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rodents

How far should vegetation be away from your home to mitigate rodent invasions?

Rodents will inhabit spaces that offer protection and insulation. They get attracted by the scents or trails left by food. Vegetation especially lure them in. Your home is the most likely candidate for a rodent outbreak, as its walls and attic spaces provide ample opportunity for mass breeding. Once settled inside your home, these creatures will find their way into your food storage and defile your newly purchased groceries.The most worrisome aspect of a rodent home invasion is the potential illnesses and diseases that many rodents are capable of passing along to humans. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes 35 specific diseases that one can directly or indirectly attribute to rodents.

Vegetation should be done far away from home. Because, decking can sometimes cause problems, despite it being a great addition to your outside area. How? Well, food can drop between the slats and become a food source. There is also ample space underneath for garden pests to make themselves a nice home.

What can rodents do?

  • Gnaw on furniture, structures of the home, personal belonging, food packaging
  • Leave urine and droppings which leads to contamination
  • Can transmit diseases through droppings and biting
  • Cause fire hazards from chewing on electrical wiring
  • Can introduce other pests into the home such as fleas and mites.

So how far should vegetation be?

If open compost piles are positioned anywhere near a home, shed or other structure, don’t use them to process the kind of food waste that will attract creatures like rats, mice, possums and raccoons. Most kitchen waste adds no nutrition to the finished compost and is better recycled through a worm bin anyway. If food scraps must go outdoors, use a metal compost tumbler or similar device that’s sealed and sits up off the ground.

Start your growing vegetables in your garden or yard rather than your balcony or on your roof. That way rodents stay away. Also make sure to follow the instructions above and use them around the vegetation area.

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rodents

What is the efficacy of performing rodent control the same way all the time?

Rodent control methods’ effectiveness will vary with each job. Therefore, it is important not to get too comfortable with performing rodent control the same way each time. Each situation should be individually evaluated and managed.

Determining the rodent species, and adjusting the control methods based on that determination, is a good first place to start. Pest control management focuses on eliminating access to a pest’s food and water sources, their entry/exit routes, and their shelter or safe spaces. Knowing the pest species means you know the approximate size, diet, and shelter preferences of the rodents, all of which can help you select the most effective methods.

The physical layout of the affected building / home, as well as other physical factors, such as season, the recent weather, and the surrounding environment, should all play a factor into choosing control methods as well. What works well for a barn in the country in the summer might not work or a studio apartment in the city in the winter!

Finally, rodent species are known for being smart and agile. Using the same methods over and over again will condition the survivors — they will begin to recognize the various traps or baits, and they will avoid them. Changing up methods, locations, time of day — anything! — will help prevent the rodents from becoming too familiar with the control equipment you’re using. Keep them guessing, and at the same time, be patient as they investigate the new items in their environment. It may take several days or more before they become comfortable enough with the baits or the trap to actually engage it.

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rodents

Is there a single standard rodent Behavior?

Rodents are such diverse creatures. More than half the mammals on earth are rodents. Think about all the different types: Rabbits, mice, hamsters, those giant ones in South America, beavers, moles and guinea pigs. That’s a small sample from a much longer list.

What single behaviour do they all share? Actually there are many different behaviors that all rodents do such as seek a mate, breed, find food, go to the toilet and make nests.

One thing that is very rodent like and that they pretty much all do is this; they nibble. In fact they are very well adapted to the act of nibbling. The very word “rodent” acknowledges what makes them some of the best nibblers in the world – their teeth.

The “dent” in rodent comes from “dentures”, meaning teeth. The “ro” part probably means “long” in some ancient language.

The best of the rodent nibblers is of course the cute and hard working beaver. They can fell whole trees with those front teeth of theirs.

This nibbling behavior can cause damage to property in some cases, such as if the rodents are living in close proximity with humans. In these cases steps can be taken to control the rodents or remove them from the living space.

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mice rodents

How long does it take for a rodent such as a mouse to become sexually active and to begin reproducing?

The research facility mouse is a productive raiser. It’s actually high fruitfulness can be used effectively, however it can likewise be a wellspring of disappointment when controlled proliferation is sought. The mouse achieves sexual development by six weeks of age and litter mates must be isolated at this point to forestall accidental inbreeding. The research center rodent (has a regenerative science fundamentally the same as that of the mouse and all data thus is appropriate to either species unless generally shown. Female mice are just responsive to male mice while they are in estrus.

