Customers love shopping with their fur-baby. If you own a pet store, you probably love it when people bring their four-legged buddy into the store. When animals are welcome, it makes the place feel friendly. Unfortunately, welcoming cats, dogs, birds or rodents can make other creatures feel like your store is a welcome place. Here are a few of the pests you may find in your store.
What Pests Could You Find in Your Pet Store?
Pests get into your store in many different ways. Let’s talk about some of the pests who might enjoy your store:
- Fleas – These little creatures hitch a ride in on dogs and cats, then hop off and catch a snack in the pet food aisle.
- Cockroaches – Roaches are ubiquitous insects that aren’t picky eaters. They love water and moisture, so if you have any leaks or leave out water for your own stock, they’ll come calling. They’ll stick around for the pet food supplies.
- Weevils – Although you’ll mostly see these beetles mostly on the coast, they aren’t pleasant. They love grains, which are found in dog food and other pet supplies. They aren’t dangerous to humans, but they will eat pet food and aren’t very appetizing.
- Warehouse Beetles – These beetles like pet food, pet hair, and other organic materials. They aren’t good for pets, especially when eaten by a dog or cat. Upset tummies or respiratory problems could occur.
- Grain Beetles – As the name implies, these beetles like grain. They aren’t dangerous, just a nuisance, but they will contaminate food.
- Indian Meal Moths – They leave a silk webbing when they dine on pet food. It can make your pet store seem unclean and unkempt.
- Fruit Flies – You may not have fresh fruit or vegetables in your store, but fruit flies like garbage and dumpsters, where they can lay eggs on decaying organic material, i.e. dog poop or old food.
- Ants – Another pest that isn’t specific about its food. They can crawl in the smallest spaces and get into just about any food source, from a trash can to a dog bowl. Once they move in, it can be hard to manage an infestation without finding the nest and taking care of it.
Some pests, such as weevils or meal moths can infest packaging at the plant. As these insects mature, they lay eggs in the product, contaminating your stock and causing damage.
Prevent Pests in Your Pet Store
You can’t stop selling pet supplies, nor do you want to ban animals from your store. The next best steps are to prevent pests from getting a stronghold on your store.
- Inspect new deliveries for signs of pests. Look for holes chewed in the packaging or webs on the top of packages.
- Clean-up spills and messes quickly. Don’t forget to clean up water spills and leaks.
- Rotate stock to ensure freshness. First in first out.
- Clean the store often.
- Monitor for pests. Some pests hide very well and/or are very tiny. Insect monitors and traps can help you identify a problem quickly to get it under control.
Professional Pest Control
When taking care of pests in your commercial business, you have a lot to be concerned about. It’s not just getting rid of pests, it’s about mitigating the damage to other supplies and making sure the removal method is safe for employees, customers, and fur babies. You may even have environmental concerns about using certain chemicals.
Professional pest control is highly recommended for businesses to make sure the pest control method is effective and safe. Our technicians not only help you with pest control, we also help you take steps to prevent future problems. For commercial pest control in Cambridge, contact Truly Nolen.