Dark spaces in your home create perfect environments for rodents such as rats and mice. These types of rodents can carry diseases and wreak havoc on the structure of your home, so no one wants to have mice or rats as roommates. Unfortunately, it can sometimes be difficult to tell that you have a rodent in your house unless you are dealing with a full-blown infestation. Here are six signs you may have rodents living in your chimney. 

1. Noises

Most rodents are nocturnal, so you are most likely to hear them moving around at night. You may hear scurrying or squeaking as they move through your walls. If you happen to see a rodent during the day, it is probably a mouse because they are more likely to be awake during daytime hours than rats. In general, you can expect to start hearing rodents move around at dusk and you may hear them well into the night.

2. Gnaw Marks

Rodents are notorious for chewing on anything they can get their teeth on. They gnaw to control the growth of their teeth. You may see gnaw marks on baseboards, electrical wires, window casings and insulation. Recent nom marks are typically light in colour and darken as time passes.

3. Droppings

Rodent droppings are small and brown, and they can be found anywhere that mice and rats go. You may start to see droppings near holes in your walls where rodents are coming out in search of food. The most common places to find droppings are areas where rodents expect to find food such as kitchen cabinets and pantries.

4. Nests

Mice and rats create nests out of fibrous materials they find while foraging. They may find scraps of paper, shreds of upholstered furniture or grass and twigs to make a comfortable nest. They usually make these nests inside your walls and shelter locations. One of the most common spots for rodents who build nests is inside chimneys, so if you start a fire and smell something burning, there is a good chance you have a rodent nest inside the structure.

5. Odour

Rodents are not the best-smelling creatures and typically give off a musty odour while they are alive. Because it takes up to 8 weeks for a rodent to decompose, the smell is even worse when you have a dead mouse or rat in your home. You may smell a horrible odour in your home for many weeks if a rodent has died somewhere in the structure.

6. Anxious Pets

Most dogs and cats can sniff out a rodent before you know there is one living in your home. If your pet is more excitable than usual and keeps going to one spot in your home, you may have a mouse or rat living in your walls.

What To Do If You Have Rodents in Your Chimney

If you have noticed one or more of the signs discussed above, you may be sharing your home with at least one rodent. It is best to call in a professional for help with rodent control services in Cambridge. Truly Nolen Canada is ready to help get rid of the rodents in your home. Our technicians are experienced with a wide variety of rodents and can get them out of your home humanely.

We’ll start by finding the nest. This step allows us to get rid of the entire family of rodents so that you don’t have to worry about one being left behind to cause damage to your house. We’ll trap the rodents and move them to a more suitable location far away from your home so you can resume your normal lifestyle. If you’re ready to get rid of one or more rodents living in your home, contact us today to schedule an appointment.