Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Rat and Mouse Numbers Explode

It is normal for the numbers of both rats and mice to increase over summer months to a peak in the autumn. But judging by the continued high sales of Kiwicare rodenticides there are more rats and mice about in homes and workplaces than usual at this time of year. It is not clear what the reasons for this greater than usual explosion of number is, but it is reasonable to assume that the weather conditions over this summer have been suitable for both the breeding of rodents and the food which they eat.

What will this mean for the annual autumn invasion of rodents?
I think it is likely to mean more rats and mice than usual invading our homes looking for food and shelter this autumn and winter.

How to Stop Rats and Mice
  1. If you have seen rats or mice, or evidence of them around your property, the most efficient and effective way to get rid of them is to use rodenticide baits sometimes in conjunction with simple traps and proofing.
  2. NO Rats & Mice rodenticide bait is placed at strategic, safe points, inside and outside the buildings, in order to reduce populations around the building and to deal with individuals that enter, before an infestation can take hold. The NO Rats & Mice Weatherproof Blocks is a rat bait well suited to using outside or in damp areas while NO Rats & Mice with Tracking Powder is ideal for use in dry areas inside the house. If you do not wish to use toxic rodenticide bait, Kiwicare Natural NO Rats is a bait that is harmful only to rodents. However it should only be used in dry areas where other food sources can be controlled.
  3. NO Rats and Mice Traps are useful to use where poison baits cannot be placed or as a helpful way of catching rodents that are ‘dopey’ from taking bait. The rodents can then be removed without risk of causing an unpleasant smell.
  4. Prevent the rats or mice getting in. A mouse can squeeze beneath a door if there is a gap large enough to fit a pencil a young rat is only a little larger than a mouse! Draft excluding brush strips, are an ideal method of proofing such gaps. However, there are almost always other possible entry points around any building. So it is always wise to keep fresh rodenticide bait in place in safe places such as the roof void so that any rodents that get in are dealt with before you know about them.
  5. This is an important and often overlooked aspect of controlling pests. For example, rodents are what we would call agoraphobic, they fear open spaces, and like to be under cover. A wide clear area around a building will deter rodents from reaching and entering the building. And the removal of available food and shelter from within a building can have a powerful deterrent effect.
Stay rodent free this winter.

What is the difference between rats and mice?
The difference is in their size or the size of their incisors.

1 comment:

  1. Thanks so much for sharing this! I have had a rodent problem in the basement of my house for the longest time, so these tips are definitely useful. I have been using mouse poison in order to contain them, now all I have to do is find out where they are coming from and try to block it.

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