Mice and rats are two of the most widespread household pests. Additionally, these vermin are known to carry many diseases which can harm both humans and animals alike.

Pest control services offer the most effective means of ridding yourself of rodents. This method uses traps and poison, among other strategies.

Pest Identification

Pests are organisms that harm or interfere with plants, landscapes, wildlands or buildings – often to the detriment of both human and animal health.

Pest identification is the first step of effective integrated pest management (IPM). Correct identification enables professionals to determine whether pest control measures are needed and to select appropriate tactics based on specific situations.

Identification of pests requires knowledge of specific species, life cycles and physical characteristics of potential threats. Such knowledge is vital, since effective pest management tactics will most efficiently target susceptible stages in their life cycles.

Exclusion

Exclusion is a key part of rodent pest control as it helps stop further rodent and mouse infestations from ever taking hold. This process involves sealing all potential entry points and restricting access to a property to stop further rodent activity from invading it.

Rats and mice in your home can be devastating; these pests are notorious for chewing through anything they can get their teeth into, including drywall, soft metals such as copper and aluminum, wood, insulation and insulation. Furthermore, rats can damage wiring systems, AC ducts, PEX pipe as well as personal items stored in your attic.

That is why it is crucial that rodents remain outside of your home in the first place. A professional can inspect your property to identify all potential entryways through which rodents could gain entry.

Baits

Rodent baits (rodenticides) are often employed to control rodent infestations. These baits come in various forms – loose grain, pelleted grain mixtures, blocks and water-soluble concentrates – and may help eliminate their presence entirely.

Most products available contain anticoagulants that will disrupt a rodent’s ability to clot its blood, leading to their quick death within days or multiple-dose baits which kill rats or mice in one feeding.

Most rodent stations are designed to be tamper-resistant to keep children and pets away from accessing toxic baits, while some fully enclosed models can house both solid and liquid baits. Hinged lids enable inspection of the station for any dead or living rodents that might enter it.

Traps

Rodents can do significant damage to crops, stored grains, buildings, and farm equipment. Furthermore, their presence can spread diseases that contaminate food products quickly – so it is vitally important that any rodent problem be eliminated as quickly as possible.

Traps are an efficient means of pest control for rodents. There are various kinds of traps available for purchase – snap and glue traps among them.

Traditional snap traps are widely used and typically feature an automated baiting system designed to lure rodents into them. Once inside, their spring mechanism snaps shut and kills them instantly.

Glue traps use an adhesive film of glue to immobilize mice. While these traps may be less expensive than their snap counterparts, they are inhumane as beneficial animals such as birds, insects and snakes may become trapped and eventually die over time.

Chemicals

Rodenticides are chemicals designed to kill rats, mice and other rodent pests by inhibiting normal blood clotting mechanisms that make rats bleed internally until their death occurs.

Anticoagulant poisons have the ability to cause rodent kidneys to calcify and eventually fail, leading to their eventual demise. There are other toxic baits which work differently as well.

Warfarin and chlorophacinone anticoagulants work by stopping blood clotting; first-generation anticoagulants like this tend to be safe for humans and pets, while second-generation products like bromadiolone, difenacoum and difethialone can be more toxic; their persistence poses greater threats to wildlife than first generation anticoagulants do.

If you have rodents or roof rats in Phoenix, AZ contact Atomic Pest Control for help. We cover the Phoenix, AZ metro area and Flagstaff as well as Northern Arizona.