Rodent Control Ideas And Measures

Rodent control is something that homeowners should be aware of even without the appearance of the little critters. Although, being in this planet means that, rats and mice as well as other pests can be present in one’s home at any given time. The important thing is to manage and control them.

Food Cleanliness

It is important to maintain cleanliness and order in and around the house. In the house, tables and chairs used for dining and eating should be wiped clean of food crumbs and other debris. Even drops of juice or milk should be cleaned up to prevent the appearance of these pests. Once they get used to having available food, they will come back again and again. This means that trash disposal, which is one of the first things that usually brings rats, mice and cockroaches to a home, should be done properly, as well. Make sure that garbage cans have covers and that these are securely covered. Trash should be put in plastic bags to contain them and these should be sturdy enough. If there are pets in the house, their food should not be left out and accessible to raiding visitors. As the first part of rodent control, it is important to understand that they are looking for food sources and one’s house should not be a good one.

Protection

Protecting the house from the entrance of pests is a good way to start the management of pests. Rat proofing the house can start by making sure that entrances or possible entrances are properly covered and sealed. Make sure that there are none inside the house before these are sealed up because they will thrive in a house if they are trapped in it. Rodent control should start with inspecting possible entryways for them. Pet doors, which are flimsy, need to be checked because bigger rats can push open a cat or small dog door. Mail or letter drops are also possible ways for these pests to enter the home. Open drains and pipes that lead into the home are potential entrance and exits. Drains should be covered with grating which can withstand being chewed, which means plastic ones may not be the best covers. Vents or exhausts should also have durable covers. Mice and rats can climb up walls with the right paw grasps and footholds. Small cracks or openings in windows should be amended and sealed. Chimneys should also be included in the rodent control checklist and these should be provided with the right covering in order to prevent pests from entering this way.

Trapping or Poisoning

Setting traps for any rodent that may have taken residence inside the home is a good idea. Some homeowners prefer to use poison to get rid of these, but there are consequences in using it. Pets may eat the poison and be poisoned instead. On the other hand, mice and rats that may eat it may not be easy to look for and die in crevices or inaccessible places such as pipes or vents making their retrieval quite tedious or expensive while creating a stench for several days.