Rodent populations will continue to increase in conditions that allow easy access to food and shelter. The most humane way to solve rodent problems is prevention. Prevention minimizes the need to use rodenticides in response to an infestation. Prevention tackles the root problem and breaks the cycle of temporary fixes followed by infestation. Below are some simple steps you can take to stop rodents from making your home theirs.
Start with Sanitizing:
Rodents need food and shelter. Removing these two lifelines is the best way to prevent rodent problems. Here are a few ideas for INDOOR prevention:
- Clean common crumb areas (under the stove, refrigerator, dishwasher)
- Sanitize countertops and keep them clear of food
- Don’t leave out uneaten pet food overnight
- Keep trash cans clean and covered
Exclude and Repair:
Take a walk around the outside of your home. Look up… rats are excellent climbers. Look down… rats are opportunistic. Gaps as small as a 1/2″ need to be addressed to exclude rats. Gaps as small as a dime can admit a mouse.
- Look for gaps, open vents, or other points of access
- Black, greasy marks on the side of the house or gutters may indicate a commonly used path
- Look at the places where pipes and electrical conduit enter the house for gaps
- Look inside where pipes or wires enter through the drywall.
- If you suspect activity, move the furniture and appliances away from the walls and look for gaps and signs of rodents (gnawing, scat, grease marks)
- Use 1/4 inch metal mesh or hardware cloth (not chicken wire) to close off access points
- Stuff metal mesh filler into holes around pipe and expanding foam sealant over the mesh
- Consider rodent proof sweeps on doors and garage door (these are not weather stripping… they have a rodent-proof metal mesh and provide a tight seal).
- Likewise, inspect the vertical seals on retractable garage doors for damage.
- Materials: expanding foam caulk, coarse steel wool, copper or aluminum wire mesh, 19 gauge hardware cloth, 26 gauge sheet metal
- CDC has good information about sealing your home
Storage:
Ensure that your cupboards and garage storage areas are properly secured is an important step.
- Store dry food, pet food, birdseed in metal containers with tight fitting lids
- Seasonal items (like holiday decorations) are prime nesting spots
- Avoid cardboard boxes that can be easily accessed by rodents
- Raise storage items off the ground (pallets, shelving)
- Food waste should be store in a container with a tight fitting lid. If you suspect rodent activity, store food waste in the refrigerator overnight.
- Don’t store trash cans used for food waste in the garage.
- Prime nest materials: newspapers, cardboard, straw, rags, and patio furniture cushions.
Maintain the Gain:
Regularly check for signed of rodent activity in your rodent-proofed home. Address problem areas promptly.
If you already have a rodent problem…
- Avoid rodenticides and sticky traps. Using rodenticides inside your home may result in a dead rat in an area that you cannot reach with the bad odor and insects that accompany decay.
- Trapping and relocating might sound like a good idea to those who object to killing animals, but California law prohibits it, even for rats.
- Use baited electric zappers (Raticator, Rat Zapper, Anticimex), snap traps, or mechanical traps.
- Try to place traps on rat runways and don’t expect rats to go out of their way to find it.
- Dead animals should be wrapped in newspaper and disposed of in the trash container. If you are concerned about odor, you can double bag the carcass.
- The CDC has important information (including photos) about safely cleaning up rodent activity and setting traps.
