Rodents 101 - Combating Rodents

There are several basic, preventative measures you can take around your home to control rodents

1. Wash all dishes immediately after use.
2. Keep counters, floors, cabinets and pantries clean and free of crumbs.
3. Keep all food, water and garbage in metal or thick plastic containers with tight fitting lids.
4. Never leave food or water out overnight, even for pets.
5. Clean up after your pets daily. As unappealing as it may sound, pet feces is a food source for rats and mice.
6. Stacks of newspapers, cardboard, firewood, lumber or other storage encourage rodent nesting. Keep all storage off the floor at the inside and outside of foundation perimeters.
7. Keep bushes, plants and hedges trimmed back away from the house foundation.
8. Replace all broken or missing drain covers to prevent rats from emerging from the drain/sewer system.
9. Mice can squeeze through spaces as small as a dime. Seal up potential entrances with sheet metal, steel wool or cement.
10. Check spaces around foundations, pipes, vents and ducts and block them with steel wool or cement.

Rodents are a challenge to control because they have a strong distrust of changes to their environment such as new food.