Mite Control
Rodent Mites, Bird Mites, Nests & Your Family
Rodent and Bird Mites: The Tiny Parasites You Never Knew Were Haunting Your Home
Rodent and bird mites are among the most unsettling pests you can encounter. These nearly invisible invaders don’t just live on their usual hosts—they can quickly migrate into your home and turn you, your pets, or your family into their next meal. While they’re tiny, the irritation, stress, and health risks they bring are anything but small. Whether it’s rodent mites finding their way indoors from a nearby nest or bird mites migrating from your attic, these microscopic parasites can make life miserable.
Signs of a Rodent or Bird Mite Infestation
Mites may be tiny, but they leave big clues behind. Here’s how to know if these unwelcome guests are hiding in your home:
- Itchy Bites Without a Clear Source: Unlike bed bugs, rodent and bird mites feed mostly at night, leaving small, itchy red bites, often on your arms, neck, and face. These bites can resemble mosquito bites but come with an intense itch that worsens at night.
- Crawling Sensation on Skin: Because they’re so small, rodent and bird mites can create a creepy-crawly sensation, as though something is always moving across your skin.
- Pet Discomfort: Mites from rodents or birds can latch onto your pets, causing them to scratch, shake, or exhibit signs of severe skin irritation.
- Tiny Bugs on Your Phone: Sometimes people can only see mites when they are contrasted to the backlight of their phones. When tiny dots crawl across your screen, try to get samples. They’re often too small for identification via images.
- Rodent or Bird Nests Nearby: If a bird or rodent nest has recently become inactive, , the mites that once lived on the former nest-dwellers may have turned to you or your pets in search of a new host.
The Real Dangers of Rodent and Bird Mites
Rodent and bird mites aren’t just an itchy inconvenience—they can bring serious problems into your home:
- Persistent Itching and Skin Irritation: While bird and rodent mites don’t burrow into human skin, their bites can cause intense itching, rashes, and inflammation. In sensitive individuals, the reaction can be even more severe, leading to open sores and secondary infections from scratching.
- Anxiety and Sleep Disruption: Dealing with a mite infestation can become a living nightmare, causing sleepless nights due to the constant itching and crawling sensations.
- Disease Transmission: Although rare, some rodent mites are capable of transmitting diseases like rickettsialpox, a mild but painful illness with flu-like symptoms and a rash.
- Infestation of Your Pets: Mites that typically feed on birds and rodents will gladly attach to your pets if given the opportunity, leading to intense discomfort and skin problems.
How Rodent and Bird Mites Invade Your Home
Rodent and bird mites don’t need an invitation to move in—they simply follow their host or migrate from nearby nests:
- Rodent Infestations: If you have mice or rats nesting in your walls, attic, or basement, rodent mites can jump ship when their hosts die or leave the nest, searching for a new blood source—like you or your pets.
- Abandoned Bird Nests: Mites living on birds can stay behind once the nest is abandoned. If the nest is in your attic, chimney, or eaves, those mites can find their way into your living spaces.
- Close Proximity to Wildlife: Even if the rodents or birds aren’t inside your home, having nests nearby—whether in your attic, chimney, or trees—can lead to a migration of mites into your home.
Conditions in Your Home That Attract Rodent and Bird Mites
Mites need very little to thrive, but there are some conditions that make your home particularly attractive to them:
- Rodent or Bird Nests in the Attic or Walls: If you have a nest hidden away, mites can live comfortably in the nest until the host leaves, forcing them to seek new feeding grounds indoors.
- Poorly Sealed Homes: Gaps around windows, doors, or attic spaces can allow mites easy access into your home from nearby nests. If you believe this may be the case, schedule a Rodent Inspection with us to handle two pests with one stone.
- Clutter and Dark Spaces: Mites can survive for weeks without a host. They’ll often hide in cracks, crevices, and cluttered areas, waiting for the next opportunity to feed.
10 Creepy Facts About Rodent and Bird Mites
- Mites Can Survive Without a Host for Weeks: Rodent and bird mites can live for up to 3 weeks without feeding, making them incredibly tough to get rid of.
