There's a Mouse in the House!

Rats are one of the most unpleasant types of pest to suffer from an infestation of. Although rats are fairly common in most Australian cities, their numbers do not always get out of control. In fact, you could be quite close to a rat or two in an urban environment and never even realise it. However, they are often much more of a problem in rural towns and villages where their numbers can surge if the conditions are right. If you find more and more rats on your property, then seek assistance from a professional pest management company. In the meantime, what are some of the steps you should be taking?

• Deny Them Food

Getting rid of rats once they have arrived is much harder than dealing with them before they get out of hand. Therefore, one of the most effective pest management techniques available to you is to make your property as unappealing to these creatures as possible. Principally, this means ensuring that no food is available to them. Rats will only stay in one place and grow in numbers when there is sufficient food. For farmers, this means installing pest management measures that mean rats cannot get at grain stores, for example by sealing up holes in the walls. In homes, it will mean making sure your rubbish bin cannot be accessed. Buy a metal bin with a proper lid. The food in your kitchen should always be put away in sealed tins, too.

• Keep Numbers Down

When one or two rats are present on a property, it means that others are sure to follow. Rats can breed quite quickly so despatching any that are present is a good idea. Most pest management companies will have traps that are specifically designed for mice and rats. Another good tip is to simply by a cat which will hunt them down for you. Even if all of the rats on your property are not killed, it can help to control their numbers greatly.

• Use Tracers

The use of tracers is recommended when you know that rats are around – usually from their droppings – but you cannot tell where they are hiding. As rats pass through these fluorescent baits, so they will leave a visual trail of where they are going. In turn, this will allow you or your pest management team to work in specific areas, either to add more traps or to cut off access points.