To kill a bug one needs only to apply his or her learning on the specific pests habits and that’s half the game. Insects don’t ‘think’ per se but rather react to stimuli or needs and bada bing, one dead bug. What if you threw a brain into that insect which could analyze, think critically and make decisions even despite some temptation or stimulus?
Such is the case for rodents and while I have over simplified it a bit I hope you get my point. It’s because of this ability of rats and mice to think along with their built in reactions that there are some pretty important Do’s and Don’ts.
Do’s;
Do learn the natural tendencies of a rat or mouse. I said they have a brain, I didn’t call them Einstein. Knowing what they prefer in nesting sites, how far they’ll travel and what their daily needs are among other things will go along way in devising your program. These things are built in so learn them and take advantage.
Do think ahead of the rodent and don’t have the lone sticky board in a corner mentality. Curiosity killed the cat but there’s no mouse in that cliche. It costs money to put out a bunch of traps or bait for sure but so does the extra trips out to a home. Figure out what they’re after and how they’re accomplishing their goals and set some placements accordingly. Force your rodent into a squeeze play or gauntlet simply by placing objects in its way. Be imaginative, be safe.
Do deprive them of the three things they need most. Every living creature on earth needs harborage, food and water. Get rid of as many of these as possible.
Do find out how they got in and seal it up. If you don’t, just repeat steps 1-3 for the new one.
Don’ts;
Don’t put any person pet or non target thing at risk with a shaky placement. It’s so easy to get the customer calmed down with a unsafe application of either a trap or bait. Things won’t be so calm if the unthinkable happens.
Don’t limit yourself to a chunk of bait and/or a snap trap. Have you seen all the great stuff out there for rodent control? Just as you learned all you can about the rodent, learn just as much about all of our available tools.
Don’t under estimate rodents abilities and senses. Ok their vision isn’t great but consider just their vibrissae. This cute system is actually tactile sensors that feed them information you and I will never see with our eyes. It’s part of the reason they can evade a snap trap that closes at a speed of 1/38,000th of a second.
Don’t think one dimensionally. With their ability to climb, jump, squeeze through tiny openings and the like. You must consider your control efforts in a multi directional way.
The challenge of rodent control is one that most exterminators love. Kind of a little super hero verses the big bad bug man scenario. At times it is just as simple as making sure your trap tongue is against the wall or treating in the abyss of an attic. Other times it’s quite the chess match and frustrating as the little critter tests your skills. In any situation just remember the Do’s and Don’ts and take pride when you’ve matched wits with another creature that thinks, did it safely, and won.
