Rats and mice can crawl through very small crevices, which makes it hard to confine their movement. Even if you can't see them, you may hear them moving after dark.
If your pet paws at a wall or cabinet it may be after a lurking rodent. Cats and dogs are not much of a deterrent to rodents, however. Usually, the first clue of a serious rodent problem is their droppings on the kitchen counter, in kitchen drawers, cabinets, or the pantry.
When one dwelling is infested, it's likely the immediate neighborhood is, too. That's why rodents are so difficult for one homeowner to control. Rodents are a community problem. Effective control necessitates that all homeowners in a community work together to eliminate sources of food, water, and shelter.
Rodents are persistent in their efforts to invade the home, but you can deal with them effectively if you know their capabilities. The house mouse Mus musculus is by far the most common mammal on earth.
Native to central Asia, the mouse arrived in North America with the first European colonists. Mice can now be found all across North America, in every state including coastal Alaska, and in all but northernmost Canada.
The mouse is very adaptable. It's an excellent swimmer, runner, climber and jumper. It can jump as high as 12 inches. Mice have excellent senses of smell, taste and touch.
While they have poor eyesight, mice have good peripheral vision that allows them to detect movement. Outdoors, mice nest in weeds, rubbish, cracks in rocks or walls, or they will construct a network of tunnels below ground, with chambers for nests and storage, and several exits. Each fall, the onset of cold weather causes mice to search for food and shelter. If they like what they find inside better than what they had outside, you will have a mouse problem.
Mice will nest in any hidden area near a source of food. Their nests are constructed of rags or paper lined with finely shredded material, and look like a loosely woven ball inches in diameter. If food is available, a mouse will normally travel no more than feet from their nest. Mice are territorial, and will constantly explore to learn more about their surroundings. They memorize pathways, obstacles, food, water, shelter and other elements in their habitat. They are quick to detect new objects in their environment, and they are more curious than fearful of anything new.
Because of their poor eyesight, mice navigate using their whiskers, usually traveling along a wall or other object. If you don't move, a mouse can't see you.
They will explore when they think they're alone People usually see mice only when they have been sitting stock still, such as when reading or watching television. Unlike rats, the fact that you have seen a mouse does not necessarily mean they have a high population density. A mouse family will include a dominant male, several females, and their young.
Females will establish a loose hierarchy within their territory. Adult mice will force their young to disperse, although some females may remain close to their parents. The mouse is one of the most prolific of mammals. It's easy to see why mouse populations can grow exponentially under the right conditions. Fortunately, breeding slows markedly as mouse populations increase. While they will drink water when it's available, mice can live in a dry habitat, getting all the water they need from the food they eat.
In the wild, mice eat seeds, roots, leaves and stems, beetle larvae, caterpillars, cockroaches, and carrion, but they prefer seeds and grain. When human food is available, those foods high in fat, protein, or sugar are often eaten in preference to seeds and grain. Some of their favorite human foods include bacon, chocolate, butter and nuts. Mice are naturally curious, and do not hesitate to sample new foods.
They will even eat glue or soap, if the soap contains animal fat. Mice nibble whatever food is available, eating small portions to find what they like best. In this manner, mice destroy much more food than they eat. In a year, one mouse will produce approximately 18, fecal droppings. They will store food, which can lead to insect infestations. Though it is not their preference, mice will live in freezers feeding only on frozen food. This usually occurs in large commercial operations that have walk-in coolers.
The Norway rat Rattus norvegicus is strong, very aggressive, and able to adapt to cold climates. A rat will shed over , body hairs each year. Left untouched, a rat's incisor teeth would grow 4 inches in a year.
So rats must chew continuously to wear down their incisors. Rats will chew on wood, aluminum siding, wallboard, plaster, paneling, frozen ground, concrete Because they are so adept at hiding and scurrying, rats can exist in large numbers unbeknownst to their human neighbors. Unlike the mouse, rats are fearful of anything new. Even so, they quickly adapt to new places to live, new routines, new places to eat, and new kinds of food. People see rats more often from April through June spring breeding , and again in October and November as the season changes.
But rats are active year-round. Outdoors, rats burrow in earth banks, along walls, under rubbish or concrete slabs, but they always locate close to sources of food and water. Rats follow the same routes as they make their rounds foraging for food each night, so they leave obvious runways in the grass. Rats often travel under objects like bales, planks, granaries and machinery to conceal their movement.
A rat will normally travel no more than feet from its nest, but at harvest time rats will travel much further to forage for corn, wheat or beans left in farm fields. Outdoors or indoors, rats leave obvious oil stains on their trails and entrance holes.
Rats will make holes in walls or floors soon after invasion. Rat holes are circular, average inches in diameter, and are usually just inches off the floor. Holes in floors are generally close to walls. Rats leave behind a distinctive musk odor, particularly if they are confined to a small space. Like the mouse, rats establish territories and colonies. The dominant male continuously guards his harem of females and aggressively prevents other males from mating.
Females actively defend their group against strangers and often nest together. Their nests are constructed from leaves, paper, rags, twigs, or anything else they can find. Rats are nocturnal, but in areas having large rat populations some low ranked rats will forage during the day, because other rats have denied them access to food at night.
