HomeMy Public PortalAboutGeneral Flyer Control of Rodents in an Urban AreaWatertown Health Department Newsletter
Control of Rodents in an Urban Area
Rodents are known to be carriers of diseases and can cause damage to homes.
The primary goal of the Health Department Rodent Control Program is to
prevent human exposure to rodent caused diseases by controlling rodent
infestations in the community. This is achieved by eliminating any food
sources, sealing even the smallest entries into homes, and successfully trapping
rodents.
You play a key role in rodent control and maintaining a clean community is the best prevention tool in rodent
control.
You can help prevent rodent infestation by:
1. Clean Up: Clean up by eliminating rodent food sources and nesting sites.
• Clean up your home, pick up or eliminate clutter inside and outside
your home.
• Store food in thick plastic or metal containers with tight fitting lids.
• Put food away after use. Clean up spilled food right away. Wash
dishes and cooking utensils after use.
• Store all garbage and food waste in thick plastic or metal cans with
tight fitting lids. Dispose of garbage on a regular basis.
• Outside your home: Get rid of old vehicles, tires, and clutter that
mice and rats might use as homes.
• Keep outside cooking areas and grills clean.
• Do not feed wildlife; do not leave pet food or water bowls outside in
feeding dishes.
• Keep bird feeders away from your home; utilize squirrel guards on all
bird feeders.
• Keep compost bins away from your home.
• Keep woodpiles away from your home. Elevate wood piles at least
eight inches off ground.
• Keep grass, shrubbery, and vegetation cut short and well -trimmed
to eliminate possible nesting site outside your home.
Keep food in thick plastic or
metal containers with tight lids.
2. Seal Up: Seal up all small holes and entries into your home. Mice can squeeze through a hole the size
of a nickel and rats can squeeze through a hole the size of a half dollar!
• Locate and seal all holes, gaps, and openings in your home 1/4 inch or larger.
• Where to look inside your home: inside, under, and behind kitchen cabinets, refrigerators and
stoves. Look inside closets, near floor corners, around the fireplace, around door frames, around
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the pipes under sinks and washing machines, around floor vents and dryer vents, inside attic, and in
the basement or crawl space.
■ Where to look outside your home: in the roof among the rafters,
gables, and eaves, around windows, around doors, around the
foundations, attic vents and crawl spaces vents, under doors, around
holes for electrical, plumbing, cable, and gas lines.
■ Seal holes with steel wool. Put caulk around the steel wool to keep
it place. Use lath screen, lath metal, cement, hardware cloth, or
metal sheeting to fix large holes. These materials can be found at
your local hardware store.
■ Use flashing around base of house and doors.
■ Shed, garages, and outside buildings should also be sealed to prevent house.
the entrance of rodents.
■ If you do not remember to seal up entry holes in your home, rodents will continue to get inside.
Seal holes on exterior of your
3. Trap Up: Trap up rodents in your home to successfully reduce the
rodent population.
■ Choose appropriate trap and carefully read instructions before
setting trap.
■ Place traps in rodent runways along walls between nests and
feeding areas
■ Place traps in attics, basements, and crawlspaces and other areas
that do not have regular human traffic, set traps in areas where
there is evidence of frequent rodent activity.
■ Contact a licensed Pest Control Operator to treat burrows.
Rat burrows: Most rats live in nests or burrows.
Burrows are holes in dirt, wood or concrete that
range from 1 -inch to 4 -inches wide. Rodents
cannot be eliminated by blocking their burrows,
they will dig another burrow.
If you find a rat burrow on your property contact a
licensed pest control agent to treat the burrows.
Active rat burrow
Rat chew in walls
Place snap traps inside your
home.
Diseases spread by rodents:
There are 35 diseases that can be traces to rodents. Some from handling rodents, contact with rodent feces,
urine, or saliva, or through rodent bites. Some diseases know to be spread through direct contact with
rodents include Hantavirus, Pulmonary Syndrome, or Tularemia. Other diseases are spread from indirect
contact such as Babesiosis or Lyme Disease which can be spread by ticks on the rodents. It is recommended
that you avoid all contact with rodents, rodents droppings, and urine as these can be sources of diseases.
If you come across an area where rodents have been living seek professional pest control guidance in their
elimination.
Watertown Health Department, 149 Main Street
Phone: 617-972-6446
Information Source:
http://www.cdc.gov/rodents/index.html
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