How to Control a Rodent Infestation in Your Home This Autumn
When the weather gets colder, it is common for rodents such as mice and rats to move out of their usual outdoor habitats and into the home in search of warmth and food. The presence of this vermin in the home poses a health hazard to the occupants. The challenge with a rodent infestation is that the infestation can increase quickly due to their short gestation spans. It is, therefore, important to find ways of eliminating the rodents before they wreak havoc in your house.
Cleaning up the home
Food is one of the most significant attractions for all household pests. If you want to protect you house from rodents this cold season, try and clean up after every meal. If there is food in the garbage, make sure that you take it out before going to sleep. All utensils need to be stacked in the dishwasher or cleaned before bed. When the pests cannot find anything to eat, they will end up moving away to other potential food sources.
Laying traps
Another trick which may work for mice is traps. Traps can be easily gotten from the convenience store. You can attach bait such as meat or cheese and lay the trap in hidden corners of the house where the pests normally frequent. However, note where you have positioned the traps because you do not want to deal with the smell of dead rodents which you cannot locate in the home.
Getting a housecat
Another trick which works really well in the elimination of rodents in the home is a housecat. Cats are predators, and mice are their favourite meal. When you avoid over-feeding the cat on pet food, the natural hunting instincts will kick in and rodents will be a thing of the past in your home.
The other control measure which is very effective for rodents in the home is the use of pesticides to kill them. However, it is recommended that this process be carried out by a professional exterminator. This is because some of the pesticides could be harmful when ingested by other pets, and at times, they could even end up in human hands. Furthermore, when the rodents take the poison, they might not die on the spot, and having dead rodents in unreachable corners of the home will not make your home cosy this winter. Only a competent exterminator can use pesticides effectively to rid your home of rodents.
Contact a local pest control company to learn more.