Rats are also profoundly prolific. If food and shelter are adequate, rats will breed throughout the year, although fewer litters are produced in winter. It's easy to see why rat populations can grow exponentially. Under ideal conditions, a pair of rats could produce 15, offspring in one year. Fortunately, breeding slows markedly as populations increase. Rats have voracious appetites.
A rat can eat a third of its body weight each day. The rat is a true omnivore. It will eat anything, including soap, leather, furs, candy, milk, meat, vegetables, poultry, eggs, grain, seeds, fruit, nuts, snails and other rodents. Rats will catch fish, and they readily eat carrion. Near homes, rats thrive on pet food, birdseed, grass seed, garbage, dog feces, and the uneaten or spoiled food we discard.
While rats will eat nearly anything, they prefer grain, livestock feed, and meat. Unlike the mouse, which nibbles a little at a time, rats will fill up at one sitting, if possible. Rats will hoard and cache food, which can result in insect infestations.
Like mice, rats will live in freezers, feeding only on frozen food. Rats eat so much that one rat can leave behind 25, droppings per year. The rat's main constraint is that it cannot go long without water unless its diet supplies enough. Rats need up to one ounce of water every day. The number and behavior of rats change throughout the year. Many rats die during winter, as outdoor foods become hard to find. Breeding in winter is comparatively low, so rat populations are at their lowest.
A mild winter means fewer rats will die of natural causes, so more can be expected in the spring. But if rats are controlled in winter, fewer will be available to resume the breeding cycle in spring. Heavy breeding begins in March when the weather turns. Spring rains spur vegetation which provides cover and additional food. So rats are more abundant in late spring. Young rats have to seek food and new nests. In summer, food and vegetation are abundant, so rats continue breeding.
Breeding peaks in early September as temperatures begin to fall. Sources of food and shelter start to diminish in fall, so rats look for shelter inside buildings and homes. Getting rid of rats is difficult.
Capturing or poisoning a few rats in the neighborhood makes little impact. To defeat them, a community has to cooperate in capturing or killing them, at the same time starving them, denying them shelter, and cutting off their sources of water. Denied a source of food, rats will turn to killing and eating each other, which further reduces the infestation.
The best way to control rodents is to keep them out of the home in the first place. To starve them out, block the entrance to their hideouts, and ensure your house is clean with no food. Spray citronella or peppermint essential oil to repel them. Rats get dehydrated fast if they lack food. Naturally, their system will always drain water from anything that they eat as long as it is not dry.
This is why when there is food, rats are not desperate to have water for survival. The best time to starve rats out of your home is when you are away. There will be fewer activities in the house. They will be desperate for food and this will make them feed on anything including poisoned food baits and traps.
Rats cannot stay for more than one week without food. If they are big in size, the maximum they will last without food and water is 14 days. They have several alternatives for food. Adult rats can also store food in their hideouts. They will not last for more than 5 days if you keep both water and food away. Rats get dehydrated so fast if they lack food.
They become desperate for water and you should keep this in mind if you want to starve them successfully. Rats become desperate when they lack food and will eat anything they come across as long as It is edible. When starving them, this is the best time to leave baits for them to feed on. You should observe and know what rats eat in your house. Starving them will mean that you keep their favorite food away.
Once they become hungry, you can eat things like oranges, mangoes, and lemons which causes kidney damage in rats. Leaving those in the open for them to eat will kill them very fast. For fast results, remove any water that they may drink.
The best way to get rid of rats or mice is by using traps. If using spring loaded traps for rats, bait three of them in a row without setting them. Bait with dried fruit, peanut butter mixed with oats, or cheese. When the rodents get use to feeding, set the traps.
Make sure the bait is securely attached to the trip pedal so the trap springs when the food is removed. Once you capture a rodent, make sure not to touch it with your bare hands. Wear gloves when handling a dead rodent and the trap. Double bag the dead rat or mouse, seal the bags, and then bury, burn, or place the bags in the trash, according to local by-laws. The trap can be reset if gloves are worn.
It is not a good idea to use poison or baits to control rodents. Poisoned rodents can crawl away and die, and their bodies can be hard to find and result in unpleasant odors. Poisons can also accidentally harm pets, wild animals, or even children. Ultrasound repellers, although effective at first, are expensive and do not have long-term success at eliminating rodents. If after taking preventive measures, a rat problem still exists on your property and you want to try rat poison, there are certain things you should consider:.
If you are unable to control rodents on your own, contact a licensed company with certified staff to help you. Prevent stirring up dust when you are cleaning areas where mice have lived. This includes ventilating any enclosed area for 30 minutes and wetting down the area with household disinfectant before you start. Most general purpose disinfectants and household detergents are effective. A mixture of 1 part bleach and 10 parts water can also be used. Pour mixture carefully onto the area to avoid disturbing any virus present—do not use a sprayer.
Wipe up droppings, nesting materials and other waste with a paper towel and place in a plastic garbage bag. Do not sweep or vacuum.
Double bag the contents, seal the bags, and then bury, burn, or place the bags in the trash, according to local by-laws. Clean floors, carpets, clothing and bedding, and disinfect counter-tops, cabinets and drawers that have been in contact with mice. Wash rubber gloves with disinfectant or soap and water before removing them. Wash your hands with soap and water after removing gloves. During clean-up, make sure to wear an appropriate, well-fitting filter mask, rubber gloves and goggles.
For more information on appropriate masks contact your local public health unit or environmental health officer. Skip to main content.
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