Nothing scratches at your ceilings at night and hides tiny poop all over your cereal boxes like crafty invaders from the outdoors. Knowing what types of rodents in North Texas have infiltrated your home is the first step to getting rid of them safely and effectively.
The Dallas- Fort Worth area has become a prime breeding ground for these destructive invaders. Urban sprawl forces native animals out of their field habitats and into residential neighborhoods and commercial buildings. Mild winters allow reproduction cycles to occur nearly year-round, and warm summers send pests searching for water inside your home. Figuring out exactly which pests have moved in will help you protect your family and property.
Why Are There So Many Rodents in North Texas Properties?
Developments spreading into wildlife territory, mild winters, easy-access food sources outdoors, and available shelter from extreme weather are among the leading causes of North Texas rodents invading local homes and businesses.
Ongoing construction displaces wild populations and prevents species from thriving in grassy fields. New houses, stores, and apartments being built force Mother Nature southward. Add humid weather conditions and plentiful oak trees dropping acorns seasonally, coupled with overflowing garbage cans, and you’ve got yourself an all-you-can-eat buffet.
Fast Facts: Reasons for Increased Infestations
- Mild Winters: Breeding doesn’t slow down when temperatures drop.
- Expanding Urban Development: New construction constantly pushes wildlife out of their natural habitats.
- Summer droughts send critters crawling indoors to drink from your air conditioner’s drip line and pool.
| Rodent | Size | Usually Found | How to Identify |
|---|---|---|---|
| House Mouse | 2-5 – 3.7 in. | Inside walls, pantries, cabinets | Small bodies with a thin snout. Large ears. |
| Roof Rat | 6 – 8 in. | Attics, tree limbs, rooftops | Tails are longer than their body. Sleek bodies. |
| Norway Rat | 7 – 10 in. | Burrows, under homes, garages | Heavy-bodied with a shorter snout. Small ears. |
| Cotton Rat | 5 – 8 in. | Tall grass, overgrown yards | Color is coarse and black/brown. Shorter tail. |
| Deer Mouse | 3 – 4 in. | Outbuildings like a garage or shed | Fox-like coloring. Typically bi-colored. |
What Kind of Rodents Live in Dallas-Fort Worth?
Many kinds of rodents live in DFW, but the most common home invaders are mice, roof rats, Norway rats, Muridae rats, deer mice, and squirrels. Each requires a different treatment approach to eliminate them from your property. Read through this rodent identification guide to familiarize yourself with each pest’s physical traits and common habits before the problem gets out of hand.
Identifying House Mice In Texas
Appearance: House mice are light brown to dark grey in color with creamy white underbellies. They have large ears and tiny black eyes.
Size: House mice are typically only three to four inches in length. However, their ability to reproduce at rapid rates is what causes the biggest problem for homeowners.
Damage: Despite their small size, house mice love to chew on drywall, insulation, and even soft plastic bins used for pantry storage. Catching one or two mice doesn’t mean there aren’t lots more coming. One female mouse can have up to ten litters in one year! Learn more about our mice removal services.
Why Are Roof Rats So Bad?
Appearance: Roof rats have dark grey or black fur and are extremely agile. Their tails are longer than the rat’s head and body combined.
Preferred Habitat: These rodents love the outdoors. Roof rats will use tree limbs, electrical wires, and fences to reach your roof where they can easily crawl into an attic.
Damage: Once inside your attic, they can destroy insulation, create nests, and chew on copper wires, creating an electrical hazard. See our rat removal services.
Where Will I Find Norway Rats?
Appearance: Norway rats are heavy-bodied with brown fur and large mouths. They also have smaller ears.
Where They Nest: Although they can climb, they prefer to live close to the ground. You will usually find burrows around foundations, under homes, in crawlspaces, and inside garden sheds.
Damage: Their oversized incisors can chew through wood beams, lightweight metals, cinder blocks, and more. If they can’t find food inside, they will keep chewing until they gain entry. Here’s a homeowner’s guide to getting rid of rats in Dallas.
Will Cotton Rats or Deer Mice Come Inside My Home?
Appearance: Cotton rats have coarse black/brown fur and like to live in tall grasses or overgrown areas. Deer mice are typically brown on top and white on their bottom half and feet.
Where They Nest: Outdoors is their preferred climate. But cotton rats and deer mice will venture indoors during severe thunderstorms or cold weather spikes. These pests tend to destroy lawns, gardens, and farms.
Identifying Deer Mice In Your Home
Deer mice nest in hay, tall grasses, and secluded areas of homes, like outside sheds, garages, vehicles, and homes with stacked wood piles.
Are Squirrels Considered Rodents?
Tree squirrels are considered rodents just like mice and rats. Gray squirrels and fox squirrels are the most common varieties found entering homes.
These creatures will chew through fascia boards, attic vents, and even wood support beams just to gain access to your attic. Unlike other wildlife, they will stay once they find a comfortable nest. Explore our squirrel removal services or read about common wildlife problems in Dallas.
