5 Pests That Cause Fire Optic Cable Damage & How to Stop Them

Fiber optic cables aren’t cheap, and a lot of planning goes into installing these cables for your network. These cabling systems deliver telecommunications and high-performance data networking across long distances and are useful for the devices we depend upon. However, pests can damage these valuable cables and cause severe fiber optic damage. Here are five pests that cause fiber optic damage and how to stop them effectively.

1. Squirrels

Since fiber optic cables are often mounted onto poles and towers, they are easily accessible for squirrels that are expert climbers. There are theories that suggest squirrels like chewing through these cables because of the peanut oil used in manufacturing or to sharpen their teeth. Whatever, the reason, squirrels cause a significant amount of the damage to the home and fiber optic cables in elevated locations.

2. Mice

Fiber optic cables are also attractive to mice, which are known to chew through various types of wiring. Many people wonder why do rodents chew wires at all, and no it’s not out of spite for high-speed technology! The teeth of mice and rats are growing constantly, and wires help to keep those teeth trimmed and effective for eating food.

3. Termites

Termites are best known for eating wood, but they can also do damage to fiber optic cables. These cables can be installed in the ground, which is where termites live and thrive.

4. Birds

Birds can also cause fiber optic cable damage to cables hung above the ground by simply sitting on them in mass numbers. You’ll often see large flocks of birds sitting on overhead cabling, and the grip of their feet can lead to cable failures, as well as their combined weight from nesting on the poles. A bird infestation can cause many home damages, do not let them damage your fiber optic cable as well.

5. Gophers

Another animal that is known to defy even the best fiber optic cable protection strategies is the gopher. Gophers are resilient and have not always been scared away by poor-tasting additives put on wires to deter mice. Gophers commonly damage fiber optic cables that are buried underground.

Fiber Optic Cable Protection

If you are concerned about pests around your property and fiber optic protection, Precise Pest Control can help. We are experts in all of the types of pests that infest New Jersey, and we’re committed to protecting what’s important to you and your family. If you notice fiber optic cable damage, pests could be to blame. However, various forms of extermination, pest relocation, and preventative measures can help protect the fiber optic cables that you depend upon. At the first signs of damage, call us at 866-971-2847 or contact us online to look into the situation for you during a free inspection.