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Rodent Control (Rat & Mice)
Rodents are one of the most abundant mammals on earth. Rats and mice began to live with humans over 4,000 years ago. Even in today’s advanced world, they are adept at thriving among human settlements and even have more options than ever before when it comes to food and shelter. In the United States, there are three major rodent species classified as pests. They include Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus), roof rats (Rattus rattus), and house mice (Mus musculus).
Rats and mice are commonly associated with filth. Moreover, they are notorious for the problems they cause for homeowners. Some of which include:
- Residing and breeding in the attic of a house.
- Scampering inside the walls of a house.
- Entering living spaces to get access to food crumbs.
- Chewing on insulation material, electric wires, wood, and pipes.
- Polluting the house with their droppings.
- Series of health risks including, Rat-bite fever, Hantavirus, Leptospirosis, Salmonella, and more.
For these reasons, many homeowners feel very uncomfortable when they discover that these nasty creatures are residing in their home or property. For many, getting rid of the problem as soon as possible becomes a top priority. At Wildlife X Team Oklahoma City, we can help you eliminate your rodent problems.
But before we delve into the rodent control methods we implement, let’s explore the reasons you might be having rodent problems in the first place.
What Attracts Rodents?
Rats and mice are attracted by two major things: food and shelter.
Food
Both mice and rats are omnivores, which means they eat plants and animals, but they tend to enjoy different food items. In the wild, rats are limited to eating foods like fruits, plants, and seeds. However, city rats have developed a penchant for garbage, meat, and just about any human or pet food they come across. If there’s easy access to food on your property, then it’s an open invitation to rodents.
Shelter
Who doesn’t like to live in a safe, comfortable, and warm place? That explains why rodents love living in walls, attics, and other hidden spots on human properties. Moreover, it provides easy proximity to food from the trashcans. A house with entry holes or great hiding spots for rodents will surely attract them.
Rodent Control Methods
Dealing with a rodent infestation problem requires an adept understanding of the behavior of rodents. It starts by identifying the source of the problem and designing and implementing an effective control strategy in place. We can help you come up with that at Wildlife X Team Oklahoma City. But here’s how to go about it:
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Find and Block Potential Entry Holes
If you don’t want rodents in your house, then you have to make sure that there’s absolutely no way of them getting in. This means you have to carry out a thorough inspection of your homes to identify tiny gaps through which they can wiggle their way in. Just bear in mind that an adolescent mouse can fit its body through a hole the size of a pen (6 – 7mm in diameter), while a rat can get through a 20 mm hole. These holes should be sealed with caulk or non-chewable steel. Other common entry locations include:
- Overlapping and tile roof
- Spaces between the roof jacks and vent pipes
- Broken sewer systems… and more
Remember, without this step, any attempt to trap them will be futile because they will easily be replaced. Due to the technicalities involved in locating these potential entry holes, it’s best to get a professional wildlife company like Wildlife X Team Oklahoma City involved.
Trapping
Traps can be an easy and inexpensive way to get rid of rats. While peanut butter is the preferred bait, you can also make use of whole nuts, bacon, berries, or dry fruits. Most importantly, make sure you check the traps regularly so you can dispose of the body on time.
Here are the common types of rodent traps:
Snap traps
This is one of the most effective ways of capturing rats and mice. It makes use of a snap mechanism to deliver a devastating impact on a rodent that tries to pick up the bait. The problem with snap traps is that they may fail to kill the rodent and instead inhumanely injure them.
Electric traps
This is a relatively newer type of trap. It works by delivering a lethal electric shock to the captured rat. It is a humane way to kill rats.
Glue boards
Glue traps contain a strong adhesive that prevents a rat or mouse from getting away once it steps on it. Because it doesn’t instantly kill the rat, the boards must be checked regularly so all captured rodents can be humanely killed and disposed of.
To increase your chances of capturing rats and mice, it’s best to set multiple traps. Moreover, they should be placed at strategic locations. With our robust expertise at Wildlife X Oklahoma City, we know how best to help you set traps that will yield optimal results.
What About Poisons?
Although there are several rodent poisons available, they are not recommended for a couple of reasons. First, they put other animals and even children at risk, if consumed. Second, rat poison is an inhumane way to kill rodents. It causes internal bleeding, which will cause the rat or mice to retreat to a hidden location in your house. Once it dies, locating the carcass may prove difficult and you will have to deal with the awful smell.
