Category Archives:Mice
COMMON PEST CONTROL THREATS IN HEALTHCARE FACILITIES share
There are four main common pest control threats in healthcare facilities: Bed Bugs, Ants, Cockroaches, and Rodents. Each of those pests brings their own problems and/or diseases that can harm the healthcare facility residents. When you are doing a tour of a nursing home (or similar facility) make sure you look closely at the mattress and in the corners of places for signs of pest infestations.
Bed Bugs
Are bed bugs a common pest control threat in healthcare facilities? Yes, they certainly are. Bed bugs can come from anywhere. From the nicest hotels to the dirtiest of homes (and all places in between). Many bed bugs are transported without knowledge of the person moving them from place to place.
What can you do? When moving yourself or a loved one into a facility, take a close look at the mattress. Are there any blood spots around the seams? That is a hugs red flag that bed bugs have been there. When returning from a stay, always unpack your luggage in the garage. Then, wash and dry your clothing on high heat.
Ants
Are ants a common pest control threat at healthcare facilities? Yes, again! Ants are social insects. So if you see one, chances are there are many behind the walls. Most ants are a nuisance. But, Pharaoh Ants, are the real problem. Our research shows that these Pharaoh ants are drawn to intravenous units, medical preparation stations, and open wounds. Added the hazardousness of these ants, they can transmit diseases such as Salmonella and Streptococcus.
Cockroaches
Are cockroaches a common pest control threat at healthcare facilities? Double yes for this answer! Cockroaches are known to be a hazard in all homes or businesses. These small insects carry disease and are particularly hard to get rid of. There is the possibility of transmitting over 30 different types of bacteria and six types of parasitic worms. E. Coli and Salmonella are the most common type of bacteria transmitted via cockroaches. If the cockroaches are in the cafeteria, you can imagine the problems that would ensue.
Rodents
Are rodents a common pest control threat at healthcare facilities? Rodents like mice and rats are the last common threat at healthcare facilities topic. Did you know that inhaling the dust of mice and rats can leave you with Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS)? Yes. These contaminants can get into the drinking water or food. The symptoms mirror the flu and can be deadly if not treated properly and quickly.
Contact us
Absolute Pest Control is dedicated to making your home or home away from home safe for you family. If you have a question about pests or any other pest problem, please call us at 615-220-1933 or click HERE to email us. We service most of Middle Tennessee including Smyrna, Murfreesboro, and LaVergne.
Do You Suffer From Musophobia? share
Musophobia? What Is It?
Musophobia is the fear of mice. And, it is the one of the most common fears (besides arachnophobia). Musophobia is also known as Suriphobia and Murophobia.
What Causes People To Suffer From Musophobia?
When a person has a traumatic experience that has a mouse or mice as the main villains, they may develop Musophobia. It is the brain’s protective mechanism to shield the person from being in the same situation again. Sounds reasonable, but can actually be difficult to control in the grand scheme of things. Living your life in fear of mice can leave people afraid to leave their homes.
How Can You Tell If You Suffer From Musophobia?
If you have a true clinical fear of mice, you will exhibit several types of symptoms depending on the degree you suffer from Musophobia. Common symptoms include general anxiety, panic, shortness of breathe, irregular heart rate, sweating, nausea, and overall dread. These symptoms can be brought on by multiple events. The thought of seeing a mouse. Walking through an alley way. Or even seeing a mouse on TV. If you feel like you have Musophobia, consult a health care professional.
Contact Us
Absolute Pest Control is dedicated to making your home safe for you family. If you suffer from Musophobia, let us give you peace of mind.
If you have a question about pests or any other pest problem, please call us at 615-220-1933 or click HERE to email us. We service most of Middle Tennessee including Smyrna, Murfreesboro, and LaVergne.
3 Things Rodents Love About Your House share
3 Things Rodents Love About Your House
Why do people have rodent infestations? Because rodents are wild animals doing what they need to for survival. If your home provides the basic needs for rodents, they will consider it an invitation. What are the 3 Things Rodents Love About Your House?
