Winter weather sends mice and rats indoors

The sight of a mouse or a rat in your home can be frightening, especially if at first you do not know what ran under the sofa. And the repercussions for businesses that do not safeguard against and deal with mice and rats on their premises can be great.

The bad news is that as temperatures drop, mice and rats search for a sustainable source of food, shelter and water and anywhere with access to food and water is a potential home for them. And unfortunately for us, our homes and businesses often meet this criteria.

Mice and rats - perhaps the most cunning of all pests

Mice and rats are incredibly clever, and their bodies are built to infiltrate.

For instance, mice can compact their body and squeeze through a hole the size of a biro end, while rats can do the same and squeeze through a hole the size of a 50 pence piece. In addition, mice and rats are strong swimmers, able to infiltrate a building through its sewerage system, and they are known to climb up drain pipes and up walls. Suffice to say, dealing with mice and rats takes ingenuity and a rodent's cunningness.

The signs of an infestation

Most people see the signs of an infestation before they spot the culprit. The most common signs are droppings and damage to dry and packaged foods. However, it is also common for people to hear a mouse or rat before they see any signs of one. Strange noises in the middle of the night, such as scratching and the sound of things moving around could be these pests.

Spotting a mouse from a rat

It's easy to spot a mouse from a rat. Mice will only grow a few inches in length and they will be brown or grey with large ears relative to their heads. Rats on the other hand can grow up to 16-inches in length and they have small ears relative to their heads. Most rats are brown or grey, and even baby rats are larger than fully grown adult mice.

How to deal with mice and rats

Well, you could always get one of these! Far too cute to catch a rat though, don't you think?!

If you do happen to see a mouse or a rat, try not to panic. If you run away, jump up onto a chair or scream you will only scare the little pest into its hiding place and you probably won't see it for another couple of days, which isn't ideal for catching it.

So first of all, we need to plug any holes, cracks or crevices in a building that are letting these pests in. And secondly, we need to limit the possibility of food tempting them over.

When it comes to dealing with the pests at hand, we recommend the humane capture of mice and rats. Many mice and rats are resistant to the poisons commonly used in the pest control industry and the poisons sold in retail stores.This is why it is becoming harder and harder for people to rid their premises of rats using a DIY service and are now having to resort to using a professional pest control company which has access to stronger rodenticides and baits.

By using a professional, local, pest control service you have the peace of mind that the job will be done properly, usually involving a course of treatment over several weeks.   

For humane rat and mice control in Berkshire, call us on 01635 250 852.

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