Rats and mice are sneaky and unyielding little creatures. If you’ve dealt with a rodent infestation before, you probably know how hard it is to get rid of them and how it important it is to solve your problem as soon as possible. Despite using several rat control methods, you still hear tiny squeaks from a dark corner of your room. You know you’ve not eradicated all of them. But why does it seem like your rodent infestation problem isn’t coming to an end? Let’s delve right into it!
Poor Sanitation
It’s no news that rats and mice are associated with filth. Why? Tiny food crumbs are always present. Since rodents are omnivores, they can feed on a wide variety of food, from nuts to fruits, seeds, meat, and even pizza. Here are some examples of poor sanitation practices:
- Scattered Garbage
If you have bits of garbage scattered throughout your house, then it’s an open invitation to rodents.
- Unkempt Birdfeeder
If you fail to clear the seed residue from your bird feeder lying around your yard, it may also attract rodents who are looking for a quick meal.
- Stagnant Water
Having stagnant water around your yard will keep attracting rats and mice to your property. That’s why it’s a bad idea to have your pet’s water bowl outside.
- Hiding Spots
If you have shrubs or flowers, discarded furniture, automobiles, and other items lying indiscriminately around your house, rodents may seek shelter in those areas.
In short, where there is poor sanitation, there is easy access to food or shelter and rodents will keep coming to such a place.
Easy Food
Rodents can also plague a clean house. They don’t care if your home is dirty or clean. They only care about one thing – GETTING FOOD. Leaving out food is one of the most common causes of an infestation. Moreover, if your food or groceries are not properly stored in inaccessible places, rodents will find their way there to have a piece of it. Besides practicing proper sanitation, it’s also important to ensure that your food items are stored in aluminum containers to prevent easy access.
Shelter
Just like humans, rats and mice love a cozy place to live in. For pregnant rats, in particular, the inside of a house provides the ideal warmth and safety for them to raise their pups. Rodents and mice can live in the attic, within walls, under the porch, and many other hidden locations. What you can do is make access to your home impossible. That leads us to the next point.
Presence of Entry Holes
A mouse can get through a hole the diameter of a normal-sized pen while a rat can get through a 20 mm diameter hole. With multiple entry holes, it’s extremely difficult to get rid of rats. Even if they don’t have access to food inside your house, the shelter it provides is enough reason for them to reside there.
Rats are also notorious for chewing through wood, drywall, sheetrock, and more. If a rat finds a particularly vulnerable point, it can make its way into your home by using its powerful jaws. Mighty Men Wildlife Trapping can help remove the rodents and find and seal any entry holes that are present on your property.
Conclusion
Where there is the promise of food and shelter, rodents will keep returning. That’s why proper sanitation must be practiced, food items must be securely stored, and all potential entry holes must be adequately sealed. Without addressing the problem from its roots, trapping, poisoning, exclusion, and other control methods will only have a short-lived impact. For help in Oregon to deal with a rodent infestation, it is important to contact professionals.
