The sight of a mouse or rat running across a person’s floor generally sends chills down the spine. If you’ve ever been plagued with rodent problems, you know just how unsettling they can be. Most people will stop at nothing to eliminate mice and rats. However, many feel reluctant to use harsh chemical poisons to deal with the problem. If you’re one of these people, you should know that there are natural, non-toxic ways to attack a rodent problem.
When it comes to rat control, outdoor sanitation is just as important as overall indoor cleanliness. Mice and rats have many enemies besides people, including, cats, snakes, birds, foxes and dogs.
Who Needs Rodent Control?
There are several ways to deal with a rodent control problem that don’t include harsh chemical poisons. However, the most important step is to know how to identify one in the first place. One of the most obvious - if disgusting - ways to recognize a mouse or rat problem is to look for droppings. These can often be found in basements, garages and even closets and cupboards. Other things to look for include, tiny muddy track marks, fresh gnawing marks on wooden baseboards and cabinet doors. You may also look for travelling burrows alongside fencing and in vegetated areas.
Benefits of Rodent Prevention
Poorly sanitized areas are an open invitation for a rodent control problem. Like every living thing, mice and rats need food, water and shelter to survive. Loose crumbs from poorly stored food can provide the perfect diet for a rodent colony. Storage methods are also an important in prevention. Rat teeth go through cardboard like butter and they are able to chew through flexible plastic like its not even there. The best way to prevent a rodent control problem is to use food containers made from glass, metal or rugged plastic.
It may surprise you to learn that wet areas can also contribute to rodent control issues. Mice and rats need to drink, so that wet area near your water heater and the leak in your garage do more to attract rodent control problem than you might think. By removing the necessary components of life, you’ll not only make your home more resistant to rodent control problems, but you’ll make it less appealing to other pests as well.
When it comes to rat control, outdoor sanitation is just as important as overall indoor cleanliness. Mice and rats have many enemies besides people, including, cats, snakes, birds, foxes and dogs. It is for this reason they seek shelter and safe modes of passage. If you have tall grass or dead leaves next to your home you’ve set yourself up for a rodent control dilemma. Clean the area around your house thoroughly. The rule in rodent control is simple: if the sun can shine on it, the mice and rats will avoid it.
Another way to decrease the probability of a rodent control problem is to block the critters out entirely. The cliche hole in the wall used by vermin in cartoons like “Tom & Jerry” isn’t very realistic. While mice and rats are more than capable of gnawing through wood, they tend to prefer easy pre-made tunnels and openings. You can limit the attractiveness of your home to rodents by sealing off everything. If a mouse can get through it, you need to seal it. Latex calking, tight fitting doors, windows, window screens and sewer grates are powerful rodent control weapons. This sort of rodent control is especially effective as it tends to motivate the mice and rats to search for more hospitable environments.
Benefits of Non-Chemical Rodent Control Methods
Good prevention can eliminate a rat control problem by itself. However, after, you’ve tackled the prevention aspect of your rat control problem, you may still need to eradicate some of the leftover, more stubborn pests. If poison is out of the question, the next best things are good old fashioned mouse and rat traps. Trapping can be an extremely effective form of rodent control and it has its upsides over poisoning. One is the obvious lack of dangerous chemicals and the lack of potentially noxious residues. Rodent control by trapping also allows the homeowner to visually confirm that the pest has been killed. Mouse and rat traps also prevent the potential smell of dead rodents killed by poison decomposing behind sheet rock.
Negatives of Non-Chemical Rodent Control Methods
Although, non-toxic, natural rodent control can be used successfully, its main drawback is that it is not quite as effective as chemical poisons. Furthermore, improperly placed mouse and rat traps could pose a danger to pets and children. Although, many feel that natural rodent control is safer than using poison, this method does come with a few risks of its own.
The Bottom Line
Although, chemical poisons are highly effective at eliminating rodent infestations, many people feel hesitant to use them. Luckily, there are some non-chemical methods to rodent control. However, if you’ve tried and tried, but have proven unsuccessful in getting rid of the mice or rats in your home, poisons may be a good last resort. In this case, your best bet is to hire a professional exterminator to safely administer the chemicals.
If you are considering exterminators, check out the following links to find specialists in your area:
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