Decontamination & Repairs
After the rats and mice have been eradicated, their remnants including droppings, hairs, food crumbs, and nesting materials must be removed. Make sure to wear gloves to avoid contracting any disease. The infected space must then be disinfected to kill all bacteria. Finally, all damaged materials, walls, insulation materials, pipes, wires, and more have to be repaired.
At Wildlife X Team Oklahoma City, we also provide decontamination and repair services. We take a holistic approach to solving your rodent infestation problem and putting measures in place to ensure that you do not face a similar problem again. If you live in the Oklahoma City area, call us today to get rid of your rodent problem once and for all!
Rodent Prevention
Imagine this all-too-familiar scenario. It’s 11 p.m. And after a long workday, you’re about to take a long-night rest. You lie in your bed. And then all of a sudden, you hear a sound as though something just zoomed past your side. This is later followed by some squeaking and chattering sounds.
These are classic signs of a rat infestation. And no one wants to be in that situation. But rats and mice don’t need your invitation before they find their way into your home. Now, here comes the problems. Asides from being highly destructive creatures, they also pose several health risks to humans and pets.
Hence, the best way to avoid dealing with any of this is to prevent them in the first place. In this post, we explore some of the strategies we use at Wildlife X Team Oklahoma City to prevent rat infestation in your clients’ buildings.
- Seal up
You’d be surprised by the fact that rodents can get through very small holes. Think of it this way: if a rodent’s head can pass through a hole, then it can elongate and squeeze its whole body through it. For instance, that’s why mice can pass through holes the diameter of a normal-sized pen.
To prevent rodents, the first and most important step is to deny them any entry spot. Carry out a thorough inspection of your property. Look for holes and gaps particularly around the doors, pipes, and sinks, inside the closet, attic, basement, and between floors and junctures.
For smaller holes, use steel wool to fill it up, then put caulk around it to keep it in place. For larger holes, use hardware cloth, cement, or metal sheeting to seal them up. Do not use materials like insulation, paper, or even drywall to seal holes because rodents can easily chew through them.
- Eliminate hiding spots around your yard
Sealing up entryways is most effective for preventing rodents from entering your house. But how about your yard?
Well, rats and mice rely on hiding spots around the yard to conceal their presence. That’s why you need to eliminate these spots.
Here are some of what you can do:
- Dispose of abandoned objects in your yard.
- Ensure that you trim your lawn regularly.
- Declutter your garage.
- Cut off the food supply
Aside from shelter, food is another major factor that attracts rodents. Understandably, who doesn’t like freebies? Hence, cutting off the food supply for rats makes your house and yard less attractive. However, if it was just as simple as that, you probably won’t be here.
The problem is that rats are not picky eaters so they enjoy a wide variety of meals – from fruits to veggies to meats, and everything in between.
For starters, here are some tips to bear in mind:
- Ensure that your garbage cans are well closed to deny rats access to them.
- Sweep away seed crumbs from underneath your birdfeeder.
- Do not leave your pet food outside, especially at night.
- Ensure that you protect the crops in your garden – preferably with a fence.
- Store your foodstuffs in aluminum cans and close them properly.
- Use repellents and deterrents
Rats have a highly developed sense of smell. Hence, why not take advantage of odors they find offensive? Examples include the scent of some essential oils like cinnamon oil, pine oil, and peppermint oil. Cloves, cayenne pepper, and ammonia can also help keep them at bay.
As you probably already know, rats and cats are mortal enemies. Having a pet cat can help deter rats and mice from your house.
- Trapping
Rodents are persistent little creatures – and sometimes, they still find their way in regardless of what you do. In such cases, your best bet is to kill them. Snap traps are best used for killing rats and mice because they are humane. Recommended baits include peanut butter, bacon, fruits, vegetables, cereals, or meat.
However, effectively trapping rats, mice, and other rodents requires an adept understanding of rodent behavior. That’s why working with professionals like Wildlife X Team Oklahoma City is wise.
Do you need help to put an effective rodent prevention strategy in place? Wildlife X Team Oklahoma City can help you deliver the best results.
