For many Toronto families, the telltale signs of a rodent infestation are all too familiar. Unfortunately, these signs are usually only noticeable once a substantial rodent population has already infested the home.

A rodent infestation is more than just unsightly — it also poses a major risk to your family’s health. So any signs of these pests should be addressed as soon as possible.

Every winter, rodent infestations increase as these warm-blooded animals seek warmth and shelter. Fall is fast upon us, so we’ve put together a guide covering the health risks rodents pose, and also what you can do to prevent or get rid of an infestation.

Common Toronto Rodent Species

Toronto is revered for its wildlife and is home to many mammal species, including rodents. Some of the more common rodents you’ll see in the city include:

• Meadow jumping mouse
• Norway rat
• House mouse
• Deer mouse
• White-footed mouse
• Moles and voles
• Red squirrel
• Eastern grey squirrel

Of these rodent visitors, the most common ones you’ll find in your Toronto home are the house mouse and Norway rat.

The Difference Between House Mice and Norway Rats

Generally, you can tell the difference between mouse and rat infestations by looking at the size and shape of the droppings. Mouse droppings are relatively small at around 6 mm and are pointed at the ends. Rat droppings are larger at around 18-20 mm and have more blunted ends.

In some cases, you could have both unwanted guests, which would be indicated by the presence of both large and small droppings. In either case, having them in your home could be a health hazard to you, your family, and even your pets.

Rodents Can Pose a Health Hazard to Your Toronto Family

Rodents are carriers of a variety of diseases that are transmissible to humans, so are a major public health risk. Most of these diseases are spread through the urine or droppings, but a few are caused by rodent bites or food contamination with rodent saliva.

Common transmissible diseases include:

• Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome
• Hemorrhagic Fever/Renal Syndrome
• Lassa Fever
• Omsk Hemorrhagic Fever
• Rat-Bite Fever
• Salmonella
• Tularemia
• Lymphocytic Chorio-meningitis
• Leptospirosis

Many of these diseases can be life-threatening, especially to young children and elderly or immunocompromised individuals.

How a Rodent Control Professional Can Help

Clearly, a rodent infestation is nothing to mess around with. This is in large part because once an infestation takes hold and is noticeable by household members, it’s very difficult to effectively eliminate.

Generally, DIY methods such as trapping can decrease a rodent population, but rarely get rid of the infestation entirely. You’ll likely see a decrease in signs of infestation or actual rodents, only to have more rodents crop up in a month or two as the remaining animals reproduce.

A trained rodent control professional can leverage his or her expertise to take a comprehensive approach that will eliminate the infestation entirely and decrease your chances of a rodent infestation in the future by taking preventative measures.

A rodent control professional can do the following:

• Eliminate mouse infestations in difficult-to-reach places such as between walls
• Identify and eliminate sites of rodent nesting and feeding
• Exterminate rodent populations using professional-grade trapping
• Inspect the outside of your home to identify and eliminate potential points of entry
• Identify common rodent attractants outdoors such as brush and improperly stored garbage

 

Additionally, an environmentally friendly exterminator in Toronto will use safer approaches to eliminate a rodent population, preventing damage to the environment and hazards such as poison ingestion by small children or pets.

Interested in learning more? Reach out to us for more information regarding the rodent control solutions we offer.

About the Author:

Daniel Mackie, co-owner of Greenleaf Pest Control, is a Toronto pest control expert and a regular guest on HGTV. He is renowned in the industry as an innovator of safe, effective pest control solutions. Mackie and business partner Sandy Costa were the first pest control professionals in Canada to use detection dogs and thermal remediation for the successful eradication of bed bugs. In his free time, he is an avid gardener.