Category Archives: Rodent Control

Do Cats Eat Mice, and Are They Effective for Pest Control?

Cat standing over mouse peeking out of mouse holeIf you’ve ever had an issue with mice in your house before, someone has probably suggested that you get a cat. But how exactly do cats help with a mouse problem, and do they really eat mice?

This article explores the effectiveness of mousing cats and the best cats for catching mice if you want a household companion with useful pest control skills.

Do Cats Eat Mice?

The thought of your cute and cuddly kitty actually devouring a mouse might make your stomach turn. However, cats are natural hunters and have instincts that make them want to approach prey stealthily and pounce on their food.

Wild cats are very skilled in hunting and excel in catching mice, which is why farmers often allow stray cats to stay on their property. Domesticated cats are more likely to just be interested in hunting a mouse and playing with it rather than actually eating it…especially if there is a delicious bowl of food sitting just around the corner. House cats often play with a mouse until it dies and then either leave it behind or bring it to you as a “gift.” However, some domestic cats will actually eat mice they catch. Cats can get sick from eating mice if they are infected with disease or if the mice ate poison left out as bait.

How Mouse and Rat Hunting Works

Stray and wild cats are better at mice and rat hunting than domesticated cats, but even common house cats’ senses get triggered at the sight and sound of a mouse. This is hardwired into a cat’s brain and makes a cat want to slowly stalk a mouse and then pounce unexpectedly to catch it off-guard. Common hunting strategies of cats include crouching low to the ground to watch prey and pulling the back legs beneath them to leap and seize.

The Best Cats for Catching Mice

All cats are different and unique, which is why we love them! But your cat’s typical behaviors, overall demeanor, and where it grew up can affect its ability to catch mice. Also, some cat breeds are naturally better at hunting mice, including the American Shorthair, Maine Coon, and Siamese. Other good mice-hunting cats are the Burmese and Persian.

Who to Call If Your Cat Needs Assistance

Having a cat around the house can definitely help you catch mice and give your pet a fun hobby at the same time. However, some mice infestations are beyond the capacity of a single house cat and require professional help. At Precise Termite & Pest Control, we can supplement your cat’s hardworking efforts and get rid of mice quickly, effectively, and affordably. Better yet, we specialize in pet-friendly pest control to keep your cats safe so that they can continue to help us with our mission of keeping Northern New Jersey pest-free.

How Far Do Rats Travel from Their Nest and Safe Nest Removal Strategies

white mouse in rat nest made of paper scraps and other nesting materialsVery few homeowners are independently interested in the habits of rats…that is until they are dealing with an infestation of rats taking over their home!

One of the common habits of rats is to build nests, which is worth learning about so that you can accurately identify nests and get them safely removed right away. Here’s an answer to the question, “How far do rats travel from their nest?” so that you can keep your home free of rats and mice throughout the year.

Understanding the Rats Nest

Rats build nests out of many different materials that they find around a home, including pieces of cardboard and insulation. Rats will shred these materials to build nests in attics, lofts, walls, and eaves. Fallen leaves, cotton, and sticks around the yard are other common nesting materials.

Rats tend to travel between 100 feet and 300 feet from their nests to search for more nest-building materials and food. This means that if you locate a rat’s nest, the actual rats likely aren’t too far away and could feasibly be trapped in the vicinity. In contrast, common house mice usually venture out only between 10 feet to 50 feet from their nests.

Other Signs of a Rat Infestation

In addition to nests, there are other telltale signs of rats and mice. These include holes gnawed through walls, noises in your walls, greasy marks, and urine odors. Rat droppings are brown and have a tapered shape that resembles the shape of a grain of rice.

Safe Rat and Mice Nest Removal in New Jersey

Homeowners in New Jersey often don’t know the extent of a pest infestation until they are in way over their heads and have sustained extensive damage to their homes. If you notice a rat nest on your property, it is a smart idea to call Precise Termite & Pest Control right away to look into the situation for you. It is possible that there are additional nests on your property or that the rats living here are carrying diseases that can affect humans and household pets.

