Steps To Get Rid Of Mice And Rats Once And For All

When you spot a mouse scurrying across your living room, you put a trap down and hope to catch it. Unfortunately, one mouse or rat may be the sign of many more lurking about and an impending infestation. 

Even in the most organized spaces, mice and rats can still make their way into a property and when they do, it can create all sorts of problems from damaged furniture to risking the health of your pets. Let's look at what you can do to remove and prevent rodents from causing havoc in your home or apartment. 

Why It is Important to Get Rid of Rodents? 

Rodents such as mice and rats can get into the smallest of spaces in seek of food, shelter, and warmth which makes your home the ideal spot. A mouse can have 10 litters of 14 pups a year while a rat can start reproducing at 5 weeks and have over 1200 pups in one year! The rate at which just two rodents can breed can leave you with an infestation in only a year. 

Both rats and mice damage furniture by chewing holes through the base to find a warm or sheltered place to create a nest. They will chew through cables, pee and poop everywhere they go, and create noise disturbances that can keep you up at night. Some rats have even been known to jump onto your bed! 

Rodents can also pass dangerous diseases onto your pets when sharing their food or water bowls. These pests also carry poultry lice and fleas. If you need to find an alternative or a more robust approach to rodent control, read on to learn more! 

Natural Ways of Getting Rid of Mice and Rats 

• Start by organizing your home or apartment. Garbage bins should be moved away from your points of entry, clutter cleared, and low growing shrubs trimmed. 
• Seal your food especially grains, pastas, and cereals in containers with lids. 
• Get a cat if you are thinking or getting a pet (check with your landlord if you live in an apartment). 
• Clear gutters and areas under the house or storage units where rodents can crawl in and build a nest. 
• Use essential oils by spraying a scent such as peppermint around your house or doorways to repel rodents. 
• Look for any holes or cracks in your frames or foundations and seal it to prevent these pests from getting inside. 

Traps and Baits for Pests 

These remain the most popular options for controlling pests. The simple mouse trap works with a spring mechanism and some bait that I triggered as soon as the bait is pulled or removed. Unfortunately, many pests have figured out how to get the food without setting off the trap. This is only a suitable choice for one or two rodents but not the start of an infestation. 

A shock box is a bair station that a rodent moves into to reach the food or treat and delivers a small shock to stun or kill the mouse or rat. These are popular outside of commercial properties and considered more humane than poison. 

Poisons come in grains, sticks, and pellets. While it remains a traditional choice, it is not the best option. Poisons consumed by rodents can be eaten by cats or birds which ends up killing these animals. The alternative to poisonous bait is a bait developed to eliminate rats and mice without it causing secondary losses in the birds or the animals that consume the body. 

What Can I Do About Rodents in My Apartment? 

If you have rats or mice in your apartment, you can try to use a bait station, traps, and be sure to seal your foodstuff. The problem with rodents in apartments is if your neighbor or another floor has a problem, no matter what you do, the pests may still get in. It is important to read your lease to understand your manager or landlord's role in maintaining the unit. The next step is to speak to your landlord and to send them an email describing the problem and the options to control these pests. 

Landlords can hire pest control services to manage invasions by rodents and mice. 

When Should I Call a Pest Control? 

If you've tried to get rid of rodents but you continue to notice a new mouse or rat moving about your home, it could be time to contact a pest control service. They have the knowledge and the equipment to target these critters and will recommend preventative steps to safeguard against future invasions. 

Should you notice one rat or mouse on your property, act fast. Clean the clutter, clear the bushes and long grass, and seal any holes or gaps that make it easy for rodents to get inside.