Mating by and large happens inside 24 hours of presenting a male and an in estrous female mouse, however the female is most responsive amid the initial couple of hours. There might be visit, short sexual intercourses before satisfactory intromission and discharge happen. Mice have sexual intercourse by having the male mount the female from behind while she is in an ordinary standing position. The emissions of the embellishment sex organs in the male will frame a waxy hardened module the vagina of the female. This attachment may drop out following 24 hours. Perception of this module the vagina or in the confine can be utilized as a sign that mating has happened. The genuine mating may not be seen as it regularly happens around evening time. Thusly, contingent upon when mating happens, preparation of the egg may happen at whenever inside the 24 hours of estrus. Treatment happens in the proximal oviduct ampulla. The developing life moves down the oviduct 18 after 22 hours and it is 68-72 hours after treatment before it enters the uterus. Implantation may not happen until day 5. Implantation can be deferred much more if the dam is lactating vigorously. Deferred implantation does not happen in the rodent. Physical incitement of the cervix and vagina is fundamental for luteal advancement and support of pregnancy. This is essential if manual sperm injection is performed.

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rodents

Is dry ice an effective way to kill rodents out in the open?

Dry ice is a solid form of carbon dioxide that has a surface temperature of -109 degrees Fahrenheit.  If used as a form of rodent control, it will replace the oxygen levels with carbon dioxide and suffocate the animals.  The use of carbon dioxide in this manner can cause symptoms of shortness of breath, however, death should be relatively quick and humane.

To use dry ice as a method of rodent control the material is placed into the animal’s tunnels, which are then sealed with dirt or other material.  As the dry ice “melts” it reverts back to the gaseous form of carbon dioxide, filling the tunnels and eliminating the rodents.

While dry ice will probably never replace poisons it is a valid form of removing rodents in tight areas.  And as started before dry ice is a much more humane way of dealing with rodents rather than using a drawn out poison.

Recently several cities have decided to do a test run of using dry ice to combat rodent problems.  Cities like Chicago started using dry ice in rat burrows.  The city reports that it is cheaper than poison, more effective, and safer as it can be more controlled so it does not affect small pets and birds.

Tonya Fredrickson © 2016

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Categories
insects rodents schedules

Importance of regular pest control inspections

Controlling pests has always been a matter of paramount importance since the beginning of colonial life. People have always been keen to keep their home free from a variety of pests including roaches, spiders etc. There are a variety of reasons for this being an obsession. Aside from the damages done to properties and resources, pests also spread deadly diseases including the deadly malaria and any disease that has an insect as the vector. In a year more than 5000 people are hospitalized in USA alone following insect stings. Pests are the bane of human existence since the medieval times itself where the spread of plague were rampant. Pests contaminate everything including the groceries and kitchenwares which is not very easy to recognize and prevent.

This is where regular pest inspections come into play. By regularly inspecting our surrounding through professional help, we are saving ourselves from a lot of worry and suffering when the problems actually surface. As pests also degrade wood and timber, it also saves money as only a fraction  of the repair cost would be needed to prevent the pest problems than actually curing it.Inspections should be done either every six months or once a year. It is something most of the people overlook and considered a waste of money. As the old adage goes, prevention is better than cure

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Categories
rodents

Most eco-friendly and effective way to get rid of rodents and open-air Burrows

In a residential area a common problem of rodents and open air Burrows are prevailing and it is no doubt it irritates the residents and also causes many problems like destruction of garden, Half eaten food by them, and many problems which cause a disturbance. There are many methods that are out there for their extermination and many companies have a business out of the elimination of these problems. But a matter of concern is the pesticides and chemicals that eventually cause problems to us humans. Gardens are often corroded or destroyed by the chemicals and also some furniture or the house begins to have a smell of strong acid. There are indeed some methods that are friendly to the environment be it indoor or outdoor, A cat by nature attacks these creatures and it is a food chain that they eat these, So buying a cat is very Eco friendly also it promotes the nature’s food chain, not necessarily a cat is needed one can even make a scare in these rodents that they own a cat like cat urine or some sounds or fur will do the job. One other method is using cow dung might sound very corny but when rats consume this cow dung it begins to bloat inside their stomach and causes them to run out for air. Hence the rats die outside the residential house leaving the stink of the dead animal outside. In addition to driving away rodents, they are a storehouse of nitrogen which automatically fertilizes your garden or lawn for next spring. So this is the most beneficial way or the most Eco friendly way to eliminate and it is indirectly even fertilizing the garden and working to eliminate the issue.