We are your local experts in keeping homes rat-free in Northern New Jersey, and we’ve been doing exactly that for over 30 years. For effective, affordable, and prompt pest control solutions, contact us at the first signs of nesting materials for a free in-home inspection.

List of Rodents That Cause Problems in New Jersey

mice on floor eating crumbsNo matter where you live on Earth, there are at least a few pests that create hassles and headaches in daily life. New Jersey is certainly no exception to this rule, as we have many troublesome critters that demand the attention of an extermination professional.

Here is a list of rodents that cause pest problems in our area and how pest control companies like Precise Termite & Pest Control can help.

Mice Pests

Among the extensive list of rodents living in New Jersey, mice are the most common and affect many households in our area. Mice are notorious for contaminating human food supply and can enter through the tiniest openings in a house. They can also chew through wires and spread disease after entering a home.

Rats Pests

Rats are sometimes mistaken for mice but are usually larger and have differences in body shape and coloration. When rats enter your house, they can damage wooden beams, pipes, soft concrete, electrical wiring, and plastic coatings. This can result in costly repairs, the spread of disease, and even house fires.

Squirrel Pests

Squirrels are also rodents and often make their way into New Jersey residences from their rightful homes out in nature. Squirrels invade attics to use as den sites and can quickly multiply and cause diseases in humans. They can also cause structural damage and electrical wiring damage if they aren’t noticed promptly.

Beaver Pests

There is a substantial beaver population in New Jersey because there are few natural predators here and they are able to coexist with humans pretty well. Beavers are large rodents with wide tails that love being near homes that are located by lakes and rivers. Having beavers on your property could result in water damage from dam-building and also serious health issues due to water contamination.

Gopher and Groundhog Pests

At Precise Termite & Pest Control, we often get calls about a gopher or groundhog living under a homeowner’s deck. These rodents resemble each other but have differences in their fur, tail, teeth, and feet. But no matter which one is living on your property, you want it gone because these rodents can destroy building foundations, chew through irrigation systems, and build tunnels to reach various parts of your property.

Get Help with Safe and Humane Animal Control

If you live in Northern New Jersey, Precise Termite & Pest Control is the name to know among all pest control companies any rodent issue. We’ve been in this business for over 30 years and know the most effective ways to keep rodents out of your house and away from your yard. We offer free inspections and are committed to providing the best customer service in the pest control industry

Call us today at 866-971-2847 or fill out our online form and one of our experienced pest control experts will call you within 24 hours.

How to Remove Mice from Garage and When to Call a Professional for Garage Mice Removal

mouse on a brown surfaceEspecially when our weather turns cold and snowy here in New Jersey, mice love to migrate from the outdoors to inside our homes. However, it’s not just houses that are susceptible to mice problems because garages are particularly attractive to mice as well.

Here are some expert tips for how to remove mice from a garage and when it’s time to call a professional for help with this type of mice infestation.

Signs of Mice in Your Garage

Signs that you may have mice in your garage include seeing mice fecal droppings, especially in corners and under workbenches and cabinets where mice like to hide. You may also smell the musky odor of mice urine in your garage and notice gnawed holes that are about the size of a dime.

A pest control expert is able to tell the difference between mice and rats based on a rodent’s size and appearance. Mice are smaller, have large floppy ears, and leave between 40 and 100 droppings per day. On the other hand, rats are larger, weigh about twice as much as mice, produce fewer droppings per day, and often leave grease marks on surfaces they touch.

What Is Considered to Be an Infestation?

If your mice problem seems minor at first, you might wonder if the number of mice you have in your garage is really a big deal or would even be considered an infestation. If only one or two mice have entered your garage, this isn’t necessarily called an infestation, but a small mice problem can quickly escalate into a large one.

