Mouse and Rat Control Solutions
See also:
Rodent Control Solutions
Rodent Information
Rodent Biology
Non-Chemical Control >>
Baiting >>
Exclusion >>
Sanitation >>
Non-Chemical Control
Trapping is recommended where poisons are inadvisable (Commercial kitchens, homes, schools, etc.)
Glue traps are effective when placed in a rodent's runway between their harborage areas and their feeding are, but they will not work in a wet or dusty environment.
Snap traps work well on both rats and mice. When trapping for rats it is best to place the traps inset, but baited, for several days to acclimate the rats to the traps. Mice will readily investigate snap traps, and little balls of cotton tied to the triggers work well as a “bait.”
Automatic traps are very effective for capturing mice, but they will not work on rats. Place them in the same manner as you would baits.
Baiting
Place baits in safe secluded area where the rodents are frequenting. Proper placements of bait are more important than the type of bait used.
Put out more bait than you think is necessary. Under baiting is one of the most common mistakes in rodent control.
Use bait forms that are best suited for the particular conditions, such as wax blocks (Contrac Blox) for damp areas, cereal (meal) baits (Contrac Place Pacs) where bait security is a must, and tracking powders (ZP) where competitive foods are abundant.
Be sure to follow label directions and use bait stations and the newer tamper-resistant stations when possible.
Store baits in areas where chemical contamination will not occur. Rodents can detect the contamination and will not consume the contaminated baits.
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Exclusion
It is much easier to control rodents outside a structure rather than within, so the most successful and permanent form of rodent control is to “build them out.”
Cracks and openings in building foundations must be sealed. Doors, windows, and screens should be tight-fitting.
Use materials that are rodent “gnaw proof” such as copper mesh (Stuff-it) sheet metal, expanded metal, perforated metal, iron grills, hardware cloth, and cement mortar. Materials having an opening 1/4 inch or less will exclude both rats and mice.
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Sanitation
Reduce harborage by eliminating weed's, refuse piles, overgrown vegetation, and rubbish piles.
Place garbage and trash in garbage cans and industrial dumpsters with tight fitting covers.
Sanitations are the cornerstone of lasting rodent control. There is no substitute for sanitation, and the program must be continuous or the benefits derived will be quickly lost to reinvading rodents.
Eliminate as much of the rodent's water source as possible, as rats need water daily and mice will drink freestanding water if available.
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