When you discover that you have rodents in your home, there are a number of things you can do to fix the problem—including calling a professional pest control company. Since rodents tend to be among the largest pests that a homeowner may discover, they are also often the quickest to identify and eradicate. It’s easier to find their nests, and the evidence of their presence (i.e. waste, tracks, and gnaw marks) is harder to miss. However, that doesn’t mean that you should be any less careful about how you handle a rodent infestation.

Ways to Handle Mice and Rats

Since mice and rat infestations are usually fairly similar, the same home pest control techniques are often used for both.

Traps

Most people’s first reaction when they discover rats or mice in their homes is to go out and buy mouse traps, whether they be the old-fashioned snap trap kind or more humane catch-and-release traps. These traps can be baited with just about anything (though rodents are more attracted to sweet-smelling foods), and then all you have to do is wait.

Use Poisoned Bait

Buying and using rodenticide solutions also has a chance to get rid of your mice or rat problems. You can mix it with food bait so the infesting rodents will be poisoned, or you can create other forms of bait stations that will kill them.

Get A Cat

Many people who run farms or who have extensive outdoor property swear by their feline friends as a method of effective rodent control. And many a cat owner can attest to being given the “gift” of a caught and mangled mouse by their purry pet. In fact, science has shown that not only do cats often kill or chase away rodents, but the scent that they leave around the home is also a great tool for discouraging rodents from taking up residence.

The Problems With DIY Rodent Treatments

Baiting traps and using home remedies may give you a bit of peace of mind, but these solutions won’t necessarily complete the job of eradicating pest rodents (not to mention they can be hard to clean up). Traps will only catch rodents that are actively moving around looking for food sources, and will not target the source of the rodent problem—the nest. Rodents are shy, so they’re likely to stay in their nest out of sight except in the morning and evening when they feed. Rodents are also known for being incredibly intelligent and resourceful. Traps aren’t effective in many cases simply because the rodents can avoid traps and find other safer sources of food.

Cats can be a great solution for keeping rodents at bay, but they’re still not a 100 percent effective solution, and the efficacy of the solution will often depend on the cat you have (not to mention, cats that actively hunt rodents or live outside are more likely to catch diseases). And sonic rodent repellent devices that you can buy at a hardware store just won’t work as effectively as a professional solution, since the noise they create is often ineffective against rodents.

Waiting for a DIY solution to work can also lead to more rodent issues, since rodents reproduce rapidly, carry diseases, and can do a lot of damage to your home over a short period of time. While you’re placing traps, the rodents in question could be gnawing through your insulation, wiring, or even water pipes, and leaving urine and feces around the home that can result in allergies and sickness. Furthermore, laying down traps and poisoned baits in your home is not the safest option for you, your family, or your pets. You never know what could happen.

Professional Pest Management

It’s best to leave rodent control to pest control professionals. At Dodson Pest Control, we have over 75 years of experience helping people get rid of their unwanted pests, and we can help you do the same. Contact us today for a free inspection!

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