Arrow Exterminators is Oklahoma’s #1 choice for Rodent Control

Have a mouse in the house? We know how disturbing that can be and how difficult they can be for the average homeowner to try and get rid of. And many of the old wives’ tales you may have heard over the years about how you can get rid of rodents are just tales. Getting a cat to hunt down the mice might be nice if you like cats, but not all cats are good mousers and they can’t keep away an entire mouse family. And setting out a mouse trap baited with cheese is no use either. Contrary to popular belief, mice actually don’t like dairy.

Image of rats looking at you with the text Free Rodent Evaluation overlayed on top.

Certainly not insects, but pests nonetheless, rodents such as mice and rats can infest your home or business no matter where your property is located. City or country, house or apartment, home or business…no type of property is safe from these little invaders. Rodents can contaminate food supplies, damage wiring and spread diseases as they burrow through your home looking for food, water and nesting materials. They reproduce rapidly and are shy, nocturnal creatures so they can be difficult to spot. Sometimes, homeowners don’t even know they have a rodent infestation until it gets completely out of hand. You don’t want to head up into the attic to get out your summer gardening tools to realize that you’ve had a family of mice living up there, undetected for months or even years!

rat looking through hole showing head and whiskers.

Common house mice can enter a home through a hole as small as one-quarter of an inch, and a rat only needs a hole slightly larger than that. They are also good climbers and can find entry points into your home even if they aren’t at ground level. Rats also have powerful jaws that can rip through plastic, vinyl and even metal to create an opening they can crawl through. Once inside your home, they will eat most types of food, especially seeds and grain, and they will gnaw through many materials and containers to get to the food. Dealing with these pests is a pain. That’s why it’s best left up to the professionals. At Arrow Exterminators, we have over 60 years of experience getting rid of rodents from properties all over Oklahoma. Give us a call today to get started protecting your home against these rodent invaders. While mostly reclusive, you can spot the signs of mice including droppings, tracks, smudge marks, gnawing, sounds and odors.

Dangers of Rodent Infestations

As we said earlier, many people find rodent invaders harmless, and sometimes even cute and cuddly. Unfortunately, this is a very dangerous misconception. Once inside your home, mice and rats make themselves comfortable, building nests to keep warm and stealing food from your kitchen. If all of your food is not safely stored in containers rodents can’t get to, they can reach it and contaminate it. They also contaminate cooking supplies, like cutting boards, pots and pans, and serving utensils, with their urine. This is more than just gross, this is dangerous for you and your family as well. Rats and mice carry a variety of diseases and by contaminating your food stores and supplies those diseases can easily be passed on to you. Some of the diseases mice and rats carry are:

  • Rat-Bite Fever: this bacterium is spread to humans from infected rodents from a bite or scratch, or from touching a dead rodent who had been infected with the disease. Symptoms include rash on hands and feet, fever, joint pain,headache, muscle pain and vomiting.
  • Tularemia: this bacterium can be spread to a human by touching a dead rodent or eating or drinking contaminated food or water. This dangerous disease results in very high fever and can also include swollen lymph nodes and ulcers.In severe cases, this disease can be fatal.
  • Lymphocytic Chorio-meningitis: this virus can be passed on to a human if they eat or drink contaminated food or water or are bitten by an infected rodent. Symptoms include fever, headache, nausea and vomiting, muscle aches and lack of appetite. In severe cases, it can result in swelling of the brain and heart muscles and can require surgery. It is an especially dangerous disease for infants and pregnant women.
  • Leptospirosis: this bacterium is passed from rodent to human when you eat or drink contaminated food or water. Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, vomiting and diarrhea, abdominal pain and jaundice. The disease sometimes comes in phases and without proper treatment can take months to recover from.
  • Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome: this virus can be contracted if you are bitten by an infected rodent or come in contact with an infected rodent or their droppings. This disease is extremely dangerous and can be fatal. Symptoms include fever, muscle aches, headaches, dizziness, nausea and vomiting. If the disease continues to progress, many people will experience shortness of breath and severe trouble breathing.

two rats one large one small looking down.

With some of these diseases, just breathing in dust that is contaminated with rodent urine is enough to transmit the disease. So if your basement or attic isn’t squeaky clean (and whose is?) then it could become an easy place for these bacterium and viruses to spread. And often, infected mice and rats show no symptoms, so there is no way to just avoid those who might be infected. These diseases can also be passed on to other animals, particularly rodents. So if you have any pet guinea pigs, chinchillas or hamsters in the house, their safety could be as risk as well.

arrow exterminators is the best choice for your pest control needs

  • comprehensive mouse control

    Mice might seem harmless, and even cute, but they are destructive and even dangerous little critters who can be very hard to get rid of. These scavengers also multiply extremely quickly. So while you might not be worried about two mice in your attic right now, that could become well over 100 mice in your attic in as little as three or four months. That’s definitely not something you want to try and deal with on your own. And those mice are destructive; they often chew through expensive electrical wiring forcing you to have it repaired or replaced. This could be everything from your phone line to your cable and internet, and we all know how much fun it is sitting at home waiting for the cable guy to come by. Make sure to call the professionals for this job before the mice get out of hand and create an even bigger problem for you.

