Yes, rodents are a significant cause for concern due to several reasons:

Health Risks

Rodents can carry and transmit various diseases to humans, either directly through contact with their feces, urine, or bites, or indirectly via parasites such as fleas and ticks. Some of the notable diseases include hantavirus, leptospirosis, salmonella, and plague .

Property Damage

Rodents have strong teeth and can chew through a variety of materials, including wood, plastic, and electrical wiring. This chewing behavior can lead to structural damage and increase the risk of electrical fires. Additionally, they can ruin insulation, gnaw on pipes, and cause other types of damage that can be costly to repair .

Contamination

Rodents can contaminate food supplies and surfaces with their droppings, urine, and hair. This contamination can lead to foodborne illnesses and require significant cleanup efforts. In commercial settings, such as restaurants or food processing plants, rodent infestations can result in severe reputational damage and financial loss​​.

Rapid Reproduction

Rodents, particularly mice and rats, reproduce quickly. A small infestation can rapidly grow into a significant problem, making it essential to address any signs of rodents promptly to prevent widespread infestation .

Given these concerns, it’s crucial to implement effective rodent control measures. Unity Property & Pest offers comprehensive pest control services, including rodent management, to help protect your home or business from these risks. Contact us to schedule an inspection and safeguard your property.

Rodents can adapt to a wide range of environments, and their habitats can vary depending on the species. Here are some common places where rodents live:

Urban Areas

• Homes and Buildings: Rodents, such as house mice and rats, often seek shelter in residential and commercial buildings. They can be found in walls, attics, basements, and crawl spaces.
• Sewers and Drainage Systems: Rats, particularly Norway rats, are known to inhabit sewers and drainage systems, which provide access to food and water .

Rural Areas

• Fields and Farmland: Rodents like field mice and voles thrive in agricultural settings where they have access to crops and grains. They often burrow in the ground or nest in barns and sheds .
• Forests and Woodlands: Various rodent species, including squirrels and chipmunks, live in wooded areas. They build nests in trees, underground, or in piles of leaves and debris​ (Semrush)​.

Suburban Areas

• Gardens and Yards: Rodents can be found in gardens, yards, and parks where they have access to food sources like fruits, vegetables, and plants. They often create burrows or nest in sheds and garages​ (Semrush)​.

Unique Habitats

• Deserts: Some rodent species, such as kangaroo rats, are adapted to desert environments. They live in burrows that provide protection from the extreme temperatures and predators​ (Semrush)​.
• Wetlands: Rodents like muskrats and beavers are commonly found in wetland areas. They build lodges or burrows near water sources, such as rivers, lakes, and ponds .

Rodents are highly adaptable and can make a home in almost any environment that provides shelter, food, and water. This adaptability makes them resilient pests, capable of thriving in diverse settings.

Sources:

• : Rat Habitat
• : Rodents in Urban Areas
• : Field Mice Habitat
• : Squirrel Habitat
• ​ ​: Rodents in Gardens
• ​ ​: Kangaroo Rat Habitat

Rodents are small to medium-sized mammals belonging to the order Rodentia, which is characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and lower jaws. These incisors are kept short by gnawing, which is a defining behavior of rodents. Here are some key points about rodents:

Characteristics

• Teeth: Rodents have strong, sharp front teeth that never stop growing. They must constantly gnaw on objects to keep their teeth from growing too long .
• Size: They range in size from tiny mice to larger species like capybaras, which can weigh up to 145 pounds (66 kg) .
• Body Structure: Most rodents have a compact body, short limbs, and a long tail, though there are variations depending on the species.

Habitats

• Wide Range: Rodents are highly adaptable and can be found in nearly every terrestrial habitat, from urban areas and forests to grasslands and wetlands.
• Nesting: They often live in burrows, nests, or structures they create or find, such as inside homes, fields, or trees.

Examples of Rodents

• Common Species: Some well-known rodents include mice, rats, squirrels, hamsters, guinea pigs, and beavers ​.
• Diverse Group: There are over 2,000 species of rodents, making them the largest order of mammals .

Importance and Impact

• Ecosystem Role: Rodents play crucial roles in ecosystems as prey for many predators, seed dispersers, and soil aerators through their burrowing activities.
• Pests: Some rodent species are considered pests because they can damage crops, spread diseases, and infest homes and buildings .

Reproduction and Lifespan

• High Reproduction Rates: Rodents typically have high reproduction rates, with some species capable of producing several litters per year.
• Lifespan: The lifespan of rodents varies widely by species, from a few months to several years.

Sources:

1. National Geographic: Rodents
2. Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute: Capybara
3. Encyclopædia Britannica: Rodent
4. Animal Diversity Web: Rodentia
5. National Wildlife Federation: Rodents
6. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Rodents