Controlling, Preventing, and Exterminating Rodents

Prevention

The best way to avoid mice and rat infestation is to provide as little harborage as possible. It is important to seal holes and cracks outside of the home through which mice and rats might enter. Other essential practices to keep mice and rats away from a home are:

• Keeping all firewood stored as far away from the home and as high up off the ground as possible.
• Removing all piles of stones, bricks or debris that may be near the foundation of the home that can serve as harborages to attract rodents.
• Piles of leaves that accumulate next to the home's foundations should be raked away immediately.
• Sealing all holes or cracks larger than 1/4 of an inch by stuffing it with steel wool or wire mesh before sealing off with caulk or foam, stopping rodents from chewing through the barriers.
• Install good, thick weatherstrip on the bottom of all doors to prevent rodents from entering and ensure that the garage door is sealed tightly at all times.
• Installing wind-up mouse traps in the garage can catch a lot of mice as they enter, catching up to fifteen mice with one setting.

Other ways to prevent mice and rats include storing food, bird seed, pet food, garbage, compost and recyclables in secure metal, glass, ceramic or heavy-duty plastic containers with tightly fitting lids. Disinfecting areas where food is kept frequently as well as cleaning garbage cans, dumpsters and chutes regularly are also effective.

Extermination

Exterminating can be done a couple of different ways. Snap trapping is recommended for homes that do not have young children or domestic animals. They can be hidden inside things and should be set at night when mice are most active. These traps should also be checked in the morning and the evening to prevent the animals from dying of hunger, dehydration or stress. This type of trapping has raised many legal, ethical and biological concerns and should only be used to monitor mice infestation and for removal.

Rodenticides should be used with precaution, and done by either a professional or very carefully by following the manufacturer's label. These types of pesticides are sold in several different forms, such as pellets, powder, blocks and meal. This kind of extermination can be hazardous to children, pets and wildlife, and pets or animals that eat poisoned mice can be poisoned themselves. If a poisoned mouse dies inside a wall or subfloor, the decomposition can create a foul odor and may attract other pests. The best prevention is to trap the mice and release them outside and protect your home from future invasions.