While people usually only consider rats when they think about rodents, there are over 2,000 species classified as such. They range from rats and mice to gophers and beavers. People understand that rats can carry diseases and chew holes in wiring and the structures in their homes, but we underestimate how easily a rodent can contaminate food and food prep surfaces within a home, and we also underestimate how intelligent these creatures are.
The Trouble With Rodents
Everyone knows that mice can squeeze through small holes in the wall to get where they need to go, and beavers are experts at building elaborate dams for hunting purposes. But rodents also have a unique way of learning from their situation and adapting to trial and error results. That’s why keeping them out of your home can be so tricky.
Keeping Them Out Of The House
Nowhere should be more peaceful and secure than your home. However, when rodents threaten the structure, wiring, and sanitation of your house, it can destroy the peace of mind you should feel when you’re at home. Whether you see the rodents or not, merely finding signs of them in your house can be very unnerving. The chewed wires, the holes in the clothes, and the random droppings, all create a disgusting, unsanitary, and uncomfortable feeling.
It’s tempting to want to solve the problem yourself, and there are a lot of home remedies you can use to try and prevent rodents from getting a foothold in your home. There are mousetraps and rat poison. These are effective at times, but these methods are also a little nerve-wracking if you have children or pets in the house. The last thing you want is for your kids or pets to get ahold of some rat poison or get a hand or paw caught in a mousetrap.
One interesting method popularized on YouTube is the “Bucket O’ Death” or “Wheel Trap.” This method involves taking a bucket filled with a few inches of water (depending on how big your rodent is). You then will need to place a water bottle with a coat hanger stuck through it on top of the bucket. Putting some peanut butter on the bottle will attract any rodents you may be dealing with (rodents love peanut butter.) Then, you simply lay a piece of wood from the ground to the top of the bucket. The rodent will climb up the ramp, attempt to walk onto the bottle to eat the peanut butter, and then slip as the bottle rotates. All you have to do is remove the drowned rodent when all is said and done.
True Protection
Now, as fascinating as the wheel trap sounds, remember that this is an intelligent creature you’re dealing with. When a rat sees a giant bucket with a large wooden ramp leading to a peanut butter feast that seems just a little too good to be true, it might just avoid it entirely. Unfortunately, true protection and surefire peace of mind only come from entrusting professionals to keep your home safe from rodents.
The rodent prevention professionals here at Able Pest Management understand which entry points need the most protection and provide preventative measures that can keep rodents at bay before they even become an issue. We will also show you how to create a less attractive environment for rodents in your yard.
With our professional rodent prevention services, you can keep your home clean and enjoy your outdoor time without worrying about attracting rodents onto your property. If you believe that having peace of mind and comfort in your home should be a high priority, then reach out to the professionals here at Able Pest Management, LLC.