Mice often build nests in garages to give birth and take care of their babies. Keep in mind that mice typically have about five to 12 babies per litter. Mice also begin breeding as young as eight weeks old, so you could quickly have an infestation on your hands if you don’t address the signs of mice in your garage as early as possible.

Preventing Mice in Your Garage

Many homeowners are quick to set mousetraps all around their garage and hope they deter mice from taking up residence here. However, this is not an effective preventative strategy because mice will continue to come back despite the traps, causing damage and leaving their diseased droppings behind.

Instead, focus your attention on potential access points in your garage to determine where mice are coming in from and seal up those places properly. Also, don’t leave food or trash in your garage that could attract mice and keep them coming back for more sustenance during the winter.

When to Call a Pest Control Company for a Mice Problem

Since mice can reproduce and create an infestation situation so quickly, it is recommended to call your local pest control company at the first signs of mouse presence in your garage. We will perform a free inspection of your garage and surrounding areas to identify problem areas and come up with a solution to get rid of your mice and keep them away.

Precise Termite & Pest Control is just a phone call away, so contact us at 866-971-2847 for a mice-free garage.

Signs of a Skunk Infestation and How to Remove Skunk Odor

The distinct odor of a skunk’s spray is a smell that you’re never likely to never forget. A skunk can spray from 10 or more feet away and get that noxious smell onto people, pets, plants, buildings, and roads. But rather than a devious act, this is a defense mechanism for skunks. People and pets often disturb and startle skunks accidently in the yard, so the best way to avoid that smell is to prevent a skunk infestation with reliable pest control methods.

Here are the telltale signs of a skunk infestation to watch for and how to remove skunk odor if you or your property accidentally get sprayed.

Signs of a Skunk Infestation

Aside from the smell of a skunk’s spray, there are many other ways to tell if there are skunks in your yard. Since skunks eat soil-dwelling insects, you may notice small holes about three to five inches wide from where they have dug. Skunks are also known to eat fruit that has fallen from trees.

You may notice skunk tracks in mud around your home, and skunks have five toes on each foot. Skunk droppings are typically up to ½ inch in diameter and between one and two inches long. Other signs that you have skunks in the yard include dogs barking more than usual and a faint odor that lingers from a skunk’s previous sprays.

Ways to Remove Skunk Odor

You can find numerous commercial products in retail stores designed to eliminate skunk odor. But you can also make a DIY recipe at home with a quart of three percent hydrogen peroxide, a teaspoon of liquid dish detergent, and a quarter cup of baking soda. This is a mixture that can be safely used on humans, pets, and even furniture.

Unfortunately, tomato juice, lemon juice, and Febreze don’t work very well to eliminate skunk odor, so a recipe with these three ingredients is your best bet. For exterior buildings and decks, you can mix a cup of liquid bleach with a gallon of water, just as long as you aren’t concerned with discoloration from the bleach.

Safe and Humane Skunk Pest Control

One thing you can do to prevent skunks from entering your property is to ensure that you aren’t inadvertently leaving food waste or even pet food behind for them to eat. Also, make sure to seal up holes around outdoor decks and fill in holes in the yard that you notice. Precise Pest Control is experienced with safe and humane skunk removal, so let us know if you notice signs of skunks in your yard. For a free inspection, contact us today.

5 Food Storage Tips for a Pest-Free Pantry

Pests often take up residence around the yard and in the attic in basement, but they can also infiltrate your kitchen and compromise the safety of your food supply. Various types of pests, including ants, moths, rodents, and beetles, love to take up residence in the pantry and feast upon your supply of groceries. To reduce your risk of food contamination and prevent the dreaded task of throwing away everything in your cupboards, here are five food storage tips for a pest-free pantry.

1. Clean Up Spills Right Away

Spills and crumbs are magnets for pests, so make sure to clean up any messes as soon as they happen. A simple wipe with soap and water should do the trick and keep pests away from your shelves.

