Rodent – Rat & Mice Control Grants Pass
Rodents’ instincts make them difficult to control, and they present a serious menace to your home. If you’re in need of rodent control services, here’s what you should know about these pests:
Rats
- Instincts: Rats are instinctively wary of rat control measures such as traps and bait, and colonize in attics, burrows, under concrete and porches, in wall voids and other hard to reach places.
- Disease: Rats can harbor and transmit a number of serious diseases. They can also introduce disease-carrying parasites such as fleas, lice and ticks into your home.
Rat Control
Effective rat control begins with prevention. All possible entry points, such as sewers and air vents, should be sealed against rodents. Rats can enter through a hole as small as a quarter (25¢), so even very small holes should be sealed. Rats often enter by climbing trees and coming through broken screens or vents.
In order to address an existing rat population, it is necessary to identify and eliminate their feeding and dwelling sites. Pet food is an incentive for rodents and should be kept in tightly sealed containers. All human food should be stored likewise. Trash should be disposed of properly and sanitary conditions should be observed.
Various rat traps and poisons are commercially available. However, because rats tend to avoid unfamiliar objects, it is often necessary to enlist the services of a pest control professional when attempting to extermination an existing rat population.
Mice
- Access: They invade your home seeking food, water and warmth. Without mouse control intervention, one pair of mice may produce 200 offspring in four months.
- Contamination: Each mouse can contaminate much more food than it eats.
Mouse Control
To prevent mice from entering the home, all cracks, crevices, holes and gaps larger than a pen cap should be stuffed with steel wool. They should then be sealed with cement or a mixing compound. Mice are reluctant to gnaw through or removing steel wool. It is not advised that wood be used to seal these holes, as mice are capable of chewing through those surfaces.
Cleanliness may also have an effect on pest infestations. Be sure to wash dishes immediately following use. Food should be stored in glass or metal containers with tight lids. Mice acquire most of their water from scavenged food particles and no crumbs or morsels should be left on tabletops or floors.
When a home is already infested, prevention methods prove inefficient. House cats are mouse predators and mousetraps or poisons may also be useful. However, house cats and mousetraps address individual specimens only. Poisons can be harmful to humans and house pets. The most effective mouse control methods are those administered by trained, careful professionals.