Shelter
Food
Smells
Shelter-
Rodents are not as large as humans. This means the spaces we don’t pay attention to are perfect for them. Barns and abandoned buildings are a favorite of rodents. How are the rodents gaining entrance to your personal space? Routine inspections of your home, barn, or office building will reduce the chances of having unwanted rodents. Unsealed roofs, windows without screens, open vents, openings into the attic or crawlspace are common entry points. Imagine how small rodents can be, they need only a hole 25% of their body size to enter.
Food-
Messy kitchens, attics full of old boxes, grain bins, unsecured trash cans are all ways that rodents fill their bellies in your home. Because rodent teeth are always growing, they need things to gnaw on. Like old books, boxes, twigs, holes, almost anything. Keep any area that food is stored, prepared, served, and disposed of clean is important.
Smells-
Smells! Yes. Rodents have a good sense of smell. If they are walking between two homes and yours has good smells like peanut butter, hot dogs, minty dental floss, jelly beans, honey, and much more.
Hope this answers your questions about the 3 Things Rodents Love About Your House.
About Absolute Pest Control
Absolute Pest Control is dedicated to making your home safe for you family. If you have a question about rodents or any other pest problem, please call us at 615-220-1933 or click HERE to email us.
Do you Suffer From Musophobia? share
Do you Suffer From Musophobia? 
Most everyone has a phobia. Much like my fear of the dentist, since I was a child I’ve experienced anxiety when thinking about a visit to the dentist. I break out into a sweat thinking about going and immediately start looking for any and every excuse of how I can get out of my upcoming appointment. Life experiences, heredity, and your brain chemistry and genetics can cause Phobias. A common phobia is that of mice, or Musophobia. Do you suffer from Musophobia? Let’s do some research and find out.
AHHHH It’s a Mouse!
When you see a mouse do you jump on the couch, grab the closest thing you can swing, and scream loudly? If so you are probably a Musophibic. Other symptoms could be getting antsy when you see a picture of a rat or mouse, or when someone says the word or a joke about mice. Your mouth might get dry and you might have the urge to freeze, scream, or run.
Trunk or Treat
Cartoons, pictures, and many other references usually depict elephants as having Musophobia. Some zoologists say this is a myth. There is an episode of Mythbusters that show Adult Elephants actively avoiding mice. Women are often depicted as having a fear of mice as well, they are shown jumping onto chairs or other furniture and screaming when a mouse comes into view. Although in my life I’ve seen just as many men terrified of mice and women or elephants.
What is the Cure?
This phobia can be treated several ways. Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Response Prevention, Group Therapy, Medication or Mediation. Exposure is usually the most effective method. With the help of a health professional and the use of gradual exposure the fear can be lifted. There is medication you can take as well. They do not cause a cure but do suppress the symptoms. Make sure to ask your doctor what treatment is best for you.
When to Call a Professional?
If you find yourself with a mouse problem and you struggle with Musophobia I would contact a pest control company ASAP. If you do not have the fear you should research the pest before you attempt removal, it is best to contact your local Pest Control Company soon.
Contact Us
Absolute Pest Control is dedicated to making your home safe for you family. If you have a question about fall pests or any other pest problem, please call us at 615-220-1933 or click HERE to email us.
Rodents and the Health Risk They Cause share
Rodents and the Health Risk They Cause 
Rodents constantly grow incisors and do not have canines teeth. Rats, mice, squirrels, porcupines, or hamsters are all considered rodents. They gnaw at everything and they are the largest order of mammals in the world. They are uses as household pets and can be rather cute. Some bring disease and they can cause damage to your home. It’s good to know about rodents and the health risk they cause.
How Do They Spread Disease?
Since there are several diseases caused by rodents there are a number of ways that they can spread diseases. It’s best to call a Pest Control Company if you have an infestation, but you should also be familiar with the dangers caused by rodents.
