Rodent Control
Rodents can be a difficult household pest to get rid of, and they are not only found in homes they also frequent industrial warehouses and other commercial premises. Getting rid of them can be challenging to an untrained individual.
But for someone that has the right knowledge, they will soon bring a rat or mice problem under control. Understanding the feeding habits and favoured harbouring places will help in eliminating them.
The first thing that needs to be done is an inspection of the property. All areas inside and out will need to be thoroughly checked for signs of rodent activity. For successful rodent control, the inspection cannot be understated.
Roof Rat
What To Look For
The main thing we need to look for is rodent droppings this will give us a good idea of where they may be harbouring. The roof rat, Norway rat and the common house mouse all have different droppings.
By identifying the droppings around the property will give us an idea of what species of rodent we are dealing with.
Another thing to look for is burrows under concrete or gnawing of skirting boards inside a home. These can both be signs of rodent activity and should be picked us during the initial inspection.
Burrows in the ground are a sign of harbouring, baits should be placed close to the entry points.
Rodent faeces
Rodent Control Placing Baits
Placing the baits for both rats and mice is best done by a professional pest control company. The bait stations will need to be labelled with the type of bait being used.
There are a few ways that baits can be placed either in a lockable box, cardboard box or fastened to a solid structure.
The lockable boxes can be used both indoors and outdoors whereas the cardboard boxes are only used indoors.
Where there are children around it’s highly recommended only to use the lockable boxes. Most pest controllers will only use the cardboard boxes in a roof void out of reach from children.
As mentioned earlier it is important to place a bait box close to entry points this will make for easy feeding.
Norway Rat
How Long Does It Take To Get Rid Of Rodents
The time to get rid of a rat or mice infestation can vary depending on how many rodents we are dealing with. Another factor is how long has the problem been left before a professional has been called in.
The longer a problem is left the larger the number of rodents there will be to get rid of. Getting a treatment started earlier is the best way to help bring a problem under control.
The baits used today will generally kill rats and mice in 3-5 days this will depend on how much is consumed. The total time frame can be between 3-5 weeks to bring a problem under control.
House Mouse
Rodent Control – Feeding Habits
Rats and mice have different feeding habits; rats tend to feed in large amounts whereas mice feed in smaller quantities.
Both rats and mice will also hoard their food and store it for a later time. This is another factor that can make rodent control efforts harder.
For a treatment to be successful all other available foods need to be removed from the areas of concern. If other food sources are still available there’s a good chance that the rodents will either ignore the baits or simply store them.
If the baits are stored there is also a chance that they will never be consumed. All of these factors need to be taken into consideration when dealing with a rat or mouse problem.
Conclusion
The very best and easiest way to control rodents of any kind is to engage the services of a professional pest control company.
Your local pest expert will be able to give you the best advice on how to get rid of rodents. Using a professional company will also mean that you are covered with a guarantee.
Even when a professional pest controller carries out a rodent control service it will still take some time to bring it under control.
Sometimes when dealing with these smart little pests it can be a bit of trial and error. All rat and mice jobs are different, but listening to your pest expert is the safest and easiest way to eliminate them.
