Examples of Pest Control - Rodents & Mice

Rodents

Most of the nuisance is caused by rodents like tthe house mouse and brown rats. In lesser numbers, nuisance caused by black rats can also occur.
Rats are a threat to public health. They can carry Weil’s disease, paratyphus, Salmonella and trichinoses, among other things.
The feces can transfer these germs to food.
Rats eat from the stocks, causing stock damage. Rats also cause gnawing damage.

Brown Rat

• The brown rat is 22 to 30 cm long, with a body weight of approximately 500 grams.
• He is solidly built with a rather blunt muzzle. The tail is bare and shorter than the body. The length of the tail is approximately 17 to 23 cm.
• The back is usually grey-brown.
• Any female older than 3 months can be fertilized. On average 7 to 10 young are born per litter.
• The droppings are blunt, about 2 cm long and 0.5 cm thick. Also, the droppings are hard and difficult to press.
• The brown rat lives mainly on the bottom. In companies they are mainly found in waste containers, waste pits, sewers and in caves around the company.
• The brown rat is an omnivore.

Barrier

• Due to a good barrier and structural condition of the company, brown rats are prevented from entering the building.
• Make sure that the openings are < 0.5 cm (the size has to do with the entry of mice).
• Provide lockable waste containers that are emptied regularly.

Control

• While walking, the brown rat leaves trail marks. This is because the belly and tail drag on the ground. If drag marks are found, this may indicate rats.
• Check for feces. This both indoors and outdoors.
• Let rats place crates with a non-tox agent. Uptake of this agent indicates rats and/or mice.

Combat

The control of rats must be carried out by a specialized company. If the pesticides are not absorbed, they must be replaced by non-tox agents.

Black rat

• The black rat is mainly found in the port areas, North Brabant, Limburg and Zeeland. In other parts of the country, the black rat is much less common.
• The black rat is a real climber. And is therefore mainly found in the “higher places” in the company. Such as attics, between the roof boarding and on beams.
• The black rat is 14-23 cm tall with a body weight between 150 and 250 grams. The tail is thin and longer than the body. The tail is approximately 14-23 cm long.
• The color is usually blue-gray to black.
• Any female older than 3 months can be fertilized. On average 7 to 10 young are born per litter.
• The droppings are dark colored, curved with pointed tips and about 1 cm long and 2-3 mm thick.
• The black rat is a real omnivore. However, he does have a preference for grains, flour, seeds and fruits. Stocks are made of the food found.

Barrier

• A good barrier and structural condition of the company prevents black rats from entering the building.
• Make sure that the openings are < 0.5 cm (the size has to do with the entry of mice).
• Provide lockable waste containers that are emptied regularly.

Control

• While walking, the brown rat leaves trail marks. This is because the belly and tail drag over the ground and walls. If drag marks are found, this may indicate rats.
• Check for feces. This both indoors and outdoors. Also pay attention to the higher points.
• Let rats place crates with a non-tox agent. Uptake of this agent indicates rats and/or mice.

Combat

• The control of rats must be carried out by a specialized company.
• The pesticides must, if not absorbed, be replaced by non-tox agents.

Mice

In mice nuisance, house mice are usually found. In occasional cases, the vole, wood mouse or house shrew invades the property. 
The house mouse lives in the open field but has a clear preference for buildings or the immediate vicinity of buildings.

House mouse

• The house mouse is an excellent climber and can therefore also occur in higher places within companies. It likes to hide under floors, in attics, behind shelters and above ceilings. It can also be found in the existing stocks themselves.
• The house mouse is light brown to dark gray. Different color varieties occur.
• The build is slender with a pointed head, large ears and beady eyes. The tail is thin and usually longer than the body.
• The house mouse is about 7 to 10 cm long with a weight between 15 and 30 grams.
• Any female older than 2 months can be fertilized. On average, 6-10 young are born per litter.
• The droppings are black, 3-8 mm long and 1-3 mm thick with rather pointed ends. The droppings harden fairly quickly and can be found everywhere.
• The house mouse has a clear preference for grains, legumes and nuts, fatty foods such as cheese, fat, butter and bacon. Foods with a high sugar content, such as candy, are also preferred.
• The house mouse builds up food supplies.

Barrier

• A good barrier and structural condition of the company prevents mice from entering the building.
• Make sure that the openings are < 0.5 cm (the size has to do with the entry of mice).
• Provide lockable waste containers that are emptied regularly.

Control

• While walking, the house mouse leaves trail marks. This is because the belly and tail drag over the ground and walls. If drag marks are found, this may indicate mice or rats.
• Check for feces. This both indoors and outdoors. Also pay attention to the higher points.
• Have bait boxes placed with a non-tox agent. Uptake of this agent indicates rats and/or mice.

Combat

The control of mice must be carried out by a specialized company. If the pesticides are not absorbed, they must be replaced by non-tox agents.

Other mice

In addition to house mice, a few other mouse species may occasionally occur in companies. Below is a brief description of these mice. The prevention measures and control are the same as with the house mouse.

Wood mouse

• The wood mouse is mainly found outside. In the winter months, the wood mouse sometimes wants to hide in companies.
• The wood mouse is 7-11 cm tall. The color is yellow-brown to dark brown. The tail is between 7 and 11 cm.
• A wood mouse can jump up to 65 cm high and up to 80 cm far.
• A wood mouse is quickly recognizable in a company because they drag the bait boxes full with, for example, stones and plastic.
• The wood mouse mainly eats plants, flower buds, nuts, seeds and insects.

Field Mouse

• The vole is mainly found in meadow and grassland areas.
• Here they can wreak havoc by digging and damaging roots.
• The vole is brown to gray brown. And has a plump build, blunt muzzle and ears and eyes hidden in the fur.
• The field mouse is 9-12 cm long and has a short tail (1/3 of the body length).
• The vole mainly lives on cereals, bulbs, potato, cabbage, carrot and sometimes tree bark.

Shrew

• The shrews is not a rodent like the mice and rats. When shrews are found in buildings, it is almost always the house shrew.
• The shrew is brown to gray brown. The skull is very narrow and tapering. The snout sticks out far forward.
• The shrew is 5-9 cm tall. The hairy tail is about 2/3 of the body length.
• The shrew mainly eats insects and their larvae, worms, snails and spiders.
• The damage within companies is mainly due to the noise and the unpleasant smell.
• If shrews eat half their weight per day, the shrew will die quickly with good control measures.