RODENT CONTROL
Before, during and after disaster strikes
Rodent control is an easily overlooked issue for disaster preparedness. Worldwide, rats and mice spread over 35 diseases. Some are contracted from bite wounds, but most of the diseases are spread through contact with droppings and urine.
In some areas, rodent control can be difficult enough under normal circumstances, but during some disaster scenarios rodents can run
rampant. If your area is flooded or burned by fire, the rodent population is often reduced, and the surviving pests often relocate
to nearby areas. It typically takes 6 to 10 months for them to reestablish their colonies in the affected areas. However,
it stands to reason that if your home is located adjacent to the disaster area or provides a safe haven, you could experience an exodus
of rodents. Added to this is the fact that some types of disasters do not immediately kill off rodents. Some disasters
may only affect their food and water supply or their shelter. Heavy rains, extreme temperature changes and even drought can
cause rodents to seek out new shelter and food supplies.
The best way to prevent a rodent infestation is to seal up your home. Mice can enter your home through a hole the size of a nickel and rats can squeeze through a hole the size of a half dollar.
Here’s
some useful information from the CDC:
Where to look for gaps or holes inside your home:
· Inside, under, and behind kitchen
cabinets, refrigerators and stoves.
· Inside closets near the floor corners.
· Around the fireplace.
· Around doors.
· Around the pipes under sinks and washing machines.
· Around the pipes going to hot
water heaters and furnaces.
· Around floor vents and dryer vents.
· Inside the attic.
· In the basement or crawl space.
· In the basement and laundry room floor drains.
· Between the floor and wall juncture.
· Where to look for gaps or holes outside your home:
· In the roof among the rafters, gables, and eaves.
· Around windows.
· Around doors.
· Around the foundation
· Attic vents and crawl space vents.
· Under doors.
· Around holes for electrical, plumbing, cable, and gas lines.
Fill small holes with steel wool. Put caulk around the steel wool to keep it in place. Use lath screen or lath metal, cement, hardware cloth, or metal sheeting to fix large holes. These materials can be found at your local hardware store. Fix gaps in trailer skirting and use flashing around the base of the house. If you do not remember to seal up entry holes in your home, rodents will continue to get inside. Outbuildings and garages should also be sealed to prevent the entrance of rodents.
If you see signs of infestation, such as droppings, gnawing marks, strange odor or rodent sightings, around your home you may need
to set traps to reduce the rodent population. The best traps to use are snap traps. Using live traps or glue traps may
scare the rodent and cause it to urinate, increasing your risk of contamination.
Use a small amount of peanut butter as bait. Mice and rats prefer to move along walls or in cabinets. They do not like
to come out into the open, so set your traps close to walls, forming a “T” with the baited end closest to the wall. Rats are
extremely cautious, and it may take several days for them to approach the trap. Mice are less cautious, and they may be caught
more quickly. In areas where there is less human traffic, such as attics or basements, you can set the traps where you notice
the most rodent traffic. Also set traps in outbuildings and garages.
When removing the rodent from the trap, wear rubber gloves. Open the trap and drop the rodent into a plastic bag. Seal
the bag and then place it into a second plastic bag and seal it as well. Try not to touch the dead rodent at all. Wash
your hands thoroughly with a 1 to 10 solution of liquid bleach and water. Disinfect the trap with the same solution.
Prevent
contact with rodents by cleaning up your home, workplace, or campsite.
Eliminate possible rodent food sources:
· Keep food in thick plastic or metal containers with tight lids.
· Clean up spilled food right away and wash dishes and cooking utensils soon after use.
· Keep outside cooking areas and grills clean.
· Always put pet food away after use and do not leave pet-food or water bowls out overnight.
· Keep bird feeders away from the house and utilize squirrel guards to limit access to the feeder by squirrels and other rodents.
· Use a thick plastic or metal garbage can with a tight lid.
· Keep compost bins as far away from the house as possible (100 feet or more is best).
· Keep grains and animal feed in thick plastic or metal containers with tight lids. In the evening, uneaten animal feed should be returned
to containers with lids.
If storing trash and food waste inside the home, do so in rodent-proof containers, and frequently clean
the containers with soap and water. Dispose of trash and garbage on a frequent and regular basis and pick up or eliminate clutter.
Eliminate possible nesting sites outside the home. Elevate hay, woodpiles, and garbage cans at least 1 foot off the ground.
Move woodpiles far away from the house (100 feet or more is best). Get rid of old trucks, cars, and old tires that mice and rats could
use as homes. Keep grass cut short and shrubbery within 100 feet of the home well-trimmed.
In the event of a disaster, services such
as garbage collection may be interrupted. Built-up garbage can attract rodents. Review the sections on Waste Disposal andHygiene to prevent potential health hazards.