  • comprehensive rat control

    Like mice, some people find rats cute and harmless and even keep them as pets. But we can assure you, the rodent invaders ransacking your kitchen at night are nothing like the sweet, chubby rodents sold at PetSmart. These rats will gnaw through any material they can to get a meal and will chomp on anything that smells good to them—including cooking utensils, pots and pans and pet food. They could leave these things contaminated or ruined. They also attract other undesirable animals. Did you know that snakes can trace the scent of rats? And that they often follow them into people’s attics or basements to feed on them? That’s right. If you have a rodent infestation, it could actually lead to a snake infestation, too. And we can imagine that is probably the last thing you want for your home. Stop them before they start chewing or bringing in other pests with professional help from Arrow Exterminators.

  • comprehensive control of other rodents

    Mice and rats aren’t the only rodents that can drive homeowners crazy. Squirrels, gophers, porcupines and other rodents can all be found in Oklahoma and have been known to cause some serious trouble for homes and businesses across the state. And, while moles are not technically rodents, we handle any problems you have with those as well.

 

How to Spot a Rodent Infestation

Both mice and rats are shy and reclusive, and you’re unlikely to actually see them. However, while they are mostly reclusive, you can always spot the signs of an infestation if you know where to look and what to look for. Both mice and rats like to make their homes in dark, unused areas. Attics, basements, crawl spaces, infrequently used closets and garages all make popular nesting spots for these furry little pests. They will steal a variety of soft materials to pad their nests including newspaper, straw, feathers, small pieces of cloth and cardboard, and they often like to build these nests into corners, cubby holes or insulation for warmth and protection.

Rats gathered around a hole in a wall and comming out of the hole.

You’re more likely to hear rodents than to actually see them, so make sure to listen for scratching and scuttling sounds at night when these pests are most active. You can also detect them by their odor; mouse urine has a strong, ammonia-like scent. Both mice and rats will leave droppings, which look like small, brown pellets, and if they are inhabiting a dusty area like an attic or basement you can often see their tracks in the dust. These rodents will also leave greasy smudge marks along the base of walls and will leave small gnaw marks around areas that they are inhabiting or travelling by. Once you have found the evidence of rodent infestation, it’s time to call Oklahoma’s rodent control experts at Arrow Exterminators.

What You Can Do?

There are some preventative steps you can take that can be helpful when trying to stave off rodent infestations. Make sure to store all your food in the refrigerator or in airtight containers if you’re keeping it in your pantry or on countertops. Take out any trash or recycling promptly; rodents have no problem digging through your trash for food scraps, so don’t make it any easier for them to find. Keep your floors and counters clean of crumbs and food residue and make sure to clean up right away after any spills. Also, try not to leave unwashed dishes, cookware or other materials in the sink or on your counters overnight. These will attract rodents (and other pests) who are most active after dark!

back half of rat sticking out of a hole

There are also a few more unconventional steps you can take to try and prevent rodents from taking up residence in your home. Mice especially hate the smell and taste of mint. You can plant peppermint around your home’s foundation or put cotton balls soaked with mint extract in areas where mice might like to nest to discourage them. Mice also hate spicy things. So try sprinkling a little Tabasco sauce or Cayenne Powder around your foundation or around any other areas that might be easy places for mice to gain entry to your home. Also make sure to mend any small holes in your siding or around the house. Both mice and rats can fit through tiny gaps or gnaw on them to make them big enough to fit through.

However, these tips will only help keep the mice at bay and won’t be much help in getting rid of them if they have already settled in. At the end of the day, you want a professional to take care of this problem for you to ensure that you are able to permanently eliminate all the rodents that are invading your home. When it comes to your home and your family’s safety, we know you don’t want to leave anything to chance. That’s why the best thing you can do when you’re faced with a rodent infestation is to call the Oklahoma rodent elimination experts at Arrow Exterminators to handle it for you.

Why choose Arrow Exterminators?

Contact Arrow Exterminators and our rodent control experts will eliminate every rodent that is bothering you. We know you work hard to keep your home and family safe and we want to help you protect your home and family from these filthy, disease carrying pests. We can also rid any type of rodent from any type of business, from a small office to a giant warehouse. You can count on the Oklahoma rodent control experts to meet all your rodent elimination needs. At Arrow Exterminators we know how to get rid of rodents and address all your rodent control needs. We are always “Aiming to Please” our customers and we want to bring our over 60 years of pest control expertise to work for you. You can schedule a free, no-obligation evaluation on our website or you can call us to talk about your rodent issues and make an appointment. You can also reach out to us on social media for more pest prevention tips and tricks.

Image of small house with hands around it.