Pest Control – Is There a Breeding Season for Rodents?

Rodents can seem like a never ending problem. If you don’t have an infestation, you know of somebody that does, and it doesn’t seem to be dependent on the time of year, the weather, or the location. When they enter the home, they begin to multiply and quickly create an infestation which will need to be addressed through professional proactive pest control. So do they, like most other animals, only breed at specific times of the year? Or is it as constant as it seems? You’ve probably assumed that their huge numbers are a result of constantly reproducing – and you would be right. For this reason, a rodent infestation can take over before you know it, and you need to be prepared.

Do Rats and Mice Have a Breeding Season?

Typically, rats and mice don’t have a breeding season. That’s not to say that they don’t have a ‘baby boom’ at certain stages of the year – it’s just not limited to one specific time of year. Once a female mouse conceives, she’ll give birth in as soon as 3 weeks. And each litter can have upwards of 10-12 babies. Indoor mice are a perfect example. They reproduce throughout the year, but spring and fall are their busiest times. Typically, outdoor and indoor rodents will avoid winter. Spring, in general, is a common time for mice inside and outside to start breeding. The days are becoming warmer, food is becoming more readily available and the babies will have the greatest chance of survival. They’re busy during fall too. Reproducing as often as possible so that they’ll have good numbers going in to the barren winter. Rodent control becomes a significant problem in fall as this expanding community seek out warm living spaces before the harsh winter temperatures arrive.

How Quickly an Infestation Occurs

So we already know that one female rodent can give birth roughly three weeks after she becomes pregnant. But did you know that she can immediately re-conceive after giving birth? That means that just four weeks after giving birth to 6-12 babies, there could be another litter that has just arrived. In the space of a month, the rodent population will have at least doubled: keep in mind that we are only talking about just one female. Using that logic, one female rodent could give birth 5-10 times in a calendar year. That could be as few as 25 babies, but it could also be as many as 100. Think about how devastating that could be for your home if there were several more females living inside. And what about the babies? Within two weeks of birth these furless, ear-less and blind rodents can see, hear and search for food. Three weeks after birth, they’re ready to leave the nest and find a way to damage your home all by themselves and to continue reproducing.

The Damage Pests Can Cause to Your Home

Rodents can be a serious pest control problem. They carry parasites and disease, contaminating any of your food that they come in contact with. They can cause harm to your electrical wires, and can also damage the structure of your home by running up and down and along your walls and pipes. At Truly Nolen, we’re experts in rodent removal. Our unique “Complete Rodent Control” program not only removes your current infestation but future-proofs your property against any further infestation too. As we’ve already mentioned, a small rodent problem can very quickly become a huge, damaging infestation. Call our professional, experienced team today and arrange an inspection with the quickest possible results.