There are several methods used to control the population of rodents. Some are more effective than others. But the most effective rodent control methods are the ones that involve the use of chemical or natural treatments.
The main reason these two types of chemicals are the most effective rodent control methods is their design to kill the pests in the area where they live. This does not require the extermination of the entire colony of rats and mice – which saves time, money, and energy when compared to other methods.
How Do I Know I Have Rats or Mice in My Home?
The most effective rodent control methods will not work when the rodents are not in the home. Observe that the first sign of a rat or mouse infestation is the presence of droppings and/or urine odor. This can become difficult to determine with young mice. The color of the feces changes from white to a darker brown as the animals mature. Also, it may take some time before any smell becomes noticeable.
When you are having trouble sleeping, it might come from mice in the house. You may hear them scurrying around beneath your floors or scampering across cabinets and walls. That is while they burrow into wood joists behind panels for insulation against sounds from outside sources that could spook them even more!
How Do Mice and Rats Damage Homes?
The most effective rodent control methods will not work when the rodents are close to the home. Mice and rats can cause damage that looks like the little critters have been chewing on the walls, cabinets, insulation behind the walls, cables, wires, wood in the attic, and so on. They have sharp teeth so you can expect these.
Mice and rats will also chew the insulation of the panels on the walls and the floor. Mice can chew through wood, plasterboard, and cinder blocks easily. Rats chew through the same materials as mice do. But they will gnaw on metals. The rodents will feign death when people or dogs threaten or corner them. These animals might become difficult to spot at first. They move around mostly at night and hide during the daytime.
Diseases Spread by Mice and Rats
Mice and rats spread the dangerous Hantavirus through their droppings. They can also cause Leptospirosis infection while they are walking on the ground or in the mud. The rodents might carry the Rickettsiae bacterium that also causes the Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.
They spread the murine typhus through the tick-borne bacteria Rickettsia typhi while they infest houses and barns. Carry the disease-free Yersinia pestis which is not a direct threat to your health. But may infect you with the plague when you do get bites from one of these little creatures.
Basics on Rodent Control
Gain insights on two of these below:
Common Food Source
The most effective rodent control methods will not work when the rodents continue to have a food source. Find the sustenance the rodents eat and remove it from their reach. When the pests are getting inside the home, seal up holes in the exterior walls or along the foundation where they enter from outside. Also, block the openings from the inside using the older wood, bricks, and the newer steel barriers.
In the wild, rats and mice consume these foods at every opportunity. Therefore, raspberry bushes can serve as magnets for them. Blackberry plants or apple trees also similarly attract plenty of their attention!
Common Rodent Access Points
The most effective rodent control methods will not work when the rodents can still access the home. Use steel to close the openings where the pests get in the house. Otherwise, they might chew their way through them with their powerful teeth!
Place the steel bars around the main points of entry for mice and rats including:
- loading docks
- vents
- air conditioners
- soffits
- roof perimeters near gable ends
- foundations
- garage doors
- any other opening
That is where you see signs of gaps along the walls. Fill these spaces with steel mesh to keep out vermin effectively. You may choose galvanized or stainless steel depending on your budget. You may need a company such as Above All Masonry to fix any major masonry issues for your business or home.
Effective Rodent Control Methods
Enlighten yourself with six of these that you can do. Below is a guide:
Sanitation
Sanitation is the most effective rodent control method. Since you are removing the food source, the mice or rats cannot stay in that area any longer. Plus, the bugs will die when they do not have the sustenance to live on.
Remove the mice droppings and get rid of all the other rodents’ remains including the carcasses. When there are still live ones around, this step does not work by itself. Discard the organic material the rodents use for nestings such as paper, leaves, and insulation.
Close the trash bins tightly. The mice or rats might come into your house when they smell the food items inside the garbage cans such as the grease and the meat.
Rodent Proofing
Close the holes in the exterior of the buildings where the rodents gain entrance. Leave the steel bars locked so the pests cannot gnaw through them. Since they can bite through wood, plasterboard, and cinder blocks, fix the areas on the walls and the floor with this material instead.
When you have animals or dogs inside the house, patch up the openings. At least switch out the wood for steel mesh that does not give away easily!
Use traps as one effective rodent control method. These will help you get rid of mice or rats that come into your home at present or past times. Nowadays, there are many types of mouse trap designs including lethal ones, electronic ones, and humane ones.
Rodent Hunting
Hunting the rodents with the use of dogs is also an effective rodent control method. They can catch the annoying creatures before they come into your home.
Poison the mice and the rats that enter the house. Read the labels carefully and follow the instructions there for safety purposes.
