| By :
Mark Etinger
While most rodents are actually beneficial for humans, living in the woods and meadows and eating insects, there are three species of rodent that prefer to pester us: the house mouse, the Norway rat, and the black rat. These filthy animals can chew through wires, infest your home, and spread disease if you don’t take care of the problem properly. In this article, we will discuss how to prevent rodents from entering the home before they have the chance. 1. Cats and other predators: A skilled mousing cat will catch up to 1200 rodents annually. Don’t be afraid if they drop a dead mouse at your feet – it’s a sign that they love you. If you think you have a larger problem, rats that is, then you may have to rely on another animal. Terriers are great rat catchers since it was what they were bred to do. If you have a particularly large estate, then you may need more than one or two cats or dogs. A pair of barn owls are ideal if you have a raging rodent population. 2. Traps: Poison isn’t a good idea, unless you’re killing rats in the subway. Pets often ingest it, and if a rat dies after coming into contact, he could be stuck in your home for a long time – until the smell becomes noticeable. Controversy rages over which form of trap is most humane: snap traps are good because they kill rodents instantly, but you may be left with a mess. Large boxes can help trap rodents, but once caught, simply releasing them may not be enough. Rodents have a powerful sense of smell and can easily return to their old territory. Plus, in some states depositing rodents in the wild is illegal, and can get you fined. 3. Prevention: If you want to prevent rodents from entering your home, here are a few tips: • Seal cracks larger than a quarter inch • Cut back branches from your roof, at least 6 feet • Cover all food properly and tightly and clean up crumbs • Don’t allow clutter to build – this means old appliances, trash heaps, vehicles in disuse, and weeds • Keep areas along walls visible, both inside and out of your home. Rodents like to travel along walls and leave feces and urine (detectable by UV light) on their trail. These tips should keep your property rodent free, and if you already have an infestation and want to be rid of it, set traps with peanut butter and catch them by placing many traps at once. Warm, dark corners are loved by rodents, so plant the traps behind appliances and furniture. Chances are you’ll catch more rodents the first night than any other. To clean up after rodents if you see their feces, use a 1 ˝ cup bleach mixed with a gallon of water. Spray the area to prevent hantavirus, which is carried in dusty droppings and can kill humans if inhaled.
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