Rodents are a serious problem in homes they infest. While some people enjoy having mice and rats as pets, having them show up to your home uninvited is a different story. Once they set up a nest in your house, they can make a mess of wires, chew through wood, and scratch up your furniture. Worse, they can transmit diseases like rabies and bubonic plague.
While rats and mice will usually try to stay out of sight during the day, you may spot them skulking around at night. These rodents will make burrows in your walls, attic, or basement, especially once it starts to get cold outside. While you may not see them, you can spot the signs if your house is occupied. They will scratch your furniture, leave gnawed up bits of plastic lying around, and use your floor as a restroom wherever they please.
Treating A Rodent Infestation
There are plenty of DIY solutions available to treat rodent infestations, but none are as safe and effective as calling the pros. Let’s break your DIY options down:
Snap Traps & Glue Traps
Snap traps and glue traps are the most traditional methods of DIY rodent exclusion on the market. Snap traps are what you are probably most familiar with, working by baiting the rodent with a piece of food that activates a trap that snaps down on them when they try to remove the bait, killing them in the process. Glue traps work in a similar method, but trap the rodent to the glue when they attempt to take the bait instead.
These traps will prevent the problem of a rodent hiding to die, but it takes expertise to place them effectively. A rat nest can have up to ten rats, while a single mouse nest can have up to two dozen. If there is plenty of food and space in your home, there may be multiple nests in your property, which means you’ll need a lot of traps to catch them all.
Live Traps
Unlike snap and glue traps, live traps work by baiting the rodent inside and capturing them inside a cage, after which they can be released into the wild. Live traps may seem like a humane alternative to traditional snap traps, but they aren’t always practical or compassionate. When it’s time to release the rodent, one of two things will happen. If you take them to a nearby park, they will likely make their way back to your home, where they know they can find food, water, and shelter.
You’ll need to travel at least three miles away to ensure it doesn’t return. Unfortunately, you’re removing it from its home. In an unfamiliar territory, it will either die of hunger or get killed by predators. In many instances, a quick death is more humane.
Live rodent removal also presents potential risk to you. Wherever you let the rodent out, you run the risk of being clawed or bitten. Rats and mice both carry rabies and other diseases, although rats are a much higher risk. Rats are also larger and more likely to attack you when frightened.
Poison
Rat poison works when the rodent ingests it, killing it in the process. Rat poison can be hazardous to your pets or children, and it’s not always practical. Worse, when it works, rodents have a habit of hiding before they die. As they start to decompose, your whole house will begin to stink, and it can take weeks before you either find the body or the smell goes away.
Why DIY Rodent Removal Fails
No matter what kind of trap you are using, you may not have any luck. Rats are exceptionally nimble and intelligent, and can often get to the bait without springing the trap. Meanwhile, they are leaving behind feces, urine, and greasy spots wherever they roam.
Suppose you do happen to be successful in ridding the rodent problem yourself. In that case, you are likely to have to deal with fleas, and the DIY approach can take many weeks of hard labor, including daily vacuuming until the problem goes away. Simply put, professional treatment is the safest and most effective way to eliminate a rodent infestation in your home.
Why Professional Treatment For Rodents In Oklahoma City Is Worth It
It doesn’t matter how many rodents you get rid of if you don’t seal off the entry points. A rat can squeeze its way through a hole that’s less than an inch wide, and expand smaller holes fairly quickly with its razor-sharp teeth. Mice need even less space to find their way inside. When you contact a professional exterminator, they can help you identify areas that pests can enter and advise you on how to seal your home. They will also identify signs of other pests, like roaches, that rats love to eat.
At Thunder Pest Control, when we treat your home for rodents, we will also inspect your home for a flea infestation, and treat it if necessary. Thunder Pest Control has over 25 years of experience in residential pest control in the Oklahoma City area. The sooner you treat a rodent infestation, the less damage they can do to your home. Contact us today to schedule an inspection, or learn more about our home pest control and commercial pest control services.
