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Rodent Eradication – What are the options?


Mice and rats entering your home not only pose a health risk, they can be very destructive as well.  Rodents chewing on wires can cause electrical shorts which may result in fires.  Not to mention the mess they leave behind with their nests, urine and droppings.  Another problem that can arise long after an infestation is secondary pests, such as rats and other stored product type pests that can hatch from food harborages left behind in wall voids by rodents.

The first question most residents ask themselves is, “What do I do now that I know I have a rodent problem?”  While some residents opt to take on the challenge of ridding themselves of these fur covered pests, many find that contacting a pest control company is less time consuming and provides faster results.  The knowledge of an expert accompanied by access to proper supplies and equipment goes a long way in freeing your home of unwanted pests.  Rodent infestations can multiply at alarming rates as mice and rats reach breeding maturity within a matter of a few short weeks of birth.

On June 4, 2011 the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ruled to change the availability of certain rodenticide products in the over-the-counter consumer market.  In addition, they placed restrictions on the location of rodenticide applications, methods of application and types of rodenticides that can be applied by pest professionals.  In doing so, the EPA is making an effort to reduce rodenticide exposure to non-target wildlife, children and pets.  Rodenticides within and around the exterior of homes and businesses are now required to be contained within tamper-resistant bait stations when applied above ground and may only be applied within 50 feet of the structure.  Many pest control professionals utilize a baiting method for eradication of rodents as it remains active for multiple rodents and requires less monitoring than alternative methods.  Rodenticides are best placed and monitored by a pest control professional in order to reduce potential risks of exposure.

Alternative options to rodenticides include: mechanical traps (snap traps), glue traps and live catch traps.  All of these methods require daily monitoring to dispose of captured rodents and reset or replacement of the trap.  Failure to monitor these types of traps can result in odors caused be deceased rodents and/or decreased effectiveness of trapping as traps are no longer active once triggered.  In some situations, these methods may be determined to be necessary when bait station placement is not available.