RODENTS AND HOW TO CONTROL THEM NAPLES FORT MYERS FLORIDA

RODENTS AND HOW TO CONTROL THEM

1. Rodents and rodent control has been termed Commensal Rodents.  The word Commensal means to share one's table.  This is an appropriate term since rats and mice have been sharing people's food and shelter for many years.
2. When having a rodent problem it is important to keep the rodents out of the structure by rodent proofing the building.  You must first identify the type of rodent you are dealing with.  Exclude rodents from storage areas by sealing openings, seal bottoms of doors, modify foundations of buildings, eliminate dead spaces, enclose staircases, boxed plumbing and voids under cabinets.  All gaps and openings must be less than 1/4 of an inch to eliminate mice and less than 1/2 inch to stop rats.
3. Keeping the Sanitation up in a building will stop the buildup of rodents.  Suggest to our customer's that all spills need to be cleaned up and cleared out as soon as possible.  That includes grains and other food items, even petroleum based products will draw rodents to the area, storage of food based materials should be placed into a rodent proof container, any water faucets or plumbing leaks need to be repaired, and basic household cleaning should be done regularly to keep alternative food and water sources from infesting rodents.
4. The most successful rodent control programs begin with complete and diligent inspections.  A good inspection provides 3 valuable pieces of information.  First, the extent and severity of the infestation.  Second, the location of rodent harborage and high activity areas. Third, the safest and most efficient control strategies to eliminate the rodent problem.
5. The roof rat is the most common rat of Southwest Florida and will take up residence in well established residential neighborhoods older than 10 years old, where the vegetation has become lush and abundant.  Roof rats are less dependent on people because they feed on slugs, snails, large insects, and any natural seeds, nuts, and berries available in the yards.  So, sanitation is not as strong a problem as is with mice and other rats.  However, landscaping and vegetation, bird feeders, dog houses, spilled garbage, etc. will benefit their population growth.  To help keep down the roof rat populations make sure all vegetation is off any structure, trim and keep foliage up to eliminate nesting areas, maintain and repair structural damage to soffits and roofs, and monitor pet and bird feeding areas for activity.

6. Eliminating a rodent population can be performed through baiting, trapping, and proofing.  Always suggest to a customer to have their home rodent proofed.  At Collier Pest Control we always bait outside and use mechanical traps inside.  Never bait inside!  We do not want a rodent to die inside where we cannot remove it conveniently.  Place traps inside out of any human or pet traffic area.  We do not want any person or pet to get caught in a trap accidentally.  When placing bait stations outside, make sure they are up against a structure and hidden if possible.  If pets are present in the baiting area, make sure the baiting station is not going to be reached by the pets, and do not place bait stations under or near a gutter down spout.
7. When you are having a Challenging Rodent Problem where the rodents are getting trapped or not eating the baits, you need to rethink your approach.  Change the attractant on the trap to the foods they were eating at your customer's before you started trapping or some other delicious treat.   If the baiting stations are not being eaten and there is still activity in the area.  Move the stations to the activity area.  When these changes fail, you need to regroup and start with another technique.  Other methods could be used as preconditioning the rodents with unset traps for a few days.  Disguising the traps with other materials such as; sawdust, paper, cardboard boxes, or items from the location.  Liquid baits may be effective when moisture is limited to the rodents.   Alternative techniques are certainly more work, but the use of specialized methods only outwit a neophobic rodent to a sensitive account.  Never give up, keep thinking and trying to outsmart the rodent.  It is wise to invest the time up front and avoid the expensive callbacks.

We offer this information for you to help you control rodents on your own.  But, if your looking for a pest control company that knows how to control and eliminate rodents from your home or business call 239-455-4300 Collier Pest Control for a full explanation on rodents or any of our service or look us up on our web site at collierpestcontrol.com.  Remember Florida does not have to be shared with insects.

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