Mice and rats are likely to turn up in any house from time to time. If prompt action is taken to deal with them they should not cause real harm. But a continuing rodent infestation can damage the house as well as the health of its inhabitants, so immediate action is required as soon as they are detected.
Rats are much bigger than mice, and so are their droppings, so it is easy to know which is which. Mice droppings are about 1/4 inch (6mm) long, smaller than a grain of rice, and rat droppings are about three times the size, 3/4 inch (19mm) long. The droppings are dark brown in colour and will be seen on floors and work surfaces, as well as in cupboards.
There will be other signs of the infestation in addition to the droppings. Mice and rats chew constantly, and in addition to gnawed and shredded food packets you will see teeth marks on furniture and plumbing pipes. Hiding places for rodents include cavity walls, outbuildings, ceilings, and attics. Sometimes it is possible to hear their moving about, or even the noise they make when chewing.
Rodents are attracted by easily available food sources such as pet food and kitchen waste. Kitchen compost should be kept away from the house and treated with lime to speed up decomposition. Garbage needs to be kept in a sealed metal container with a lid, and pet food must be cleared away after feeding.
Mice and rats can spread disease, as a result of a bite, by contact with their droppings, or via ticks and fleas. Food should not be prepared on surfaces they have walked on unless it has been thoroughly disinfected, and any food they may have touched should be thrown away.
Rodent numbers will increase rapidly in your house once they start to breed, as they have large and frequent litters. They could cause permanent damage by chewing through electrical cabling, and even ceilings and walls.
Removing available food will have some deterrent effect, and devices such as ultra-sonic repellers can be helpful, but ultimately only killing rodents will be completely effective. Set spring-loaded traps across their pathways, baited with cheese, dried fruit such as raisins, or a mixture of oats and peanut butter. The bait should be on the side nearest the wall.
Take care when throwing away dead mice and rats. Handle them only with gloves, and seal them in two plastic bags. The corpses can be buried in a hole over half a metre deep, or it may be permissible to put them in with domestic rubbish. Clean traps with a weak bleach solution.
It is far from unusual to encounter problems with rats and mice, but tried and trusted methods exist to deal with them, and you should not be discouraged. If you find that you are unable to eliminate the infestation by trapping, you can call your local authority, or a specialist pest control company.
Rats are much bigger than mice, and so are their droppings, so it is easy to know which is which. Mice droppings are about 1/4 inch (6mm) long, smaller than a grain of rice, and rat droppings are about three times the size, 3/4 inch (19mm) long. The droppings are dark brown in colour and will be seen on floors and work surfaces, as well as in cupboards.
There will be other signs of the infestation in addition to the droppings. Mice and rats chew constantly, and in addition to gnawed and shredded food packets you will see teeth marks on furniture and plumbing pipes. Hiding places for rodents include cavity walls, outbuildings, ceilings, and attics. Sometimes it is possible to hear their moving about, or even the noise they make when chewing.
Rodents are attracted by easily available food sources such as pet food and kitchen waste. Kitchen compost should be kept away from the house and treated with lime to speed up decomposition. Garbage needs to be kept in a sealed metal container with a lid, and pet food must be cleared away after feeding.
Mice and rats can spread disease, as a result of a bite, by contact with their droppings, or via ticks and fleas. Food should not be prepared on surfaces they have walked on unless it has been thoroughly disinfected, and any food they may have touched should be thrown away.
Rodent numbers will increase rapidly in your house once they start to breed, as they have large and frequent litters. They could cause permanent damage by chewing through electrical cabling, and even ceilings and walls.
Removing available food will have some deterrent effect, and devices such as ultra-sonic repellers can be helpful, but ultimately only killing rodents will be completely effective. Set spring-loaded traps across their pathways, baited with cheese, dried fruit such as raisins, or a mixture of oats and peanut butter. The bait should be on the side nearest the wall.
Take care when throwing away dead mice and rats. Handle them only with gloves, and seal them in two plastic bags. The corpses can be buried in a hole over half a metre deep, or it may be permissible to put them in with domestic rubbish. Clean traps with a weak bleach solution.
It is far from unusual to encounter problems with rats and mice, but tried and trusted methods exist to deal with them, and you should not be discouraged. If you find that you are unable to eliminate the infestation by trapping, you can call your local authority, or a specialist pest control company.
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