Inhaling dust in the air that has been saturated with rat or mice urine or droppings, directly touching dropping or urine, a bite from the rodent, even swimming or kayaking in drinking water of the animal. Fleas that bite rodents and jumped to humans cause the bubonic plague. Touching a dead rat causes disease. In general stay away from rodent infested areas. Breathing the same air as the rats can cause disease.
What Diseases Are Caused by Rodents?
Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome can cause kidney damage. Leptospirosis causes muscle spasms, headaches, or fevers. This disease can affect humans or animals. Mainly seen in domesticated dogs. The bubonic plague is cause by the fleas on rats. This disease caused mass amount of deaths in the Middle Ages, but this disease is still claiming lives. 1-7 days after you’ve come in contact with the plague you will start to have flu like systems. This is another reason it is important to understand rodents and the health risk they cause.
Avoiding Rodents
Rats contaminate 10 times the food they consume so it is very important to do your best to keep them out. Store your food in air tight containers. Plug holes or any hidey hole they might use to get in. They can enter through a hole just a quarter on an inch wide. So make sure you do a perimeter check. If you see them give us a call.
Contact Us
Absolute Pest Control is dedicated to making your home safe for you family. If you have a question about fall pests or any other pest problem, please call us at 615-220-1933 or click HERE to email us.
Pest Control Myths share
Pest Control Myths
How many times have you heard of a home remedy that didn’t work for someone? There are so many pest control myths out there it’s easy to get lost trying to locate one that will work for you. We’ve located a few of these myths and listed them below for you, just remember call us when you are ready to get rid of the myths and the pests!
Mice Like Cheese 
A lot of people use mouse traps to get rid of them. The idea is that the mice will get trapped under the wrong end of the trap when they go after the tasty cheese treat you left behind. Ending your battle with the mouse. The two problems here are 1. Is never a mouse. It’s always mice and 2. Mice would prefer something sweet over cheese. It’s a great idea to try and trap them, but using food that would actually attract them will help.
People try to solve the mouse problem with a pet cat. The problem here is that not all cats will chase mice. So will and are great ways to help get mice from your house, others will not do anything to help you with your pest problem. Mice are capable of hiding in places your cat cannot reach even if the cat will chase them. They are good of notifying you of a mouse problem.
My House is Too Clean for Cockroaches
Unsanitary locations are the best place for a cockroach. There is plenty of food and places to hide. But they will live in the cleanest of places as well. Any where they can find food and water is a place they will live and hide. They infest an area and remain unseen most of the time. If you see one, there are many more in hiding. Give us a call for a free estimate for removal.
I Don’t Have a Pest, so I Don’t Need Pest Control
This is the biggest of the pest control Myths. The best time to start a pest control regime is before you have a problem. It is much more expensive to get rid of a pest problem than it is to maintain a home without pest issues. Getting started is easy. Give us a call for your free estimate.
Pesticides Will Not Hurt My Children or Pets
This is true. If applied correctly. Care and proper knowledge is needed to safely use pesticides for your pest control. If used properly they will not cause harm to pets or children. If they are not applied correctly they can be more dangerous than the pests themselves.
Ultrasonic Repellers Work
For decades retailers have sold Ultrasonic Repellers. The supported technique is that they produce an extremely high-pitched sound that will run hundreds of types of pest off. Pest Control Myths can be expensive and costly when they do not work. The Federal Trade Commission has stated they do not have any evidence that these devices work. To save time and money stick with a traditional pest control company.
Contact Us
Absolute Pest Control is dedicated to making your home safe for you family. If you have a question about these or any other pest problem, please call us at 615-220-1933 or click HERE to email us.
Mouse Math – how fast do mice multiply share
How Fast Do Mice Multiply?
We get asked this question “How fast do mice multiply” quite often in our pest control business. The answer can show how quickly an infestation can overcome a home or office. Mice carry disease and can do extensive damage in a short amount of time.