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Categories
rodents

Inherent Dangers of Large Populations of Rodents and their Pheromones

Beyond an unsanitary menace, any significant population of rodents is an expensive and serious threat to both property and to human health.  

Mice and rats cause visible and unseen damage to homes, buildings, garages and even vehicles by gnawing incessantly on materials such wood, plastic and wiring.  Nesting habits result in shredded materials such as insulation and the presence of animals in or behind walls, furniture, ducts and large appliances. Damage can be extensive enough to impact plumbing or heating systems,  cause electrical damage, leave holes in walls and, if severe enough, impact structural integrity.

Rodents are peril to health in ways that are not always obvious.  Most of us are aware that rodents eat and contaminate human and animal food.  What is less commonly understood is that rodent droppings, urine, hair, dander, and oily secretions from their skin are ALL potential sources for serious human illness.

The diseases transmitted directly by rodents include: Salmonellosis, E. coli, Rat-bite Fever, Leptospirosis, and Hantavirus. Diseases are transmitted not only from living rodents and their bites but also from contact with feces, urine, or inhaling dust contaminated by their waste or from water or food contaminated by their waste and saliva.   

Fleas, ticks and mites on rats and mites are known to carry: Lyme disease, Murine Typhus, Cutaneous Leishmaniasis, Colorado Tick Fever and Babeosis.  Rodent hair and dander are known allergens.   Further, the pheromones of their body secretions are an attractant for reinfestation and accelerate the breeding cycle.  

Removal of a rodent infestation requires proper safety equipment, including respirators, and thorough decontamination; consulting a pest management professional is highly recommended.

A.A. Darlington © 2016

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Categories
rodents

How to Avoid a Rodent Infestation

There are a few things you can do around the home to prevent a rodent infestation. First, keep food and food scraps tightly sealed inside the house. Open food and food waste will attract any nearby rodent. Also keep all garbages sealed tightly. This includes indoor garbages and also any garbages that you store outside.

Rodents also love composts piles. They are a not only a source of food for the rodent but the decomposing food also gives off warmth for the rodents, so the compost becomes a hotel and grocery store all in one! Make sure composts are sealed or tightly covered. Regularly turn the pile as well, as this will deter rodents from staying there. Turning the pile frequently will also cover up any new food scraps.

Avoid leaving out food for birds. Rodents are attracted to these foods and it can soon lead to an infestation. If you must feed birds, feed them huskless food or food that doesn’t leave a lot of waste around. This goes for pet food as well. If your dog or cat eat it, then rodents will also eat it. Do not leave out loose pet food. Larger bags of food should be sealed tightly in tubs, or well secured inside thick bags.

Although not all rodent infestations can be prevented, if you follow these simple steps around your home you will be much less likely to find yourself with a rodent infestation.

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Categories
mice rodents

Can Adding Mouse Fecal Pellets Improve Bait Station Results?

If you’re just looking for the long-and-short of it, the answer is “yes.” Tests have proven to show that bait stations with fecal pellets also added to them are anywhere between roughly 10-15% more effective than those without. This has to do with the chemicals inside the fecal matter and how they play a key role in communicating with other mice in a way that attracts more of them.

One of the reasons for this is that the pellets indicate a higher likelihood for there to be food laying around somewhere in the nearby vicinity of the droppings recently left behind. It also creates a sense, albeit a false one in this case, of added security to that particular area.

This particular method of attracting more mice, however, does not necessarily work with other devices, such as multiple catch traps. For those to work, you can try using whatever conventional bait supply was already provided for such traps, and just add the droppings to the area directly around the traps you’re trying to use. If done correctly, the mice should at least be more attracted to that general region, which may, in theory, increase the efficacy of your other traps.

Other Source(s): http://magazine.pctonline.com/article/august-2016/better-bait-take.aspx

Stephen Bassette © 2016

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