We've all seen the nature documentaries, showing a category of mammal - small, brown, short lived, breeds in huge numbers. Whether they're rats, mice or another rodent, they're all pests that can do a number on your home, your family's health and your garden.
Mice, rats and other hairy rodents can do quite a bit of physical damage to your home. Once they find their way into your home, they will chew their way into any area that looks appealing to them. One of the huge dangers of this is the possibility that they will chew threw electrical wiring causing a short.
While rodents are predominantly herbivores, their droppings have an odour, and so does their urine. They'll drop a pellet wherever they walk, which, since they want concealment all the time, means they'll accumulate in places that are impossible to get at - behind appliances, in crawl ways, and in walls. One rodent isn't bad - but the breeding rate of rodents means that there's never just one.
The danger of rodents in your home extends to the many diseases they carry. Potential diseases that rodents carry include:
Rickettsial Pox - A disease similar to chicken pox transmitted from the mites commonly found on rodents.
Food Poisoning - Specifically salmonella is contracted when food comes into contact with saliva, urine, or droppings of rats and mice.
Tapeworms and trichinosis - These parasites and many others thrive under the conditions found in a rat infested house.
The Hantavirus - This is spread when dust containing rodent droppings or urine is inhaled. It is potentially deadly and whilst once thought to be a rare disease it is making a recent comeback.
Rat-bite fever - This is a rare disease and as the name suggests is transmitted through a bite from a rodent.
The plague (pneumonic and bubonic) - This disease, carried by fleas and other mites that live on rodents, is thought by many to have been eradicated centuries ago; however cases are still reported today.
Now that you know some of the dangers let us look at some possible solutions to keep you and your home safe from the dangers that rodents pose.
First, there's keeping them out in the first place, or making your home unappealing. Look for any cracks or holes or loose plumbing fittings at about two feet or less from the ground; rats and mice can squeeze through improbably small spaces, and their usual avenue into the home is climbing the plumbing. Taking some time with a caulking gun can pay major benefits.
If they're already in the home, the best way to remove them is to have a cat; in addition to the rodents the cat kills, the smell of a cat and the knowledge that a predator is there will drive them out to greener pastures.
While not as effective as a good cat, glue traps and sticky boards are an effective way to control these pests, as are baited spring traps. The best baits are peanut butter, yogurt covered peanuts, and bits of bacon. Avoid using poisons; not only are they a risk to your children or pets, but you end up with rat carcasses rotting in inaccessible places. Leave poisoning rodents to professionals.
If you have seen one or two rodents then you have a minor issue that you should be able to take care of on your own, however if you have a larger infestation or live in an area of Sydney that is prone to other pests like termites you might want to consider seeking professional help and having your house checked for other pests at the same time.
Mice, rats and other hairy rodents can do quite a bit of physical damage to your home. Once they find their way into your home, they will chew their way into any area that looks appealing to them. One of the huge dangers of this is the possibility that they will chew threw electrical wiring causing a short.
While rodents are predominantly herbivores, their droppings have an odour, and so does their urine. They'll drop a pellet wherever they walk, which, since they want concealment all the time, means they'll accumulate in places that are impossible to get at - behind appliances, in crawl ways, and in walls. One rodent isn't bad - but the breeding rate of rodents means that there's never just one.
The danger of rodents in your home extends to the many diseases they carry. Potential diseases that rodents carry include:
Rickettsial Pox - A disease similar to chicken pox transmitted from the mites commonly found on rodents.
Food Poisoning - Specifically salmonella is contracted when food comes into contact with saliva, urine, or droppings of rats and mice.
Tapeworms and trichinosis - These parasites and many others thrive under the conditions found in a rat infested house.
The Hantavirus - This is spread when dust containing rodent droppings or urine is inhaled. It is potentially deadly and whilst once thought to be a rare disease it is making a recent comeback.
Rat-bite fever - This is a rare disease and as the name suggests is transmitted through a bite from a rodent.
The plague (pneumonic and bubonic) - This disease, carried by fleas and other mites that live on rodents, is thought by many to have been eradicated centuries ago; however cases are still reported today.
Now that you know some of the dangers let us look at some possible solutions to keep you and your home safe from the dangers that rodents pose.
First, there's keeping them out in the first place, or making your home unappealing. Look for any cracks or holes or loose plumbing fittings at about two feet or less from the ground; rats and mice can squeeze through improbably small spaces, and their usual avenue into the home is climbing the plumbing. Taking some time with a caulking gun can pay major benefits.
If they're already in the home, the best way to remove them is to have a cat; in addition to the rodents the cat kills, the smell of a cat and the knowledge that a predator is there will drive them out to greener pastures.
While not as effective as a good cat, glue traps and sticky boards are an effective way to control these pests, as are baited spring traps. The best baits are peanut butter, yogurt covered peanuts, and bits of bacon. Avoid using poisons; not only are they a risk to your children or pets, but you end up with rat carcasses rotting in inaccessible places. Leave poisoning rodents to professionals.
If you have seen one or two rodents then you have a minor issue that you should be able to take care of on your own, however if you have a larger infestation or live in an area of Sydney that is prone to other pests like termites you might want to consider seeking professional help and having your house checked for other pests at the same time.
About the Author:
Author: Darren K. Thompson shares information on pest control on his website where you can also discover strategies to help handle termite infestations and other household pest problems.
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