People have an instinctual fear of rodents for a reason: disease. As long as rodents have been living alongside humanity, they’ve been stealing our food, living in our rafters, and leaving unwelcome gifts behind. Having domestic rodents in your homes is costly in terms of health, safety, and damage.

Keep reading to learn more about the types of rodents in Tucson, the dangers and problems they pose in your home, and how to get rid of rodents for good.

Types Of Rodents In Tucson

There are a handful of common Arizona rodents to be aware of as different rodents cause unique problems to structures and pose varying health threats. Knowing the differences between common types of rodents can also mean the difference between effective and ineffective treatment.

The first is the packrat, also known as the woodrat. There are a few different species of packrats in Arizona. Packrats get their name from their fondness for using stolen objects in their nests, particularly bright, shiny objects. For rats, they have fairly large ears and hairy tails. These rats can grow to 20 inches long, with a tail making up to 9 inches of that length. These rats are vegetarian, nocturnal, and great climbers. They rely on the plant material they eat for water.

The second of the common Arizona rodents is the roof rat. Roof rats are generally no longer than 8 inches long, not including their scaly tails that exceed the length of their bodies. Roof rats typically shelter in the upper parts of buildings, such as attics and rafters. They prefer cool weather and covered hiding places, so areas with lots of vegetation and fruit trees are a roof rat’s paradise.

A third contender among domestic rodents, one of the most common home-invading pests, is the house mouse. House mice are small and round, only growing to around 3 ¾ of an inch long, with their tails usually equal to or surpassing that length. They have large rounded ears and big eyes. House mice do not see well and aren’t particularly agile, but they make do with their excellent hearing and whiskers to navigate challenging environments.

Rodents In Tucson Are Unsanitary

Most people are aware that rodents are unsanitary but may not have the full picture. Different rodents have different disease-carrying capabilities. House mice usually carry fewer diseases, limited to salmonellosis, leptospirosis, lymphocytic choriomeningitis, and tularemia for the most part.

Roof rats carry more diseases and of a more dangerous order. Some of the diseases they are capable of transmitting include typhus, jaundice, rat-bite fever, trichinosis, salmonellosis, and the plague. Several of these diseases are transmitted through the disease-carrying parasites they host, such as fleas and ticks.

Similarly, packrats are carriers of the plague, tularemia, and leptospirosis. Though disease transmission through the packrat itself is rare, one should be extremely cautious of handling a rodent, dead or alive. Some diseases like rat-bite fever can be spread through contact with a rodent corpse.

Rodents In Tucson Chew

While the chewing capabilities of different rodents vary based on their size, rats are capable of chewing through practically any material, including rubber, vinyl, brick, wood, drywall, concrete, and aluminum. Not only can this make getting into your home no more than an inconvenience, but the rodents can also damage timbers, stored property, and wiring in an attempt to make a nest or create a pathway to travel through. Wiring is of special concern, as it is often damaged in out of sight places and can create a risk of fire.

The Best Rodent Control In Tucson

Rodents are dangerous to your health, safety, and property. Still, many homeowners attempt to get rid of rodents in their homes themselves, often putting themselves in close contact with potent poisons and disease-ridden rodents. Not only is this likely to be ineffective, but it may worsen your pest problem and jeopardize your health, the health of your family members and pets.

Don’t waste your money and risk your health trying to do rodent treatment yourself. Instead, trust Pest Friends to get rid of rodents fast. Not only are our Tucson pest control treatments eco-friendly, but we offer innovative solutions to protect your home from the outside, keeping risky pests and poisons out of reach of your loved ones.

If rodents do happen to get inside, we use naturally-occurring products to get rid of them. You shouldn’t have to worry about pests and poisons when calling pest control. With Pest Friends, you can get safe, reliable, and effective rodent treatment that gets rid of rodents for good. Call Pest Friends today to request your free inspection.