See also: Mice FAQ

YOU CAN:
  • Eliminate all food sources that attract mice or rats.
  • Keep food in sealed containers (including dog food which mice love).
  • Seal all visible cracks in foundations, floors and walls (mice can get through any opening of a ¼ inch or larger).
WE WILL:
  • Install Multiple Catch Traps.
  • Maintain traps and remove mice.
  • Only charge separate service calls to setup and pickup traps.  There is no charge for the traps we provide with our service.

Glue Boards are placed in travel paths to
catch mice as they scurry through hidden places




  


- REMEMBER -
RODENTS CARRY DISEASE!
  • Always spray dead rodents, traps and droppings with a good disinfectant before you clean-up or remove materials.
  • Always wear rubber gloves before you touch anything in areas suspected of rodent traffic.
Common Mouse
(Click image for article)



Click here for article on mice and rats


RAT FACTS

Rats are part of a group called commensal rodents.  The word commensal means "sharing one's table" which rats and mice have done with humans for years.  The two most commonly known rat species of commensal rodents are the Norway Rat, Rattus norvegicus, and the roof rat, Rattus rattus.  While house mice are the more predominant rodent problem in most neighborhoods, rats are becoming an increasing problem.


Statistics:
NORWAY RAT

ROOF RAT
General appearance large, robust sleek, graceful
Adult size 7 - 18 oz 5 - 9 oz
Snout blunt pointed
Ears small, covered with short Hairs large, nearly naked
Eyes small large prominent
Tail dark above, pale beneath uniformly dark
Color brown with scattered black Agouti to gray to black
Droppings  capsule shaped, ¾ inch spindle shaped, ½ inch
Sight poor, color blind poor, color blind
Smell, taste, touch,hearing excellent excellent
Food omnivorous omnivorous, likes Fruits, nuts, grains, Vegetables
Water 15 — 30 mil / day 15 — 30 mil / day
Feeding Habits steady (shy to new objects) steady (shy to new objects)
Climbing readily climbs, limited agility very agile, active climber
Nests usually burrows uses walls, attics, vines, trees, sometimes burrows
Swimming  excellent swimmer excellent swimmer
Home range radius 98 — 164 feet 98 — 164 feet
Age at mating 2 — 3 months 2 — 3 months
Breeding season spring and fall peaks spring and fall peaks
Gestations period 22 days 22 days
Young per litter 8 — 12 4 — 8
Litters per year 4 — 7 4 — 6
Length of life 1 year 1 year

REASONS FOR INCREASED RAT POPULATIONS IN OUR SUBURBAN AREAS

States like Arizona in the Sun Belt are experiencing an explosion of roof rat populations.  This is caused in part by the human population explosion of the Phoenix area (which experienced a 45.3% increase between 1990 and 2000).  These new suburban neighborhoods with irrigated yards, fruit trees and man made lakes in this arid climate have proven a perfect habitat for rats, especially roof rats.  Because rats can often live undetected, their populations can increase rapidly before any property damage or rat activity is detected.  In some cases, homeowners allow rats 'share' the property so long as they stay outside, but eventually, they loose their good neighbor status.

RAT ACTIVITY

Norway rats are commonly known as house rats and are often found in burrows on the property.  They will find ways into a home to search for food, water, or shelter in some weather conditions.

Roof rats are seldom seen on the ground.  These rats are extremely agile and often move between trees and buildings like tree squirrels.  They can also move easily along telephone lines, power lines, fence tops and tree branches to get from one area of a property to another and throughout the neighborhood.

OPTIONS FOR RAT CONTROL

The most expensive damage occurs to homeowners when rats enter the home.  Exclusion is the first step to control and preventing this damage.  This is especially true for homeowners who are part-year residents and come home to find a rat's nest in their toilet or attic.

  • Screen off all openings (sewer stacks, vent pipes, vents, attic openings, etc.) with ¼ inch hardware cloth.
  • Prune tree branches so they are 4 or more feet from the roof.
  • Place steel wool or copper mesh in the cover of the air conditioning line that runs from the outside into the attic.  This keeps the rats from running up insulated lines into the structure.
  • Collect and discard ALL unwanted fruit (both on the tree and off the ground).  Some areas provide for pickups of fruit for charity food banks.  Check local resources to put the fruit to good use rather than rat food.
  • Keep stored garbage, wild birdseed and pet food in sealed containers.  Put out only enough pet food for the current meal.


Mice and Rats will NOT stay in your home if food is not available to them ...


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