Problem Category: Household Pests
Rodents
Mice
Mice usually live in grassy, bushy areas in holes or burrows. Leaf mulches also provide habitats for mice. They feed on seeds, bulbs, vegetables, flowers, birdseed, pet food and young tree bark. Some mice can fit through an opening no bigger than 1 cm. Mice become a problem when the damage to gardens becomes excessive and when they decide to make their nests in living areas.
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 Rats
Rats will infest clean, suburban dwellings, barns and outbuildings. Rats can enter your home through toilets, chimneys, vents and other small openings. They make their nests in attics, crawl spaces, walls and other secluded areas. Rats will eat household food and pet food. A sure sign of rats is chewed surfaces of wiring, furniture, wood trim and even gas lines.
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Helpful Hints - Preventing Rodent Problems
Wire mesh can be used to prevent mice from tunneling underneath a fence. The same mesh can be used as a barrier at least 12 inches high around gardens. Keep gardens free of leaf mulches to reduce breeding. Seal foundations and other entryways around buildings.
Why Worry About Rats & Mice?
- Rats and mice will contaminate food with their hair, droppings and urine, rendering food stuffs unfit for human consumption. Contaminated food can transmit several types of diseases and parasites.
- Rodents will bite when cornered and rats will occasionally bite sleeping infants.
- Deer mice are known to carry the Hantavirus. This virus can cause a serious and sometimes fatal disease known as the Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome. It is transmitted by exposure to mouse droppings or urine. Mouse to human transmission is still a rare occurance. Care should be exercised when disposing of dead mice and when cleaning out their nests. Consult local Health Authorities.
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