SPECIALISTS IN RODENT CONTROL
Our team at Clear Round Pest Services provide excellent rodent control and removal services to local clients. Whether you’re having trouble with squirrels in the loft or mice at your place of work, we’ve got methods and solutions to help you out. Call us now to find out more about what we can do.
MICE
The most common mouse found in buildings is the house mouse, weighing less than 25g. The fur colour varies between light brown and grey. Body length ranges between 60-90mm and the tail can add an additional 100mm. Mice have an acute sense of hearing - frequently using ultrasound to communicate - and they're particularly sensitive to any sudden noise. In more rural areas, field mice and wood mice are also frequent visitors.
Mice live in nests that they build out of cloth, wool and paper. These nests are often built inside houses - usually in roof spaces, under flooring or within wall cavities - wherever there is access to a good source of food, especially during the winter. They can squeeze through cracks as small as 5mm but mouse holes are normally 20-30mm in diameter. Mainly active at night, they can often be heard running about as they search for food.
Their favourite foods are cereal products, although they will eat almost anything. Most of the damage they do is by gnawing and ripping open packets. They also spoil food with urine and droppings and can gnaw their way through wood to get to sources of food.
Droppings are often black, rod shaped and 3-6mm long. Fresh droppings will be soft and moist. Each mouse can leave approximately 80 droppings per day. Common places to find mouse droppings are under the kitchen sink, around central heating boilers and in roof spaces. In addition to the damage caused through gnawing, mice have been known to spread bacteria and germs such as Salmonella and listeria, thereby causing food poisoning and stomach upsets.
TACKLING THE ISSUE
It is important to get rid of mice quickly, as house mice reproduce rapidly. To prevent mice infestation, householders can take a number of simple precautions:
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Keep your home in a good state repair (mice only need a hole the size of a pencil to gain entry)
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Remove potential nesting sites by keeping yards and gardens clean and tidy, and by cutting back overgrown areas
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Seal gaps around heating and water pipes
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Ventilation bricks and slots should already have a fine wire mesh incorporated - if this is worn, replace it externally with 3.15mm insect mesh
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Do not leave household waste where mice can get access to it - close dustbin lids and composters and do not feed wild birds to excess as you may be feeding mice as well
Clear Round Pest Services has effective treatments for mice in all situations. We use rodenticides and/or traditional methods after a thorough survey of the affected area.
RATS
The common rat typically has brownish fur on its back and is grey underneath. The adult body length is 200-270mm, with a tail length of 150-200mm. Rats have excellent senses of smell and taste, as well as an acute sense of hearing, frequently using ultrasound to communicate. They're particularly sensitive to any sudden noise.
Common rats live in any environment that provides food, water and shelter. In homes, they will live in roof spaces, wall cavities or under floorboards. In gardens, they will burrow into compost heaps and grassy banks or under sheds. They're often found living in sewer systems as they're agile climbers and excellent swimmers.
Preferred foods are cereal products, although rats are omnivorous and will eat almost anything that humans eat. Most damage caused by rats is through gnawing and ripping open packets of food. They also spoil and contaminate food with urine, droppings and hair. Unlike mice, rats require water every day.
They're particularly active at night, but may be seen during the day searching for food, water or shelter. Common rat droppings are capsule-shaped, black and up to 12mm long. The average rat can leave up to 40 droppings a day.
GETTING RID OF THEM
​Rats follow the same routes when moving around and often leave trails through grass and low vegetation.
They can build complex tunnel systems, which often extend deep into the ground. Entrance holes 70-120mm in diameter will be seen in grassy banks, under tree roots and around paving, drain cover surrounds or wall-floor junctions. Sometimes nests can be found indoors, in lofts or under floorboards.
They gnaw continually to wear down their front teeth, even on non-food material such as electrical cabling, pipe work and wooded fixtures.
Rats can transmit many diseases to humans, including Salmonellosis (food poisoning) and Weil's disease, usually via the urine of infected rats. They can also cause considerable damage to buildings, foundations and other structures due to constant gnawing and burrowing.
To prevent rat infestation, householders can take a number of simple precautions:
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Keep your home in good repair - rats only need a 15mm gap to gain entry
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Remove potential nesting sites by keeping yards and gardens clean and tidy, and by cutting back overgrown areas
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Ensure that drain inspection covers are in place and are in a good state of repair
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Seal gaps around heating and water pipes
-
Ventilation bricks and slots should already have a fine wire mesh incorporated - if this is worn, replace it externally with 3.15mm insect mesh
-
Do not leave household waste where rats can get access to it, close dustbin lids and composters and do not feed wild birds to excess – you may be feeding rats as well
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Clear Round Pest Services has effective treatments for rats in all situations. We use rodenticides and/or traditional methods after a thorough survey of the affected area.
NEED RID OF SOME RODENTS?
Our rodent control and removal services ensure that your property is back to normal in no time.