It’s funny how rats and mice are often portrayed as our cute and lovable friends in television shows and movies, but as soon as Jerry Rat or Remy Ratatouille shows up in your kitchen to cook, you take every measure to get rid of it. Turns out, rats typically don’t prepare food, dance, or pull off these elaborate stunts that we see in the shows; they naturally just want to eat and take up our living spaces.
In order to keep our boundaries clear, sometimes we must take drastic measures to distance ourselves from them, but this can be a daunting task. There’s a reason why rats are associated with sneaking and thievery, and it’s because they accomplish it so well. Sure, we can set traps, but the next morning we see the bait is gone with no sign of Mr. Mouse anywhere.
If only we could whistle our flute like the Pied Piper and get them to dance away peacefully. Hopefully with these few tricks and tips you can once again regain control over your own kitchen, and you won’t need music lessons to do so. Here is your guide for how to get rid of rats:
1. Isolation
The first step in keeping rats away is simply not to get them in the first place. By keeping up with your household chores you can easily keep rats away.
Pests like warm and cluttered areas because there are lots of places to hide without being spotted. Keep storage in your attic and garage organized by using sealed boxes and tubs. We’ve all seen Tom and Jerry, and we know that most of the cartoon’s shows involve Jerry stealing food from the kitchen. Everyone likes to eat, including mice, so keep your food sealed and clean up any crumbs or spills that might attract pests. Fill all holes bigger than ½” in and around your home, including the roof. A good defense can keep you winning the game.
2. Trapping
Even the best of us have problems with unwanted guests. Sometimes it’s out of town family and other times it’s your loud neighbor, but this time it’s a family of rodents.
One way to get rid of rats is by using traps. These are helpful for small populations of rodents and allow for easy disposal.
Start off by finding a location where you believe the rats are present (you can tell where they have been through small droppings or chew marks on furniture, walls, and food containers). Make sure the bate is secured down on the surface of the trap so the strong Mighty Mouse cannot carry it off. Next, choose a tempting piece of bait. Cheese, though used in television, is not effective because it is perishable (and could stink up your house) and it’s a solid, which can be easily taken from the trap without ever setting it off.
Choose something stickier, like peanut butter, to spread over the toggle. This way the bait is secure and will have to be worked at in order to get, thus setting off the trap. Check the traps regularly to see if a mouse has been caught and dispose of it in an outdoor garbage receptacle. Rodenticide or poison is never the answer (read our blog on why we never used poison).
3.Call the Experts
Most often, hide and go seek with a mouse is just not on your lists of priorities or skill-set, so call in someone who can do the job effectively for you.
Many pest control companies offer a wide range of solutions to rodent problems, including bait and traps, but will also go the extra mile when it comes to disposal of the dead rodent and prevention of future infestation. Some businesses, like Miller’s Rodent and Wildlife Solutions offer environmentally safe sanitation to remove unwanted odors and droppings.
Leave the rats as a source of entertainment on your TV and not in your attic. However, if you find yourself in a sticky situation, you will know what to do. If you need any more assistance when it comes to taking back your home, or if you have any more questions or comments about rodent pest control, please call or text Miller’s Rodent and Wildlife Solutions your inspection and Estimate
at 941-302-6009 today.
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