Call Bill’s Home Service to take care of your Flea & Tick problem before it gets out of hand. Our trained and experienced technicians know exactly how to solve the problem quickly and safely. We only use high quality chemicals that are designed to be low impact on humans and animals as well as the environment while maintaining effectiveness on these pests.

When it comes to Ticks, the brown dog tick is the most common in Arizona. The Brown Dog Tick can complete the whole life cycle while living indoors and can quickly become a huge problem. Though it has not been found to carry or transmit any human diseases it still remains a problem that can be difficult to solve. This tick is commonly found in yards, kennels and in homes. The Brown Dog Tick is somewhat small, about 1/8 of an inch in size, and is reddish brown in color. It can swell up to a half inch in size when engorged after feeding.

Fleas are wingless blood-sucking pests that can be a serious problem for pets and cause a lot of anxiety for their owners. Most fleas are around 1/16th of an inch in size, although the Cat flea can be considerably larger. These fleas are brownish or black in color. They will feed on any warm blooded animal, including humans. Fleas can survive up to 18 months without a blood meal. Pets such as cats and dogs are usually responsible for the presence of fleas in a house. Flea treatments are typically coordinated with your pet’s appointment with the veterinarian to ensure both the house and the pet are being treated at the same time which significantly helps bring the overall treatment under control more quickly.

Rodents in or around your home can not only cause physical damage to structures, but they can also spread disease. If you’re worried that you may have a mouse or rat infestation in or around your residential structure, there are rodent control measures that we can help with to eliminate the problem and keep rodents away for good.

Bill’s Home Service Company has been locally owned and operated since 1964 and is one of the largest local providers of rodent control services in Southern Arizona. Learn more about how Bill’s Home Service can help if your home has a rodent infestation.

How to Spot a Rat Infestation

Pack rats, field mice, and house mice usually congregate where there are food and water sources. If the food and water sources are located in shelter from harsh weather conditions, that’s even better. However, you may never see them because they’re nocturnal, hate bright lights, and are usually active from dusk to dawn. Seeing one of these rodents during the day can indicate a large infestation in your home.

You may not be able to see the rodents themselves, but they do present themselves in other ways. Signs that there may be a rodent problem can include:

  • Rodent droppings around food packages that are located in drawers, cupboards, or under a sink
  • Gnawed holes in food packaging, stored food, piled papers, or insulation
  • Piles of shredded paper, insulation, fabric, or other soft materials could indicate a nest
  • Chewed holes in walls and floors that the rodents use as entry points
  • Scratching sounds coming from within the walls, ceiling, or floor

When you see any of these signs, contacting a mouse and rat exterminator is important to start immediate rodent control to prevent the spread of disease and avoid further damage to structures.

Dangers of a Rodent & Rat Infestation

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warn that not only can diseases be spread through rodent bite wounds, but diseases can also be spread by touching areas or eating food contaminated with rodent feces, urine, or saliva. In addition, even breathing air contaminated with rodent waste can cause illness and disease. 

The most common diseases that are spread by rodents are Hantavirus, an infectious respiratory disease, and Salmonella, a bacterial infection that infects the urine, blood, bones, joints, and nervous system. In addition, the National Center for Healthy Housing (NCHH) says that researchers have conducted studies on the link between exposure to rodents and increased asthma symptoms. Studies and research have found that exposure to rodents can trigger asthma attacks. In addition, pack rat nests are ideal breeding grounds for kissing bugs which are known carriers of the parasite that causes Chagas disease. Some people also can have severe allergic reactions to kissing bug bites.

Bill’s does not provide medical information or medical advice. Please see your medical provider for any questions about rodent-related illnesses.

Pack Rats

Pack rats, also known as wood rats, are one of the biggest rodent concerns in Southern Arizona. Pack rats are about 6 – 8 inches long and are typically gray to grayish-brown with lighter-colored feet and undersides. Their ears are large and hairy, as are their tails which are about the same length as their head and body.

Pack Rats get their name from their tendency to collect small objects, especially shiny ones, to bring back to their nests. The nests are built of cacti and sticks and are usually located in sheltered areas such as rock clusters, the base of trees and shrubs, and around the root systems of cacti. They also build their nests in suitable areas that we provide for them, such as cars, BBQ grills, sheds, and even in attics and wall voids; anything providing shelter that is left undisturbed for a long period of time.

Bill’s can create a specific rodent control plan based on your needs to eliminate rodent problems, including trapping, ongoing baiting service, and exclusion services.

House Mice

House mice are one of the most common commensal rodents in the U.S. They are smaller than pack rats measuring about 2.5 to 3.75 inches long. They are dusty gray with cream colored bellies, pointed noses, and large ears.

House mice prefer to nest in dark, secluded places and often use paper products, cotton and fabrics, and even wall insulation as nesting material. They normally try to build their nests close to food and water sources like kitchens and pantries.

Our Rodent Removal Process

Professional control for rodent infestations should be sought as soon as an infestation is discovered. Two pack rats can become as many as 72 rats in less than a month based on their reproductive cycle. Mice can reproduce even faster. The licensed technicians at Bill’s have the training and tools to immediately develop a treatment plan based on the type and size of an infestation to effectively gain control of the infestation. As with any treatment we perform, our rodent services are developed with the safety of people and other animals in mind. We only use traps and bait stations that can be securely anchored in the treatment area and cannot be accessed by people, pets, or other animals. We also look for possible entry points and will provide information on ways to make your home or business less appealing to rodents in the future.

Bill’s Home Service: Your Solution for a Rodent-Free Home

Rodent or rat infestations in homes in Tucson and surrounding areas are not unusual. If you discover a rodent infestation, you must start rodent control immediately to keep the people around you safe from disease. Bill’s Home Service Company can help, so schedule a pest evaluation with us today!