Killing Rats and Mice
We never want to think of mice or rats infesting our home. Sometimes, no matter how clean your home is mice or rats can move in with you. They are dirty and germ carrying and they are extremely damaging to your home and its contents. They are annoying and can be noisy too. You can be certain you have a mouse or rat problem if you see the small black droppings along walls and under counters and in closets. Or if you see the rodent itself—you know you have a problem. They will chew up your clothes and anything else that they can get to use to make a nest. Here is what you can do to rid this nuisance.
Mice can fit through the tiniest of holes. You should check for cracks or holes leading outside or under your home. Mice usually enter in pipes leading into the home through floors and will enter through any other holes as well. You should check under all kitchen and bathroom cabinets for holes. Also check around gas lines and other lines that run into your home. If you find any holes you can fill them with steel wool, this may deter the mice until you can take more permanent precautions. Caulking is excellent to use to close up small holes. Check your cabinets frequently to assure that no pests have attempted to chew through; though this is quite unlikely.
If your home is already infested with mice there are plenty of options to rid your home of these pests. You can use the standard spring back mouse traps to kill mice. These traps can be messy, so they may not be for everyone. They are also dangerous if you have pets or children. The spring traps can injure them. Sticky glue traps are a great option. They are also a bit more humane. The mouse will be attracted by the smell of the trap and when he gets on the trap—he is stuck. You can let the mouse loose if you choose. You should also keep glue traps out of reach from pets and children. Remember to place traps along baseboards right up against the walls, as this is where mice travel.
Mice and rats are effectively controlled with poisons. The only problem with poison is that you often do not find the mouse until he is dead and producing that retched odor. Pets can also be harmed if they ingest a poisoned animal. Of course you should not let your pets or children anywhere near the poison.
Rats, on the other hand are not as common as mice when it comes to infestation. Rats will live anywhere and will eat anything. This means that your home is not immune to rats. They are mostly controlled by poisoning. You should take care to guard against a rat infestation. Follow the same steps as in preventing mice. Fill all holes under cabinetry. Make sure all openings to the crawl space under your home are all covered with no openings. Do not keep anything stacked against your home; such as a wood pile. Rats can hide in small spaces and can set up a nest anywhere. Never keep garbage around your home. Use sealed, lidded trash cans, since trash can and will attract rats and mice. A dog or cat is also a good consideration. Cats are more known for catching mice, but dogs will get in on the action as well.
Rats and mice are disgusting little animals when they enter your home uninvited. Having one or the other as a pet can be a different scenario! When they infest your home, they can infect it as well by carrying germs and diseases. Rats are particularly infamous for plagues and rabies. Take caution when trying to exterminate rats on your own. With rats, you should seek out a professional. You should also seek a pro with an out of control mouse infestation. Exterminators can come in and help you find the points of entry but you will be responsible for fixing this—they just place the poison. Pest control companies will often offer you a contract for them to exterminate and prevent re-infestations on a monthly basis. The good thing about using a professional is that most of the time their work is guaranteed. When you have a problem like rats or mice—a guarantee is a great asset
About the Author
Pest control in London
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Bob Marley cover – Rat Race
