RODENTS IN AND AROUND BUILDINGS

Damaged household goods,along with tree trunks and limbs, and other storm debris that are left piled on the property or fall into culverts, drainage ditches or streams can quickly become a nesting site for displaced rats and mice. Loosened soil around holes left by fallen trees also make ideal burrowing sites. Damage to your home's exterior provides animals with easier access to relatively sheltered areas, such as your crawlspace, basement, attic or even wall voids. People involved in cleanup and repairs may carelessly discard food and beverage items, which quickly attractive rodents searching for food.

1. Watch for signs of rodent activity:
   
   
   • Norway rats (our most common species) usually nest in underground burrows. However, in flooded areas, they will move to "high ground" and may be found nesting indoors. Roof rats typically nest aboveground and mice will nest almost anywhere.
   • Mice and rats can chew through many materials, including siding, walls, cardboard boxes, etc., to gain entry to an area.
   • Fecal droppings will often be found in indoor nesting or feeding areas.
     
     
2. As soon as possible, clear debris that provide protective cover for rodents around houses and buildings. Debris that cannot be removed from the site immediately, should be placed as far as possible from the building.

3. When possible, keep lawn and field vegetation mowed, particularly near buildings, to eliminate protective cover for rodents.
   

4. Remove or contain potential food sources such as household trash, spoiled or discarded food, bird or grass seed in a storeroom, etc., that might attract mice and rats.
   
   
5. Do not leave bowls of pet food outdoors overnight. This will reduce attraction of rodents and other animals (such as skunks and raccoons) to your home.
   
   
6. Seal gaps around water pipes, utility line entry points, vents, crawlspace accesses and doors. Rodents can chew through foam and caulk if they are "determined" to gain entry. Sheet metal or ¹/4-inch mesh galvanize hardware cloth can be used for large openings.
   
   
7. Snap traps and glue boards can be used to capture rats and mice indoors. Bait the trigger mechanism with a food item such as whole kernel corn (or another grain), peanut butter and oatmeal. Although popular in comic strips and cartoons, cheese is a poor choice as a bait because it dries up and may spoil quickly. Do not place traps in areas where children and pets may be able to reach them. Check the traps daily and dispose of carcasses quickly and appropriately to avoid problems with flies. When handling traps that have caught rodents, wear gloves (preferably ones that can be rinsed in bleach). If you don't want to reuse the trap, you can pick it up with an inverted plastic trash or grocery bag, seal the bag and dispose of it properly.
   
   
8. Rodent baits are effective for mouse and rat control, but must be used with great care. The disruptions that take place during clean-up activities after storms may make it difficult to get rodents to visit baited locations (if you're not baiting active burrows). When baiting outdoors the bait must be secured, e.g., inside a tamper-resistant bait stations, so that it cannot be removed by the rodent and possibly dropped in an open area where children, pets or wildlife can get to it. For this reason, do not use bait packets or loose bait where children and pets are active. Community-wide problems are s probably best addressed by a pest control professional after cleanup is underway. As with situations where you use snap-traps, check areas for rodent carcasses and remove them quickly before stray animals find and possibly eat them (and in the process become sick from the anticoagulant chemical in the bait).
   
   
9. NEVER place baits or traps in areas where they are accessible to children, pets or wildlife. Always follow the instructions on rodenticide labels carefully.