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There
are only two kinds of rats in the United States: a brown
rat and a gray rat. Rats are more active in South
Florida when fruit trees are bearing fruit. Rodents only
need food and water to survive. Those of us living on
canals or lakes may experience rodents year round. Cold
weather is a contributing factor in home infestations.
Those of us who feed birds, ducks or squirrels can
develop infestation from uneaten food or animal feces;
also from dog or cat food left outside uneaten or
unattended.
Behavior –
Few people really like rats or mice, and no one wants
them in their house. Rodents live everywhere outside and
could enter at any time, but fortunately, this does not
occur often. Usually, most home invasions occur in the
fall, not because of cooler weather, but because the
seeds and plants on which rodents feed outside are gone.
Rats and mice must then seek new food sources.
Unfortunately, one of these sources may be your home.
Mice are excellent climbers and are capable of gaining
entry through holes around soffit vents and around
cables entering the building, through holes in gable
vent screens, and through turbine and box vents on
roofs. Most garage doors on homes allow enough space for
mice to fit underneath, as well.
Habitat – Mice are found in almost
every part of the country from urban to rural areas, and
are especially prevalent in urban and suburban
communities. Mice are found in buildings more often than
rats because they are smaller and are able to find more
available entryways into a building. Mice can fit
through a crack or hole 1/4 of an inch or larger - or
about the width of a pencil. Mice will make their nests
in many areas in and around the home, especially in
stacked firewood, stones and bricks, and piles of leaves
or other debris.
Tips for Control – The best way to
avoid invasions of mice is to (1) provide as little
harborage as possible that might attract rodents, and
(2) seal as many holes and cracks in the outside of the
home through which mice might enter. Follow these
recommendations to help prevent rodents from seeking the
shelter provided by your home:
- Keep
firewood stored as far from the home as possible and
store it off the ground. During the winter, store
only enough wood next to the house to burn every
couple of days.
- If
possible, remove any piles of debris, stones,
bricks, etc. If these are near the foundation of the
home they serve as harborages to attract rodents.
Once there, it is any easy step for rodents to enter
the building itself.
- Do
not allow piles of leaves to accumulate next to the
home's foundation. This also serves as attractive
harborage for rodents - mice in particular.
- Seal
any hole or crack larger than 1/4 of an inch. A good
rule of thumb is that if a pencil can fit into it, a
mouse could too. Large holes or cracks should be
stuffed with steel wool or wire mesh before sealing
with caulk or foam, otherwise rodents could chew
through to enter.
- Install
good, thick weatherstrip on the bottom of all doors
to prevent rodents from entering. The garage door
may prove difficult to seal completely, so the door
from the garage to the house must be sealed tightly.
- The
installation of one or two wind-up mouse traps in
the garage can catch many mice as they enter. These
traps can catch up to 15 mice with one setting. Ask
your Rebel Exterminators service professional for more
information.
- Remember,
your Rebel Exterminators service includes coverage of commensal
rats and mice, and much of the service provided
during the colder months is to inspect for signs of
rodents and to maintain preventive control measures.
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