5 of the Worst Pets That Can Invade Your Home
Being a homeowner comes with some perks, but there are a few drawbacks. For instance, if you see pests invading your home, you can’t call the landlord and ask them to send an exterminator. You’ll need to find a reputable one and contact them yourself if you want to rid your living space of bothersome critters.
Let’s talk about a few of the worst pets that you might find in your home.
Ants
Ants are not as harmful as some other pests, but they can be a nuisance. If you have them in your home, it can indicate you’re not storing food as carefully as you should. Leaving food out can attract ants. You can counteract this by putting away any leftovers in sealable containers and stowing them in the fridge.
If you need ant control measures because you’re already seeing a few of them in the kitchen or elsewhere, you should contact an exterminator right away. It’s even more crucial to do that if you’re diligently putting away all your leftover food but still seeing ants in your kitchen or elsewhere. This indicates they have a way into the house or apartment, and something else is attracting them.
Rats
Ants are annoying, but rats can be downright dangerous. These rodents can reach impressive sizes in some instances, and they’re not averse to biting someone if they feel cornered. They can even enter cribs and deliver nasty bites if you have a baby or toddler in the house.
Some rats carry rabies and other diseases, so it’s even more vital that you get rid of them as soon as possible. Like ants, the food you leave out can attract them, but they’re also capable of chewing through receptacles to get at anything tasty you’ve stowed inside. A determined rat can easily gnaw its way through a Tupperware container, a storage bag, or anything else you use for food storage.
Rats are also attracted to buildings where people live because of warmth. During the winter, the heat from your temperature-regulated home might prove irresistible to a rat or several of them.
You can try to combat this invasion with either traditional snapper-style traps or humane ones that capture the rat without killing it. However, rats are clever, and they can avoid these measures. To be sure you’re getting rid of them and to locate the way they’re getting in, you’re probably better off calling in the professionals.
Cockroaches
Many people have a strong visceral reaction when they see a cockroach in their home. They’re unpleasant looking, and no one wants to see roaches scurrying for cover in the kitchen or bathroom when they turn on the light.
Part of what’s so troubling about roaches is that if you see one or two, there are probably plenty of other ones you don’t see. Spotting a single one might be indicative that there are many others who have become your unwelcome roommates.
The World Health Organization warns specifically about roaches because of how unhygienic they are. They’re scavengers that like human settlements mostly because of the opportunities for easy meals.
Much like mice, ants, or rats, you’re liable to get them if you leave food out and uncovered. Roaches can also invade your home on some occasions through drain pipes and other access points.
Roaches can carry harmful bacteria, and if they contaminate the food you eat, that can make you sick. If you see a roach, or more than one, don’t feel like you just have to live with them. Contact a pest control company immediately.
Mice
Some people think mice are cute. You’ll certainly have no issue buying one at a pet store. You can keep them in cages and domesticate them, while other buyers get them as a meal for snakes and other predatory pets.
If mice are getting into your home, most people don’t regard that as such a serious problem as rats. Still, just because these rodents are smaller and seemingly more harmless, that doesn’t mean you should feel okay with allowing them free access to your kitchen or elsewhere in your house.
Much like roaches or rats, eating food that has been contaminated by mice can make you very sick. Mice carry bacteria in their feces and saliva, and they’re not above defecating in the same area as your food supply. Some people can also have severe allergic reactions to them.
Similar to rats or roaches, mice can enter your home from the world outside when warmth or food smells attract them. If you live near woods or other areas that outside mice typically call home, it’s easy to find yourself overrun with them, especially during the colder months.
You can try to fight them off with humane traps or the traditional snapper variety, but that ignores their method for getting in. Hiring a professional exterminator makes it likely you can locate their entry points and stop them up.
Wasps
Wasps have a place in the natural ecosystem outside your home, but you never want to see them in the same place you live. They can deliver a nasty sting, and they’re more aggressive than bees. Some people can have allergic reactions to wasp stings, and those reactions can even be life-threatening sometimes.
If you’ve never been stung by a wasp before, you don’t know what your reaction will be if it happens. It’s best if you never find out, so if you see wasps inside your home, in a garage, or in some other building on your property, you should contact a local exterminator. They can figure out where the wasps are coming from and take the appropriate actions to rid you of them.
Other pests can also try to set up shop in your home, such as bees, hornets, spiders, etc. If you notice any of them, contact an exterminator right away so you can show them the door and enjoy a pest-free life again.