Check out the Solutions Four Step Process to Eliminate Mice and Rats. bit.ly/2BgA7VT
In this video, we will show you just how easy it can be to get rid of mice and rats using our DIY methods and product recommendations.
The first step of the rat and mice control process is IDENTIFICATION.
The Norway Rat usually weighs between 15-16 ounces. They are typically found outdoors. They burrow into the ground and underneath structures. They have a blunt nose, small ears, and small eyes.
The Roof Rat is usually found in attics, trees, or along fence lines. They have a very slender body, weighing in at about 11-14 ounces. They have a pointed nose, large eyes, and large ears.
The Deer Mouse is commonly found outdoors. Its body is about 2-3 inches long, with its tail being of equal length. Both the eyes and ears are large. Its underside is white, and its backside is grayish-brown.
The House Mouse body is usually between 2-3 inches in length. Their tail is about three to four inches long. They have a pointed nose, large eyes, and large ears.
The second step of the rat and mice control process is INSPECTION.
We want to confirm rodent activity in or around the home. Listen for noises in the attic. Look for droppings. Norway Rat dropping are about 3/4 of an inch long, and blunt on each end. Roof Rat droppings are about 1/2 inch in length, and pointed on each end. And the House Mouse and Deer Mouse droppings are 1/4 inch in length and pointed on both ends.
Look for smear marks along baseboards. Rodent bodies are very oily, and they will leave an oily film behind on the surface. Gnaw marks; they love to chew on the edge of wood. They leave hair behind when they go around corners. And they put off a very foul odor, smells like urine.
Look for holes around the perimeter of the house. Also check your flower beds; where vegetation has been compressed down to the soil is a sign where rodents are running back and forth.
The third step to the rat and mice control process is CONTROL.
We want to make the environment around the home or structure less conducive to rodent activity. Pick up pet food or water that might be left out overnight; clean dirty dishes that are left on the countertop or in the sink; take your trash out frequently and place it in a metal container. Look around the plumbing in the bathroom or kitchen, do you have large spaces or voids around that plumbing? These are places where rodents can enter.
Outside, take a look where plumbing actually penetrates the wall. Do you have large spaces there? If you have any small areas, use caulk.
For large voids, use Stuf-Fit. It’s a copper mesh product that you stuff into the hole. This is a great tool because rodents have a difficult time chewing through it.
Now that we’ve cleaned up our home and property, we are ready to bait the exterior. We are going to use a product called Eratication Bait Block with the Aegis RP Tamper-proof Station.
The Eratication bait block has ridges on it. This allows rodents to feed on it very easily. It also has a hole drilled through the center, which you can stick on top of the rods that are provided inside the bait station. The bait station is a tamper-proof station and does require a key that is provided to gain access to the inside.
You will want to place these stations every fifteen to fifty feet apart depending on whether you are dealing with mice or rats. Frequent the stations at least once a day. Check and see if there is bait. If not, replenish. Continue to do so until the activity stops.
Move on to the inside. We recommend either glue traps, snap traps, or live traps.
Snap traps. Made of a durable plastic, user friendly, easy to set. Bait the trap and place it up against the wall where the trap swings towards the wall. Place it in areas where you know you have activity. These traps can be used in the living area or up in the attic.
Glue traps. Peel the paper off the board to expose the glue, fold the board up to make a box, place the box up against the wall where you know that there is rodent activity. The boards can be used in the living area or up in the attic.
Live traps. If you are interested in a humane way of taking care of a mice problem, use either the repeater or the Ketch-All. Both of these units are designed to be placed up against the wall where you know you have rodent activity. They catch multiple mice and are catch-and-release.
The fourth and final step of the rat and mice control process is PREVENTION.
Clean up the property. Eliminate any unnecessary food or water. Empty trash cans. Those tree limbs that touch the roof of the house, trim them back. Clean up your flower beds. Bird feeders -- eventually the bird seed is going to fall to the ground, which is a food source for rats and mice. Doing all of these things will help prevent future infestations of rats and mice.