Female Mice Information
Image courtesy of Wikipedia
A common female house mouse can get pregnant as early as 4 weeks old. Most female mice begin ovulating at 6 to 8 weeks.
Once impregnated, the gestation period is only 3 weeks (or less). The litter usually is 5 to 7 pups. In some instances, that number can be as high as 14 pups.
This is How Fast Do Mice Multiply
The average house mouse lives 1 year on the wild and up to 2 years in a domicile. If they are breeding all year long, the number of mice born can be easily be 60 pups per year. Add to that the new pups breeding at 6 weeks. It is easy to see how an infestation would happen unless dealt with early on.
Other Facts
The mother mouse tries very hard to make sure her littler lives. She will decide if there are less hearty pups and not feed them. She may even eat those unlucky pups. The nutrition helps her care for her surviving litter or for a new pregnancy.
Fathers are in the picture for a litter of pups. But in an unusual way. They want their genes to be passed down. If they suspect one or more of the pups are not theirs, the father will kill the pup(s).
What To Do
If you see or suspect a mouse in your home or office, call Absolute Pest Control right away. We can quickly determine the best course to rid you of your mouse problem. You can call us at 615-220-1933 or click HERE to email us.
You can learn more about mice HERE!
5 Common Spring Pests in Tennessee share
5 Common Spring Pests in Tennessee
Spring time is near which means warm weather, plenty of spring showers and common Spring pests that bother Middle Tennessee residents. As the weather improves, we aren’t the only ones looking to take advantage of the beautiful weather. Pests start to migrate out of their winter hiding and find places to feed and reproduce.
While there are a variety of pests that make their way into your home, a few will be more prevalent in the Tennessee area.
Ants
Ants live in colonies in and out of the home. The bottom of the colonial hierarchy, the worker ants, are sent from the colony to find food for the queen and the males. They prefer to eat mainly sweets and oils. It’s no surprise they are in the kitchen.
Spiders
Spiders infiltrate your home looking for a warm place to live and eat. Most spiders will spin many webs inside your home looking for the best place to catch its prey. Furthermore, females will lay eggs in sacs of silk for support and protection. The female spider can produce up to 4,000 eggs in her lifetime.
Termites
Termites thrive on dead trees and leaves. Unfortunately, they don’t stop there. Termites often feast on drywall, paper, and plastic. These pests live in colonies and can wreck serious havoc on your home.
Mice
Mice are little explorers that have turned your home into their personal palace. Preferring dark spaces, they will explore your home in search of food. Female mice will often give birth to mouse pups several times a year when they’ve found a suitable environment. Female mice can mother an average of 48 mouse pups a year.
Cluster Flies
Cluster flies, otherwise known as attic flies, tend to live in groups in dark spaces such as walls, attics, or unused rooms during cold times. Preferring to be outside, they will often be semi-dormant when they are inside. Quiet flies make it hard to track them down when they are in your home.
What are some of the most common entry points for pests?
Spring pests come inside your home for either food or warmth. With it being a life or death situation, they will find any way possible to get in.
Some of the more common are:
- Doors
- Windows
- Cracks in the wall
- Utility lines
- Chimneys
- Crawl space
- People
Once they’re in, it’s tough to get them out. Most pests reproduce at alarming rates and are excellent at hiding. While many poisons and traps you buy at the store can be sufficient, they rarely rid the entire problem.
Absolute Pest Control has been ridding homes of Spring pests for 15 years. Their technicians continually train on the most recent technology and treatments to ensure the cause of the infestation gets fixed, not just the symptom.
Call 615-220-1933 today for a FREE Termite Inspection. Absolute Pest Control will find the cause of your pest problem and recommend the best treatment. For extra protection, you can opt for a $50 annual contract for service. Click HERE for more details.
3 Pest Prevention Tips For Fall share
Pest Prevention Tips for Fall
There are 3 pest prevention tips for Fall that are very important to keep your home pest free. Because the weather is getting colder, bugs and critters want to avoid the changing weather too. Most of all, to continue blocking unwanted Fall visitors (aka pests), we have come up with 3 simple and easy tips that will help you.