- They’re Drawn to Body Heat: Mites are attracted to body heat and carbon dioxide, which is why they’re more likely to bite at night when you’re sleeping.
- Microscopic, But Mighty: These mites are so small they’re nearly invisible, yet they can cause large, red, itchy welts on your skin.
- Bird Mites Can Swarm: When a bird nest is disturbed, thousands of bird mites may abandon the nest and spread into your home.
- Rodent Mites Can Travel Far: If a rodent dies in your walls or attic, rodent mites can travel several feet in search of a new host.
- They’re Not Picky Eaters: While they prefer rodents or birds, rodent and bird mites will bite humans and pets if they can’t find their preferred host.
- They’re Night Feeders: Rodent and bird mites often bite at night, leading to sleep disruption and a rise in anxiety.
- Rodent Mites Can Infest HVAC Systems: These mites can travel through air ducts, spreading throughout your home.
- They Can Cause Dermatitis: The constant biting of rodent and bird mites can lead to intense itching, rashes, and dermatitis.
- Mites Multiply Fast: A single female mite can lay hundreds of eggs, leading to a rapidly expanding infestation.
Tips to Prevent and Control Rodent and Bird Mites
Don’t let mites take over your home—here are some effective ways to keep them at bay:
- Remove Rodent and Bird Nests Promptly: Eliminate any nests from your attic, eaves, or walls as soon as possible, and clean the area thoroughly to prevent mites from migrating indoors.
- Rodents: Deal with Them: You can’t ignore rodents for many reasons. Mites are one of them. We can treat for mites, but if we fail to address the souce, the relief will be brief.
- Seal Entry Points: Ensure all gaps and cracks around your home are sealed to prevent rodents, birds, and their accompanying mites from gaining access. This is a job for rodent exclusion experts only. See why on our Rats page.
- Keep Rodents and Birds Out: Use proper exclusion methods to keep birds and rodents from nesting in or around your home.
- Clean Regularly: Vacuum and clean thoroughly, especially in dark, cluttered spaces where mites may hide.
- Use Professional Pest Control Treatments: If mites have already made their way into your home, professional treatment is the most effective way to eliminate them and prevent them from returning.
Why Rodent and Bird Mites Are Best Left to the Professionals
Rodent and bird mites are experts at hiding in the cracks and crevices of your home. Getting rid of them requires more than just cleaning—it requires specialized treatments targeting both the mites and their potential hosts. At Pasadena Pest Control, we take a comprehensive approach, targeting the source of the infestation, whether it’s a rodent nest in the walls or a bird’s nest in the attic. Our eco-conscious solutions are designed to eliminate mites safely and effectively, so you and your family can rest easy—bite-free and itch-free.
Safety First
“Is it Safe?”
At Pasadena Pest Control, we keep the safety of your family and pets at the forefront of our minds as we plan and work, doing so with minimal disruption to your daily life. We apply chemicals according to the label, which in California is among the strictest and safest in the nation. We take into account your pets and plants, your family and the features specific to your property. At Pasadena Pest Control, we are well-trained on safety procedures, eco-consciousness and educating our customers. And yes, we are licensed, bonded and insured.
When you work with us, you will always know what to expect, how to be prepared, when we are coming, when we’ve started and when we’re done. In short, we provide The Service We’d Want in Your Shoes.
Don’t Let Mites Make You Their Next Meal! Call Pasadena Pest Control Today!
Rodent and bird mites are small, but the misery they cause is anything but. Don’t spend another night scratching and swatting at invisible pests. Call Pasadena Pest Control and we’ll send those mites packing—along with the rodents or birds they rode in on! Your home should be your sanctuary, not a feeding ground for parasites. Let us take care of the mites, so you can get back to peaceful, itch-free living. Seriously, you deserve a home where the only things crawling around are your dreams!
Questions Others are asking
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Mites are tiny arachnids that can infest homes and feed on plants, stored products, or even humans and pets. Some types, such as dust mites, can cause allergic reactions, while others like bird or rodent mites may bite humans.
Regular cleaning and dusting, managing moisture levels, and sealing cracks can help prevent mite infestations.
Identify the source of the mites and contact a pest control professional for treatment if necessary.