation of skin and fever

• Dysentery: An inflammation of intestine causing diarrhea

Disease Caused by Rodents

As the weather gets colder, rodents start looking for shelter to seek warmth. They eat whatever people do and can cause many serious diseases like:

• Droppings that have an average length of a quarter of an inch with rounded edges

• Burrows in the garden or backyard used for temporary shelter

• Urine stains around the home

• Rodent odor which is not very pleasant

Signs of Rodent Infestation in Homes

Have you spotted rats at home? Getting rid of them yourself may expose you to deadly poisons.

Leave rats and mice to the professionals at Heritage Pest Control, for thorough and humane animal removal services that will get your home back to being animal-free.

Be Free of Rodent Risk

Visit: www.heritagepestcontrolnj.com OR

Call: 866-666-3120

Safety at Your Doorstep