rodents and their control
There are many species of rodents, but the ones that we deal with most often are roof rats (Rattus rattus), Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus, shown here), and house mice (Mus musculus). Together, these three species are known as "commensal rodents", meaning that they "eat at the same table" as we do. This is because these rodents have adapted to living in close proximity to humans and usually eating food scraps that we discard.
It is estimated that the commensal rodent population in Southeast Texas could be as many as 12 times that of humans, but in a peculiar irony, the vast majority of these rodents live very close to humans. That's because they've adapted to being dependent upon humans. They consume our leftovers and often live in our buildings, where they receive not only shelter from the elements but protection from cats, canines, owls, and other predators.
That's why a big part of any rodent-control job is to inspect for sanitation problems and access into buildings, and to take care of those problems if they exist. We can't do it all with poisons. If the conducive conditions aren't corrected, then "new" rats and mice will move in almost as quickly as we can kill the "old" rats and mice.
That's why we consider inspecting and consulting about conducive conditions an important part of our job. We'll tell you about problems like improper garbage disposal, missing door sweeps, gaps in exterior walls and foundations, and other sanitation and structural problems that need to be corrected in order to achieve more permanent control. In some cases, we can do this work for you. In others, we can recommend good, honest contractors who can help. But one way or the other, you'll do yourself a big favor by taking our advice to heart. We're not trying to make excuses. We're trying to help you permanently solve your rodent problem.
Rodents and Human Health
Rats and mice are among the most important public health pests because they're involved in the transmission of many diseases, including:
- Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome
- Hemorrhagic Fever
- Leptospirosis
- Human Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis (LCM)
- Plague
- Rat-Bite Fever
- Salmonellosis
- Murine Typhus
Although rats are more notorious as disease-spreaders, mice are also important public health pests. Mice are smaller than rats and tend to live closer to humans, often getting into kitchen cabinets and drawers to find food -- and leaving their urine, droppings, shed hairs, and other filth behind.
Economic Impact of Rats and Mice
In addition to their public health importance, rats and mice are also important pests because they cost us money and create fire hazards. They also destroy stored items with their gnawing, droppings, urine, and shed fur.
Rodents who get into homes and other buildings can cause fires and disrupt phone and data services by gnawing on wires. Most experts believe that the majority of electrical fires of "unknown" origins were actually caused by rats, mice, and squirrels gnawing on electrical wiring in homes. Rats and mice are also responsible for countless telephone and data outages every year when they gnaw through telecommunications cables, including fiber-optic cable. In fact, in computer data centers, checking for mice is the most important job the exterminator does. One mouse can shut down thousands of users' access if it happens to chew through the wrong cable.
Rats and mice also contaminate countless tons of stored food with their urine, droppings, shed fur, and other bodily filth, in both homes and commercial establishments. Rodents leave a trail of filth germs wherever they go, including your kitchen cabinets, cutlery drawers, pots, pans, and food preparation surfaces.
Effective Rat and Mouse Control
There's no single "best" way to control rats and mice. Every situation is different. We use a wide variety of rodent control methods including trapping, baiting, exclusion, and habitat modification. Our approach to every job is custom-tailored to the property and the problem, just as with all of the work that we do.
We provide rodent control at private homes, apartments and condos, supermarkets, restaurants, food-processing plants, office buildings, warehouses, farms, barns, silos, and pretty much any other structure. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please contact us.