What Type of Rodent Is Invading My Home?
Where are you seeing/hearing rodents?
- Upper levels of the house? Roof Rat / Squirrel
- Along floors, cabinets, or in your crawl space? House Mouse / Norway Rat
What color are the droppings you found?
- Tiny, with pointed ends? House Mouse
- Capsule-shaped with pointed ends? Roof Rat
- Large and capsule-shaped, with blunt ends? Norway Rat
How Do I Know If I Have A Rodent Problem?
Dark droppings near food boxes, grease rub marks along walls, scratch marks on wood or wiring, and strange noises during the night are all key indicators of a rodent infestation. Addressing these issues sooner can save you thousands in structural damage repairs. Look for…
- Small rice-sized droppings in corners or along baseboards.
- Gnaw marks on corners of cabinets, wood storage bins, or frayed electrical wires.
- Squeaking or rustling noises coming from inside your walls, ceiling, or floors.
- Dark grease marks running along baseboards from trail marks.
- Shredded paper, insulation, fabric, or leaves in hidden corners of rooms.
What Risks Do Rodents Bring Indoors?
Rodents spread harmful diseases to your family, contaminate food sources, and create a risk of fire or flooding by chewing through vital home structures and wires.
Disease: Humans are not naturally predators to rodents. They only invade our living spaces when searching for food and water. Rodents leave behind droppings, urine, and saliva which can spread harmful diseases.
Do Rodents Really Pose a Threat to Homes?
Image and structural damage are also cause for concern. Wood-destroying pests will devour support beams, chew through PVC piping, and chew on electrical wires, exposing your family to live currents. Learn about the hidden dangers of ignoring a pest infestation.
Are There Rodents in My Home?
Both field mice and deer mice are primarily outdoor rodents that only invade indoors when weather becomes too extreme. Cotton rats like to tear through your grass, creating runways as they travel.
Preventing Rodent Infestations in North Texas
Rodents enter homes through foundation cracks, openings around utility wires, under fascia boards and attic vents, open doors or windows, and gaps around garage doors. Since mice can fit through holes the size of a nickel and rats only need the size of a dime, you must seal your home in areas they can access.
Seal Points Of Entry
Walk around the exterior of your home and investigate the foundation, rooflines, utility lines, and garage door seams. Use steel wool and exterior-grade silicone caulking or expanding foam to fill these openings. Our wildlife exclusions service can handle this for you, and Wildlife Exclusions 101 explains how it works.
Store Food Properly
In addition to keeping your food stored in heavy-duty plastic or glass containers with tight-fitting lids, take time to wipe down your countertops and sweep your pantry periodically. These cleaning habits help keep pests out. Never leave pet food bowls out overnight.
Maintain Your Yard
Additionally, trim back any tree limbs that hang within six feet of your home. This will discourage squirrels and roof rats from hopping onto your roof. Keep bushes trimmed back at least six inches from exterior walls, grass cut short, and eliminate wood piles touching your home’s foundation.
Eliminate Water Sources
Lastly, fix any leaky outdoor faucets, clean out gutter drains, and repair broken drip lines on air conditioning units. Try to eliminate as many convenient water sources outdoors as possible. For seasonal tips, see our fall pest prevention guide.
Should I Worry About Rodents In My Home?
Yes! If you catch daytime sightings of rodents in your house, hear consistent scratching or scurrying within your walls, or notice droppings located in multiple areas of your home. It’s time you called a professional.
Trying to take care of rodent problems with DIY traps and baits sold at your local hardware store is usually ineffective for a full-blown infestation. Sure, you might catch one or two mice with a few snap traps placed strategically around the house. But this method of rodent control doesn’t fix the root of your problem. Professional pest control in Dallas has the equipment and tools to thoroughly inspect your property, identify where pests are gaining access from, design an exclusion plan unique to your situation, and safely decontaminate these spaces.
Call Pest G.O.A.T.S. Pest Control Today
As homeowners and property owners, you shouldn’t have to worry about rodents taking over your home or commercial building. When you partner with G.O.A.T.S. Pest Control, you can rest easy knowing you have the Greatest Of All Time Service in your corner. Our DFW-local technicians are trained to identify common entry points and use tested methods to not only eliminate what you currently see but prevent future infestations year after year. Don’t let rodents ruin your home or property – give Pest G.O.A.T.S. Pest Control a call today and let’s schedule your inspection!
Rodent FAQ
What type of rodent is most common in North Texas?
The most common rodents found inside of homes and buildings in North Texas are house mice and roof rats. Since these rodents thrive in urbanized neighborhoods, they find plenty of room to nest and reproduce indoors.
What rodents are in Texas?
The most common rodents in Texas are house mice, roof rats, Norway rats, cotton rats, deer mice, and tree squirrels.
How do rodents get inside homes?
Rodents enter homes through tiny spaces along foundations, gaps around utility wires, damaged attic ventilation, open doors/windows, and spaces around garage doors.