The Key To Effective Rodent Control In Richmond, VA

When it comes to rodent control, the most effective weapon in your arsenal is knowledge. You can have all the right tools and still fail to get control of Richmond rodents. Why? Because it is easy to misunderstand what is happening when you attempt to control rodents. Let's take a look.

Exclusions

If you attempt to seal all of the entry points rodents are using to get into your home, you might find yourself perplexed when they keep getting inside. This is because mice and rats can fit through holes that are the size of their heads. If a tiny mouse can get its head through a dime-sized hole, it can fit the rest of its body. If a rat can get its head through a quarter-sized hole, it can fit the rest of its body through.

Why is this important to know?

You need to seal every gap or hole you find. If you don't, you'll keep having issues with rodents.

Thigmotaxis

That's a fancy word, isn't it? But it is an important word to know if you want to control rodents. When a rodent approaches an open space, it takes a lot of time for it to enter the space. It is far more comfortable for a rodent to run along a wall and stay in voids or tight spaces. Researchers determine rodent anxiety by how quickly they will take to moving about in an open space.

Why Is This Important To Know? 

If you don't understand thigmotaxis, you're going to have trouble catching rodents in Richmond. When you place traps on a floor in the middle of your attic, you're not likely to catch a rodent. It takes time for them to feel comfortable enough to come away from the walls, and even more time for them to become comfortable enough to take food from a strange looking device in the middle of a room. You can lay the food source on the food in a trail leading to your traps to lower the anxiety and increase your success.

Trap Aversion

It can be confusing when you set traps for rodents and don't catch anything. There are many reasons why mice or rats could avoid the traps you set for them. 

• If you set the traps by hand, the rodents may smell you on the traps.
• Rats are suspicious of new things. If you set a trap in a location a rat has explored, it may ignore the trap.
• If a rodent springs a trap but is not caught, it can become trap shy.
• If you use the wrong bait, rodents may completely avoid the traps.
• And more.

Why is this important to know?

The reason for this one is obvious. When your traps fail, your rodent control fails. 

Reproduction

Mice reproduce quickly. One female can have 6 to 8 pups every 21 days. On her own, she is able to produce as many as 136 mice in a year (though a typical mouse is likely to produce about 50 offspring). But, keep in mind that this one female will give birth to other females. The female mice that come from her will also produce mice. Do you see how quickly the numbers can rise? Rats can reproduce nearly as quickly. 

Why is this important to know?

If you manage to catch one mouse or rat, it is likely that you have a lot more inside your home. And, the other rodents can learn to avoid your traps because they're pretty smart. Don't think for a second that you've solved your rodent infestation when you've captured one or two rodents.

Professional Rodent Control

We've only touched on a few of the many ways mice and rats can be difficult to control. These animals are clever and resourceful. They can scale surfaces, jump a foot in the air, jump three feet horizontally, chew through building materials, and more. Knowledge is the key to effective rodent control. An inspection must be performed, exclusions must be appropriately applied, traps must be properly placed, and the control process needs to be monitored to ensure success. This is best done by a licensed pest management professional.

When Rodent Control Fails

Rodents present a threat to your health and property and, if you attempt to get control of them and fail, you may not know it. This can allow them to continue to secretly move about your home, make you sick, and damage your stuff. It is best to have a trained and experienced professional handle this pest control problem.

For assistance with mouse, rat (and squirrel) problems, reach out to Go-Forth Home Services. 

We use industry-leading strategies to get control of rodents. We can get the results you're looking for.