The most effective rodent control methods will not work when you ignore the advice and proceed the wrong way. Here are some useful tips:
When at all possible, seal up the openings with steel or wood materials instead of the mesh wire. Leave enough space so the rodents get out when they get in but not vice versa.
Rodent Natural Predator
Even the infestation in your home is the problem of the entire surrounding. The rat and the mice population would decrease when there are natural predators around. So, set up owl and snake decors near the openings where the rodents get in the house. But it will not become effective when you put them inside the areas where they can come in contact with the pests.
When the hawk is in search of its next meal, it always comes across some small creatures that live close to danger. This time around, moles were waiting for this bird with big sharp talons and endless energy to pick them up.
Rodent Repellants
You do not have the option to use rodent repellants as the most effective rodent control method. But you can spray the area with chemicals. The effects are only temporary since the pests will learn after a while that it is not toxic anymore.
Read the labels of the chemicals before purchasing them to make sure they are not dangerous to the health of people, pets, and the environment. Pest control company will know the right ways to use the products for this purpose.
You cannot keep pests like rats and mice away from your home by using deterrents. They are not cowardly rabbits who fear your hair or blood. Go right for the skin than any other animal on earth.
Rodent Traps
The rodent control method that the professionals use is trapping. They have the tools to catch the animals right away, no matter the size of the rodents. The products are safe yet deadly when the pests come into contact with them.
But the traps only work in the short term since they will keep on coming back after a few days when you do not get rid of them for good!
You can also use glue traps as one rodent control method. The downside is that these types of traps violate state or country laws. That is especially when it results in animal cruelty. Check the local statutes first before installing them at your own risk.
Benefits of Using Traps
You cannot go wrong with using traps instead of rodenticides. Not only do they give you clear confirmation that a captured mouse or rat is yours. But also allow for disposal right away rather than dealing with the foul odor from poisoned carcasses which pose risks in children’s homes.
Most importantly? Trapping allows non-target wildlife such as natural predators an opportunity at your dinner table. Do not forget about those guys when considering pest control options.
With the right precautions, you can keep pests out of your home without using harmful chemicals. Make sure to place traps where children and pets cannot access them or use safety enclosure boxes for trapping animals instead!
Rodent Poison Baits (Rodenticides)
Rodenticides are the last resort when the other rodent control methods do not work anymore. But the best way to keep the pests away is prevention and elimination of their habitats.
When it comes to mouse and rat poison, you need the help of a skilled professional and the most effective rodent control method to get rid of them for good.
Take note that this technique is illegal in many countries, even when professionals use it. Practice caution! The toxins can kill anything that feeds on the bodies like children or pets.
These creatures spread diseases such as rabies, Lyme’s disease, Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS), Salmonellosis, and Leptospirosis.
Controlling a Rat or Mice Infestation
The most effective rodent control method is to prevent pests from entering the property. Keep the yard clean and the exterior of the home grease-free because these are the typical entry points for rats and mice.
It is even an expectation that the rodents may come into your home through the drainage system, wall voids, hole in the foundation, or any other openings. So it pays to call a professional right away when you see signs of infestation inside the house.
Hire professionals when you want immediate results and guarantee that all rodents will die so they do not come back again. But also only use the best pest control company according to your location and budget.
Guidelines To Maintaining A Rodent-Free Home
Follow these three factors to make your home free from rodents.
Prevent
Prevent rodent infestation. You can do that by sealing the entry points or eliminating the food sources.
Remove the rodents that are already in the home, especially the dead ones.
Get rid of the debris so your property will discourage nesting.
Do all these to avoid bringing the problem out or attracting new pests inside the house again. That is the most effective rodent control method you should always remember!
Identify
Identify the source of the infestation. The most effective rodent control method is to get rid of the rodents. Trapping or poisoning the pests will not solve the problem in the long term. Find the main cause to prevent them from coming back again.
Eliminate the rodents that are inside the house. Have the traps or poison baits set properly, according to the rule of the product, then realize the most effective rodent control method.
Treat
Treat the rodents through pest control professionals. This is the most effective rodent control method that you do not have to worry about the safety of your family.
The experts use the best methods so the pests will never come back again. Verify the company’s certification and license before hiring them for the job.
Outdoor Recommendations
Rodents are the common pests near the exterior of the house. Take the necessary precautions to ensure you will not have the problem again.
Lock the entry points for the rodents to make it difficult for them to enter the premises or put up metal screens on the windows and vents.
Indoor Recommendations
You should not store the food in the areas where the rodents can reach them easily. Put the garbage in closed containers and make sure to clean the spilled crumbs on the floor.
Rodent control is a must when you notice these creatures crawling around. Use the best and most effective rodent control method today!