2. Store Food in Air-Tight Containers  

Proper storage goes a long way in keeping your pantry free of pests. Make sure to use high-quality, airtight containers to seal all types of food in your pantry, such as Tupperware containers or glass Mason jars. Not only are these types of containers great for deterring pests, but they can also help keep your pantry more organized.

3. Inspect Grocery Bags After Shopping

Oftentimes, pests enter pantries from the outside world, and grocery stores are not immune to pest problems. While you’re in the supermarket, check food packaging to ensure that it hasn’t been compromised by pests. Then when you get home, inspect your grocery bags to make sure that pests didn’t hitch a ride back to your house.

4. Check Food Expiration Dates

Pests are likely to be drawn to rotting food that is going bad in your pantry. For your own health and also to deter pests, keep close tabs on the expiration dates of foods in your pantry. Toss any items that have expired or that have developed a bad odor into the trash immediately.

5. Try Bay Leaves in the Pantry

One creative way to help keep pantry pests at bay is to place bay leaves in your pantry. For example, you can tape dried, whole bay leaves to the bottoms and sides of your shelves to deter grain moths. Another suggestion is to add a bay leaf or two into dry goods containers that contain flour, sugar, and rice. This is a tried-and-true DIY method for repelling insects like ants, flies, and cockroaches because they detest the fragrance of this herb.

Precise Pest Control doesn’t just exterminate pests; we help homeowners like you prevent them too. We are experts in the types of pests that invade pantries in Northern New Jersey, and we want to keep your food supply safe and pest-free at all times. Give us a call at 866-971-2847 or fill out our online form for a free inspection and for more helpful tips like these.

Types of Mice and Common Questions About Mouse Infestations

Mouse gnawing on wiring of a home

A mouse in the house is never a good thing, but there are certain things you should know about mice to identify them and how to know whether you have a mouse infestation. In this article, we’re looking at the various types of mice, which ones are most common in New Jersey, and answering a few common questions that homeowners have about potential mice problems.

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Differences Between Mice and Rats and Pest Control Solutions for Both

A Mouse Peaking His Head Out of A Hole in a Wall

Mice and rats may look alike, but they are actually distinct types of rodents that have genetic, growth, and anatomical differences. Homeowners and business owners certainly don’t want either type of rodent in their spaces, which is why mice control New Jersey is so important to local families and companies.

Here we take a closer look at the differences between mice and rats and effective pest management strategies for each type of rodent.

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Get the Best Mice Control in Bergen County for your Upcoming Thanksgiving Festivities

Best Mice Control Bergen County NJ

The holidays should be a time of celebration, not a time of extra stress and worry. You have plenty of things to focus on without the extra worry of a possible mice infestation.
If you suspect that you are sharing your home with unwanted guests, such as mice, this is certainly no cause for celebration. Mice cause millions of dollars of damage to homes all over the world, and are generally not a pleasant addition to anyone’s household. However, there’s no need to panic. There are a few easy steps that you can follow to make sure that your home is fully mouse free for the holidays. Continue reading →

Mouse Traps: Not The Answer For Your Rodent Problems

You know you most likely have an infestation when you spot that furry, beady-eyed, disease-carrying rodent skedaddle along the wall behind your couch. Like many pests, they keep together in numbers. Recognizing you may have a rodent problem is the first step that needs to be taken, which a trusted and experienced Bergen County extermination services company can diagnose in order to take the most effective actions possible.

Do You Have a Mouse Problem?

Typical signs of rodents in your home, garage or storage unit can include any or all of the following: physically spotting rodents, rodent feces and urine, rank odor, scratching or scuttling noises, holes/scratch marks in food packaging and nests that may be found under, behind or in furniture, cabinets, oven ranges, dishwashers and practically anywhere since they’re able to squeeze through tiny cracks and crevices. The signs are not always obvious to the typical homeowner, so getting professional and timely assistance with your problem will ensure you can get rid of these pests at an affordable price.

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