Wild animals such as rats and mice are much more common in everyday life than all the others. In addition, they are quite dangerous for us, we have to wage a fierce fight against them. These annoying animals can eat up all food supplies in a very short time, destroy small domestic animals, and also bring contagious diseases with them. Therefore, the fight against rodents was and is very relevant.
Rats are a very important problem, but this problem is not always clearly visible. In addition to damaging the wires, they can contaminate products, as well as transmit various dangerous diseases. But rats are nocturnal animals, during the day they are rarely seen in the open. However, there are signs of rats in your home that are fairly easy to spot.
Signs you have rats in your home
- Some droppings can be observed near food storage areas or at the trash can.
- There is some noise at night, scratching.
- You can find nest materials or nests in a secluded area.
- There are teeth markson electrical wiring or wood products.
- You can find bitten fruits and vegetables, as well as minks in the yard or under the house.
- Rat hair appears, dirty stripes on the walls.
However, a person can always take the path of destroying uninvited guests in the house. After all, the fight against rats in the house is simply a necessity for further existence.
Rodent control folk methods
Many people believe that they can get rid of rodents using the old and proven methods that their grandparents used to hunt rats and mice in their homes. You may notice that some recipes are still able to come to the rescue in this fight. Here are the most popular ways to get rid of rodents:
- You can scatter wood ash in the cellar, in the basement on the floor (approximately a bucket of ash for 5-10 square meters). The alkali contained in the ash begins to injure the paws of animals, they lick it off, and this, in turn, begins to irritate the organs of rodents. Over time, dangerous animals will want to change their habitat.
- A mixture of wheat flour and gypsum (1:1) will not scare away mice and rats, having a familiar smell. For the best effect of this mixture, you need to place containers with water everywhere. Gypsum with water hardens in the stomachs of animals, and they die.
- To protect non-residential areas such as garages and warehouses, kerosene and formalin can be used. Since rodents do not like such smells. A similar treatment should be carried out in the fall before storing vegetables in the winter. But don't get tooget carried away.
- Also, rodents do not like the smell of mint. Plants can be placed at possible pest locations.
- Elderberry branches with berries should be put in the pantry.
But the most common folk method of dealing with mice and rats is to bring a cat. However, not all cats like to hunt, especially if you can get a tasty and satisfying meal from the owner without much effort.
Safety measures when using traps
- When laying out the poison, you need to wear protective gloves, and then be sure to wash your hands.
- Poisonous substances should always be kept out of the reach of children and other animals.
- Never store food or food near poison.
- If you have children, it is safer to use gentle traps for rats and mice.
Modern ways to deal with mice and rats
Humanity was forced to invent more and more new means in order to rid itself of annoying neighbors. Mice and rats are being fought biologically, physically and chemically.
Physical fighting methods
One of the physical methods is the destruction of rodents by filling their holes with boiling water or foam-glue compositions. The burrow fills up quickly. Animals deprived of movement and oxygen die. This method is quite laborious, the efficiency is not 100%. If the burrow is branched enough, then the pests will run away without being hurt.
Another method is rat traps, as well as homemade rat traps,which are installed in the habitats of rodents, but not all dangerous neighbors come across in them. There are cases when the bait was eaten, but the animal was not caught by the trap. If the rat trap worked, then the corpse must be pulled out and put away somewhere, which is not a pleasant process.
In general, in the process of fighting rodents, various traps for rats were invented: swinging platforms, crushers, trapping cylinders, plate traps, various live traps. There are plenty to choose from. A handmade rat trap brings good results, as these animals eat a lot.
A glue trap for rats can also be effective. A treat is placed there in the same way as in the case of a rat trap, the rodent steps on the glue and gets bogged down in it. Such traps for rats are disposed of with the animal. However, a more experienced animal can get out.
How best to place traps
Traps for mice and rats should be placed in suitable places. These are places where there are bites, droppings, traces of paws, exits from holes. Traps bring good results if they are placed along walls, in quiet places. The bait should have an attractive smell and taste. Previously, a couple of days before setting the traps, you should remove the food that the animals eat. Baits should be clean and fresh. In summer they need to be changed 1 time in two days, and in winter - every 3-4 days. Pieces of bait should be small in order toit was convenient for the rodent to eat.
Physical methods, including a do-it-yourself rat trap, help get rid of only a few individuals. This is their big drawback. They are effective when only a few mice or rats bother you. But if there are already a lot of them, then the problem cannot be solved in such ways. Then other ways come into play.
Chemical control methods
Using chemical methods of rodent control, you can achieve great results, although there is no need to talk about safety here. You can use poison baits, pollination, gassing.
Baits with poison instantly or over time kill animals. These baits are great when no other food is available. Then the animals, overcome by hunger, eat everything in a row, including poisonous treats.
Rats love cleanliness. They often clean their skins with their tongue. If pollination occurs in those places where rodents were seen, then everywhere there will be a poisonous powder that remains on the skins of pests. Animals, cleaning their fur coats, are poisoned.
In industrial areas, gas is being treated, which poisons all living things. This is done by specially trained people. This way of fighting needs good preparation and substantial finances.
However, the use of chemicals adversely affects humans and animals. Bait with poison can be used not only by rats, but also by other animals, as well as children. Pets often die because they have eaten a poisoned animal. Pollination with poisonous powder is also harmful, because it can settle on other animals and humans. It can easily be ingested by grass-eating animals.
All of the above methods of combating with the help of chemistry are effective for combating some of the rodents. But their number is increasing very quickly, and after the time has passed, they can return to their favorite places again.
Ultrasonic rat trap
Electronic methods are considered to be more effective methods of pest control: electro-disinfectors and ultrasonic repellers.
Electroderatizers are used where there are neither people nor animals, since the deratizer grate is under current and, touching it, rodents die.
Biologists, through their research, found that a sequence of non-repeating ultrasound waves helps to get rid of rodents in a short period of time. Escape is the salvation of mice and rats from ultrasound. With all this, there is no addiction or adaptation in pests. Already after a week after the start of the ultrasonic attack, the pests have a feeling of anxiety, which makes them leave the premises.
In order to effectively place this device, you need to find the most favorite place for rodents. Usually this is a room where there is something to eat. After that, you need to plug the device into an outlet that is not blocked by furniture so that the ultrasonic waves are not blocked. Hard surfaces reflect ultrasound, while soft surfaces absorb it.
Ultrasounddoes not cause any side effects on humans and animals such as dogs, cats, fish, birds. But if there are other rodents in the house, such as hamsters, then they should be moved to a room where the device is not used.
The results of the repeller's work can be observed from the first days. And within 2-3 weeks, rats and mice should completely leave your home.
As a conclusion
The fight against rats in the house, as well as mice, has been going on for more than one century. Every day you can see the emergence of new technologies and ways to combat these pests, but it is easy to see that this war is going on with varying success, its outcome depends on timely prevention and necessary measures.
