Contrary to popular mythology, and Mickey Mouse aside, rodents are a nuisance that can damage your home and endanger your family. These dangers can be as minor as damage to your wainscoting or as severe as life threatening illnesses, particularly if you live in a city that's a port town, where mice (and especially rats) can carry parasites from around the globe. Don't think of mice in the attic as being cute - think of them as a potential threat to your home value and your family.
The most common effect of rodents (mice, rats and the like) is physical damage. They all have incisors that grow constantly, and they've got instincts that drive them to gnaw to keep them worn down. They'll gnaw their way through plumbing walls, the walls of your home, the main support beams and more to get to where food is. Worst of all is what they do to cables, which to them seem to be roots...and can cause short circuits or house fires.
While rodents are predominantly herbivores, their droppings have an odour, and so does their urine. They'll drop a pellet wherever they walk, which, since they want concealment all the time, means they'll accumulate in places that are impossible to get at - behind appliances, in crawl ways, and in walls. One rodent isn't bad - but the breeding rate of rodents means that there's never just one.
Beyond the dangers to your home, rodents are also bring with them many infectious parasites and diseases. Here are some examples.
Rickettsial Pox - A disease similar to chicken pox transmitted from the mites commonly found on rodents.
Food poisoning - If food comes into contact with rodent droppings or urine infections such as salmonella become a serious possibility.
Tapeworms and trichinosis - These parasites and many others thrive under the conditions found in a rat infested house.
The Hantavirus - This potentially life threatening disease is spread via the inhalation of dust containing rodent droppings or urine.
Rat-bite fever - This is a rare disease and as the name suggests is transmitted through a bite from a rodent.
The plague (both pneumonic and bubonic) - This old, well known disease is carried by the fleas that live on rodents. Many people think that it has been eradicated but cases are still reported even today.
Now that you know some of the dangers let us look at some possible solutions to keep you and your home safe from the dangers that rodents pose.
First, there's keeping them out in the first place, or making your home unappealing. Look for any cracks or holes or loose plumbing fittings at about two feet or less from the ground; rats and mice can squeeze through improbably small spaces, and their usual avenue into the home is climbing the plumbing. Taking some time with a caulking gun can pay major benefits.
If they're already in the home, the best way to remove them is to have a cat; in addition to the rodents the cat kills, the smell of a cat and the knowledge that a predator is there will drive them out to greener pastures.
The next best option, if you can't bring in a predator, is a sticky trap, or a spring-trap. Sticky traps have glue on them to catch rodents; spring traps will try to snap their necks very quickly and humanely. If you need to bait traps, yogurt covered peanuts are the best kind of bait; also good candidates are peanut butter and bits of bacon. (In general, if it's high in fat and salt, a rodent will love it.)
If you only have a few unwanted rodents running through your house then the aforementioned methods will most likely suffice. For larger infestations however it may be wise to call in a professional to ensure that the job gets done quickly, safely and effectively. - 16463
The most common effect of rodents (mice, rats and the like) is physical damage. They all have incisors that grow constantly, and they've got instincts that drive them to gnaw to keep them worn down. They'll gnaw their way through plumbing walls, the walls of your home, the main support beams and more to get to where food is. Worst of all is what they do to cables, which to them seem to be roots...and can cause short circuits or house fires.
While rodents are predominantly herbivores, their droppings have an odour, and so does their urine. They'll drop a pellet wherever they walk, which, since they want concealment all the time, means they'll accumulate in places that are impossible to get at - behind appliances, in crawl ways, and in walls. One rodent isn't bad - but the breeding rate of rodents means that there's never just one.
Beyond the dangers to your home, rodents are also bring with them many infectious parasites and diseases. Here are some examples.
Rickettsial Pox - A disease similar to chicken pox transmitted from the mites commonly found on rodents.
Food poisoning - If food comes into contact with rodent droppings or urine infections such as salmonella become a serious possibility.
Tapeworms and trichinosis - These parasites and many others thrive under the conditions found in a rat infested house.
The Hantavirus - This potentially life threatening disease is spread via the inhalation of dust containing rodent droppings or urine.
Rat-bite fever - This is a rare disease and as the name suggests is transmitted through a bite from a rodent.
The plague (both pneumonic and bubonic) - This old, well known disease is carried by the fleas that live on rodents. Many people think that it has been eradicated but cases are still reported even today.
Now that you know some of the dangers let us look at some possible solutions to keep you and your home safe from the dangers that rodents pose.
First, there's keeping them out in the first place, or making your home unappealing. Look for any cracks or holes or loose plumbing fittings at about two feet or less from the ground; rats and mice can squeeze through improbably small spaces, and their usual avenue into the home is climbing the plumbing. Taking some time with a caulking gun can pay major benefits.
If they're already in the home, the best way to remove them is to have a cat; in addition to the rodents the cat kills, the smell of a cat and the knowledge that a predator is there will drive them out to greener pastures.
The next best option, if you can't bring in a predator, is a sticky trap, or a spring-trap. Sticky traps have glue on them to catch rodents; spring traps will try to snap their necks very quickly and humanely. If you need to bait traps, yogurt covered peanuts are the best kind of bait; also good candidates are peanut butter and bits of bacon. (In general, if it's high in fat and salt, a rodent will love it.)
If you only have a few unwanted rodents running through your house then the aforementioned methods will most likely suffice. For larger infestations however it may be wise to call in a professional to ensure that the job gets done quickly, safely and effectively. - 16463
About the Author:
Author: Darren K. Thompson shares information on pest control on his website where you can also find tips to help handle termite infestations and other household pest problems.
