7 Facts to Help With Rodent Control and Rodent Removal

1. Rodent Food Destruction and Contamination

Rats destroy or contaminate 20% of the world’s food supply every year. Hard to believe this one is actually true. Hard to believe that rodents can have such a large and devastating impact on us and our surroundings. Don’t let those rats eat your food! Austin rodent control means having to catch them and keep them out.

2. Rats Spread Bubonic Plague

Rats are always blamed for carrying the Bubonic plague, but in fact it was the fleas that carried the plague. Rats are responsible for the spread of the Bubonic plague in that they would carry fleas that actually carried the plague. Unfortunately during the dark ages there wasn’t an abundant amount of rodent control or rodent removal.

3. Mice and Rats Multiply Fast

Mice and rats can multiply like gremlins. Not the water thing, I just mean it happens fast. Female rats become pregnant five times a year and average of 14 offspring per litter. This all depends on the conditions and food supply, but these two elements are not too hard to come by in your standard shopping center, cityscape, or even home.

4. Don't Use Peanut Butter On Glue Boards

A common misconception is that when trying to catch a rodent on a glue board, either rat or mouse, you should put some peanut butter on the glue board. This is not always the case. It can actually get spread around the glue board and make it less sticky. When using a glue board you should depend on placement for catching, not baiting.

5. Reuse Rodent Snap Traps, I know, It's Gross

This one is a little gross so even if you are feeling determined to attempt your own rodent control or rodent removal I might not be able to talk you into this. A snap trap that has killed a rodent will actually work even better if used again. I know, this sounds like a bad joke but the scent left behind will make the rats less suspicious of the odd food giving device and help them to trust the trap enough to regret it.

6. Misconception: Rat Growth

One common misconception is that rats can grow to the size of a household cat, about 10 lbs. or so. Even with food, water, and shelter adequately provided for extended amounts of time this will not happen. If you do see a rat the size of a cat and you live near a river, you just saw nutria. Nutria or a coypu are kind of a cross between and beaver and a rat. They are abnormally large rodents and are frequently mistaken for rats.

7. Misconception: Rodent Infestations Signal Poor Sanitation

And our last common misconception is that rodents are a sign of poor sanitation conditions. This is actually not the case. A rodent population does not depend on the sanitation conditions of an area. The rodent populations solely depend on the amount of conditions conducive to breeding and harboring. Rats prefer clean fresh food but will eat out of a dumpster if nothing else is available. By the way, let’s face it; we throw away huge amounts of food that is still good, so rodents generally don’t need to look that far for fresh food sources.