Suggestions for eliminating rodents
Nothing quite sets you off like a rodent infestation. Those little scritch scratch sounds of skittering paws. The tiny squeaks that come from nowhere. These are signs that you have rodents in your house. If you do, then getting rid of them is your number one priority. Follow these tips to take rodent removal into your own hands.
Types of rodents in the home
There are two common species that try to make their home in your house. The first are mice. These small rodents are fast on their feet and they easily hide in little nooks and crannies. Rats are larger than mice, and have a more muscular build. They’re also more aggressive when cornered.
Both rats and mice are pests. They get into your food and eat it, and cause damage to your home. Rodents leave behind waste and can spread disease this way. They’re also prolific at reproducing. Consider that a female rat can have up to five litters a year, with the average size being seven babies each time. Starting with two, a pair of rats can quickly overwhelm your home.
Detecting rodent intrusions
Every species of vermin leaves behind signs of their presence. If you suspect that you might have a rodent infestation, there are a few clues to look for:
- Waste: Rodents leave behind small pellets of feces. They’re about the width and color of pieces of pencil graphite. Waste is common in your cupboards or on the kitchen floor.
- Drywall Debris: You know those holes that cartoon mice dig into the base of a wall? Those are real. Rodents can chew through drywall, vinyl and other materials. If you see particles on the floor under your kitchen cabinets, look below for a hole.
- Noises: Even from behind the walls, rodents make a sound that carries. You can hear their scratches as they move, as well as any squeaks.
Common methods of rodent removal
As a homeowner, your likely first method of pest control is a mousetrap. The most basic design goes back over a century, and its effectiveness makes it common even down to today. A trap consists of a wooden base with a pressure plate. The plate triggers a bar that snaps forward and cracks down, breaking the target’s back or neck. Here are some tips for using a typical mousetrap:
- Placement: Rats like to run alongside walls. Place the traps so that the side with the pressure plate is abutting the wall in a hallway or under a kitchen counter.
- Correct Sizing: Rats require larger traps than mice. If a mouse runs onto a rat trap the bar might miss it completely, or just snap over the tail. Larger rodents can shake free from smaller mousetraps without harm.
- Safety: There’s no need to set bait down on a traditional mousetrap. In fact, this is dangerous. The pressure plate is so sensitive that you’ll only end up setting off the trap over your own fingers.
Pitfalls of DIY pest removal
Properly equipped and trained, you can get rid of mice and rats. But there are some common mistakes that homeowners make. Despite your best efforts, if you go into this unprepared you could make a small problem much worse. Try to avoid these practices for best results.
Using poisons
Rats are very, very hardy creatures. They can usually withstand poison for a long time. If you place out chunks of toxic material for them to eat they might not die from it, or they could go back to their hole and die in there. A rat decomposing in your walls is a health hazard and smells terrible.
Catch and release
Some traps are labeled as humane. They don’t kill the rodents, but instead trap them so you can release them outside. The issue with this is that it does nothing from keeping the pests from getting back into your home, using the same routes as before.
Failure to isolate
Suppose you find a mouse hole in your kitchen, but none anywhere else. While it’s not a sure thing, assume that the mice don’t have access to other parts of the home. Keep the doors to the kichen closed at all time, or use a solid baby or pet barrier to keep the rodents from running around. This is especially important when you set up traps, as it keeps them from running into another room to try and escape, potentially spreading blood and pathogens to where you sleep.
Bringing in a professional for pest control
There’s no better way to get rid of rodents than hiring a professional. With training and expertise, exterminators know what they’re doing. Our methods allow us to get rid of rats completely, not simply killing one or two at a time. We know where in the home to look to find nests, and where to set our specialty bait traps. These methods are effective for more permanent solutions.
The Killers for pest control in Portland
With years of experience in the area, The Killers are one of the most professional pest control outfits in the area. We make sure that our exterminators are trained in identifying and dealing with all sorts of vermin, including bugs, rodents and larger animals. Our service is risk-free. You can call us or use the form on this site to set up a no-cost evaluation. After we’re done, we guarantee a rat-free home for up to a year. We work within a wide range of budgets and can negotiate service based on your specific needs.
Our methods are designed to kill the rats that are already in your home, and to prevent new ones from coming in. Every member of the team is very professional and treats your home as if it were their own. We leave your living space in the same condition in which we found it. Don’t put up with unwanted invaders in your home any longer. Call on The Killers to retake your house today for any pest removal in Portland.
