Rodents come in all shapes and sizes, from small chipmunks to large gophers. However, when residents and business owners mention rodents, they're most likely talking about rats and mice. These rodents cause damage to buildings and harm to people. They range in size from 1-ounce field mice to 18-inch long roof rats. If they're not eliminated quickly, these rodents will create costly problems for you later.

Why are Rodents a Problem?

Rodents such as mice and rats constantly chew on objects in their path. Whether it's a doorframe or a wire, they need to gnaw on something as a way to keep their teeth from overgrowing and causing health problems. If a rat chews through a wire, it can cause a short circuit or a fire in the attic, which poses a serious risk to the family inside the home.

Rats and mice also harbor diseases such as rat-bite fever and hantavirus. They're known for transmitting the plague through their feces and saliva, and even their fleas can bite you and transmit diseases. Rodents will chew through boxed goods in the cabinet and contaminate your food during the night. They'll also crawl along surfaces and leave behind feces, spreading diseases wherever they go.

How to Identify Rodents

Rats are larger than mice, but both species have similar characteristics, such as bulging eyes and hairless tails. Mice are small in weight and length and may have species-specific features, such as long or short snouts and large or small ears. Rats can grow anywhere between a few inches to a couple feet in length. Both rats and mice build nests in hidden areas such as crawlspaces and attics and prefer to come out at night.

Pest Control for Rodents

Effective rodent control starts with the proper treatments such as traps and bait blocks. Mice and rats aren't normally controlled with liquid sprays, such as those that are used to control insects. Instead, it's important to use bait for luring the rodents out of their hiding spots. Some common rodenticides include:

• Spring traps
• Glue boards
• Bait blocks

Spring traps capture rodents using a bait on a lever and provide quick kills once the rodent disturbs the trap. Bait blocks contain a poison and kill the mice and rats by ingestion. Glue boards trap the rodents in place and prevent them from escaping. Combined, these products provide an effective way to remove rodents from your property.

Eliminate Rodents With Quality Rodenticides

Whether it's a glue board or a heavy-duty rat trap, the products here at Pedchem capture rodents quickly and effectively. Consider using bait blocks and traps with bait stations to protect the bait from tampering and to keep the rodents inside where they definitely cannot escape.