Dealing with a Rodent Infestation

The thought might not be pleasant, but rodents can live just about anywhere. Mice, rats, voles and other critters usually stick to open fields where they forage for food and have plenty of cover, but sometimes weather or a food shortage forces them to set up housekeeping in a garage, basement, attic, kitchen or other living area.

Rodents in a home or garage can cause significant damage. That’s bad enough, but they can also spread several diseases – some quite serious. People can become ill when they’re bitten by a rodent that’s infected, consume food or water that’s been contaminated by rodent droppings or urine, or bitten by fleas, ticks or mites that have previously fed on infected rodents.

All of these possibilities (plus the “ick” factor of having rodents about) make it important to deal with a rodent infestation quickly and effectively. Fortunately, rodent problems can be addressed in several ways. You can use traps or rodenticides (a.k.a. “rat poison”), although some people with rodent infestations choose to tackle the problem with both.

Rodent Traps
Two types of traps can be used to eliminate rodents:

•    Live traps: resembling small cages, this type of trap is used to capture rodents without harming them in any way. They are the most humane way of dealing with a rodent infestation. Of course, once you’ve captured a rodent, you must either release or kill it. If you release the rodents you catch, do so far away from your home. Rodents released in your back yard (for example) may just find their way back into your home unless you’ve sealed off their access point(s).
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•    Lethal traps: snap traps and the like are intended to kill the rodents they capture. Dispose of the bodies safely.

Rodenticides
Rodenticides are chemical substances (toxins) that are intended to kill rodents. They also come in two main types:

•    Tracking powders: These substances consist of a toxin mixed into powder. As a rodent walks through or past the tracking powder, it adheres to its fur and feet. Then, when it grooms itself, it ingests the toxic mixture and dies.

•    Baits: With baits, a toxin is mixed into food that attracts rodents. A rodent that eats the bait will die.

Some rodenticides are highly toxic to pets and people (especially children) as well as rodents. Follow the label instructions and don’t use them in any location that children or pets could reach. If in doubt, call in a professional.