Get Rid of Rats!

Rodents are intelligent, social creatures. If they can find a way into your home…they could become your stealthy roommates. There are right and wrong ways to get rid of rats and mice which we will discuss here.

Signs That You Might Have Rodents In Your Home

Typically in the Bay Area we are dealing with two different species of rats and one species of mouse: the roof rat, the norway rat and the house mouse.

Roof rats are climbers and prefer to nest above ground in places like attics and trees. It isn’t uncommon however to find the roof rat nesting in a sub area.

Norway rats prefer living underground and in the sewers. Norway rats are much larger in size when compared to roof rats. Both species of rats can enter your home through a hole the size of a quarter. Homeowners must be diligent to keep these rats out!

The house mouse is a common household pest. This is typically the smallest of all the rodents. Mice can sneak into your home through a hole about the size of a dime. Once inside your home, mice are very adept at finding quiet spaces to call home. After mice have gained access to your home their diet consists of food scraps or crumbs they can find. Mice don’t need a constant source of water as they obtain this through the moisture in their food source.

If you don’t actually see rodents in your home, you can see some of their signs which include:

• Droppings (rat and mice poop)

• Unpleasant urine odor

• Gnaw marks and holes

• The sound of scampering

• Unusual pet behavior (THEY know!)

If you suspect you have rats or mice, call Omega Termite and Pest Control and we’ll investigate not only how to get rid of them but prevent them from reappearing too!

Keeping Rats and Mice Out

Before we get to controlling the rodent population, let’s discuss keeping the rats and mice out of your home in the first place. If your home is in good shape, they won’t get be able to get in.

• Check you ventilation screens around your foundation and under eaves.
• Make sure your crawl space access hatch has a tight-fitting cover.
• Seal all openings around pipes, cables and wires.
• Make sure your window screens are undamaged.
• Cover chimneys with a spark arrester.
• Make sure internal screens on roof and attic vents are undamaged.
• Attach screens to larger plumbing vent pipes.
• Seal jams around garage doors.
• Clothes dryer vents need an exterior screen.
• Close garage doors when not in use.
• Keep an eye on those pet doors!

Part of Omega’s initial service is an inspection of your home to assess how the rats and mice are gaining access and composing a bid to seal those points of entry (we call this exclusion work). It is essential to complete the exclusion work as that is your first line of defense.

Getting Rid of Rats and Mice: Why You Shouldn't Use Poison!

It’s not a good idea to use rodenticide for rats or mice in your home. Although the rodenticide will kill the rodent, you cannot control where they will eventually lay to rest. Rodents can crawl into your wall voids and decay there for months. This will lead to a terrible odor in your home. And, as the dead rodent decays inside the inaccessible parts of your home, you will find that insects and other pests WILL be able to access them. This will lead to a fly and other insect problem that could rival the initial rodent issue.

There are other reasons too. Using poison can be bad for the environment and other wildlife. It is not uncommon for a rat or mouse to ingest rodenticide and become slower and more vulnerable to their natural predators. This can lead the rodent’s predators to being exposed to secondary rodenticide poisoning.

Traps: Getting Rid of Rats and Mice the Safe, Natural Way

Traps are an essential tool in controlling a rodent population. The first step is deciding which trap to use. There are two styles of traps: the glue trap and mechanical trap. The style of trap that will be most effective at controlling your infestation is determined once a technician evaluates the situation.

In addition to style of traps the size must also be accounted for as the right size of a trap can have a huge difference in solving your problem. Typically a large rat trap won’t be as effective in controlling a mouse population as a smaller trap. And vice versa. A homeowner may be trying to control an infestation with the wrong trap with limited or no success. This is when a professional technician can be very useful.

Lastly the placement of traps is a vital step to get rid of rats and mice. Rats and mice are intelligent creatures and harder to control than you might think. They travel carefully…they don’t dart around your home randomly. It is vital to assess where the rodents are currently traveling and place the traps appropriately.

Rodent issues can be terribly overwhelming. Luckily, Omega Termite and Pest Control can assist with the entire process. Our service includes an initial inspection of your home; evaluating how the rodents are gaining access, which traps would be most appropriate, how many traps to place and where to place them. It also includes the placement of said traps to immediately control the current population and making multiple trips to ensure eradication. After the initial inspection and traps are set, Omega will compose an exclusion bid to keep all future rats and mice out of your home. With some hard work and a little patience you can be confident your rodent issue will be solved for good!

Omega, through our strong history of environmental stewardship and excellence in the pest management field, is one of only 3% of companies nationally that qualified as both QualityPro and GreenPro Certified. Being certified as QualityPro means the employees of Omega are held to a higher standard and are constantly on the cutting edge of the industry through training and education. Qualifying as GreenPro certified assures commercial and residential customers that Omega offers reduced risk, comprehensive, and effective pest control services with the environment in mind. With these certifications, customers can have the utmost confidence Omega will solve their pest problems in the most responsible manner. Click on our coupon below to take advantage of our special offer!

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