What to Do:
- Examine- Take some time to thoroughly examine the outside of your home. This includes all windows, doors, seals, crawl space entries, vents, etc. If there are any broken screens, now is a good time to replace them. Cracks should be sealed with new caulking and door gaps should be closed with quality weather-stripping. It is important to remove old caulking, scraping well to remove any debris while not making any larger spaces. Adding a rubber seal under the garage doors can keep water and pests out.
- Seal Openings- Any place that you have an opening for utilities can be a super highway for rodents. Mice can squeeze through an opening as small as 1/4 inch. Spiders can get through openings as small as 1/32 inch. Those are tiny spaces. Take a flashlight (even in daytime) to full a full examination. To block those holes or cracks effectively we recommend using wire mesh, expandable foam or concrete.
- Chimney Cap- Do you have a chimney in your home? They are amazing for beautiful fires during cold weather however they can be an open door for unwanted pests. Birds, bats, raccoons, squirrels and other critters can wreck havoc on your home via the chimney. By installing a chimney cap, you will be stopping their point of entry. Don’t forget any attic vents while you are on the roof. Use wire mesh to block rodents from entering your attic through your vents.
If you are experiencing any pest control concerns or issues. Please give our office a call at 615-220-1933 or fill out a contact form HERE.
Bug of the Month for December: Mouse share
Bug of the Month for December: Mouse
Mice aren’t bugs, obviously. But hey! Neither are spiders, so, just roll with it. Mice can still be a very pesky pest to deal with. It’s hard to believe not even a mouse would be stirring on the night before Christmas because mice are always on the go, and they are nocturnal. Plus, they’d probably love to get their hands on some of those cookies you left out for Santa.
Here are a few things you need to know about the house mouse and how to deal with those little guys:
What do house mice look like?
Image courtesy of Wikipedia
Mice are tiny grey or brown rodents that can be 2-4 inches in length and have a long, scaly tail. They have pointed snouts and ears and four legs.
How do mice behave?
Mice are very sneaky creatures that are able to squeeze through small spaces to find warmth and food. They tend to eat insects and seeds, but have known to eat almost anything that is left around the house.
The house mouse tends to stay indoors, although they can survive outside as well. They are very adaptable to their surroundings. Mice can also jump really high: almost ten times their height! This allows them to be able to reach even more places.
The female mouse can produce 30 offspring or more, so if you see any mice around your house, there are probably several more.
Where do mice live?
Mice live on every continent and almost every country in the world. They are highly adaptable and can survive in almost any climate. They are the most common rodent pest in the world.
Mice make their home indoors for the most part and can make nests out of almost any material such as fabrics, packing supplies, and insulation. They also tend to prefer dark areas as they are nocturnal, but it is not uncommon to see them during the day.
Do mice pose any health threats?
Rodent feces can spread bacteria through touch and food contamination. This can cause severe diseases such as salmonella poisoning, Rat Bite Fever, and even Bubonic Plague! Not only is coming in contact with rodent feces dangerous, so is even breathing it in!
Most of these diseases are very dangerous, even deadly, but also very uncommon. The most common of these diseases is salmonella poisoning, which is a type of food poisoning. Symptoms include nausea, diarrhea, and fever.
How can I prevent a mouse infestation?
As is common with most pests, the best way to keep mice away is to make sure all doors and windows in your house are sealed and protected.
It is best to store things off of the floor and make sure the right rain gutters are installed so that rainwater will properly be diverted away from the house. It is also very important to keep your house clean and not leave any food lying around.
Signs of a mouse infestation include small droppings, torn fabrics and other materials, and damaged food packaging.
If you see any of these signs, don’t hesitate to call Absolute Pest Control at (615)220-1933 or click here to set up an appointment today.
Sources:
http://www.pestworld.org/pest-guide/rodents/house-mice/