Rodent Control
Eliminating the current population is only half the battle in the war on rodents. This is especially true with Rats. Once controlled, rat-proofing against future invasions is essential. If you are looking for Rodent Control, Our exclusion experts are well versed in multiple techniques to prevent pests such as Rats from entering your home or business ever again.
If unwelcome guests such as Rats have had an extended stay, they may have left quite the mess behind. Rodent droppings and urine can be both unsightly and cause many health concerns. Let us take care of restoring your attic or crawlspace back to a safe, clean & useable area once again.
Identifying your problem is foremost in Rodent Control.
Rats: If you are hearing noises within your walls or attic space during the evening hours, chances are rats are the culprit. Once we have confirmed that the activity present is that of rats, we will need to implement a trapping program.
To this day there is still the misconception that rats were responsible for the merciless Black Death in Europe during the 14th century, ranking it one of the most devastating pandemics in human history. Whilst this partially true, it was in fact the fleas of rats that were responsible for wiping out an estimated 75 million to 200 million people. Whether or not we can blame the rat for the deterioration of medieval Europe’s population more than six centuries ago, a rat’s excrement, perpetual breeding habits and general disgusting traits will leave even those with the strongest-of-stomachs queasy. Possibly one of the most commonly complained about culprits in Vancouver is the Roof rat, and its cousin, the Norway rat. Our filthy little friends take refuge in both residential and commercial / industrial properties. Residential crawl and attic spaces provide an ideal warm and inviting environment, and they have a particular fondness for shelter that is in close proximity to a food source. Although the average adult rat ranges from six to ten inches, the damage they can cause in comparison is shocking. On average, a rat’s front teeth grow four to five inches a year: is it any wonder then that rats have the ability to chew through PVC plumbing, pipes, electrical wiring, dry wall, insulation, amongst many other durable and hard household materials. This can have devastating (e.g. water damage) and sometimes life-threatening consequences (e.g. fire). It is not just the physical damage rats can do to property, but the threat they pose to our health: their urine and feces are toxic, and they will happily contaminate any food source, whilst eating and relieving themselves simultaneously.Did You Know? A rat can tread water for three days and survive being flushed down the toilet!
Mice:
Although a far smaller and cuter cousin than the rat, mice will equally wreak as much havoc and effortlessly spread deadly diseases. The domestic house mouse is the most common troublemaker in Rodent Control. With the scientific name, Mus musculus, it comes as no surprise that several of our beloved cartoon heroes are based on this agile, bold and crafty pocket-sized bandit. No matter how fiction has depicted mice over the years, whether Speedy Gonzales, Jerry or Mighty Mouse, it is best to keep them as fictional characters and not as house guests.
Mice are fond of similar dwellings to rats, e.g. attic, walls, pantries, i.e. where there is shelter and a food source. With the ability to contort and twist their bodies that will make any yoga enthusiast envious, and squeeze through gaps a mere ¼ inch wide that will impress any illusionist, these little offenders are everywhere!
One female mouse can give birth to an average of six to eight young, and can have five to 10 litters a year: you just need to do the math to work out how quickly this escalates into an out-of-hand pest problem, and should be dealt with swiftly. Much like its cousin, mice are also nocturnal and spare no compassion for your beauty sleep! Their endless scratching in the walls will drive you up the wall! It is their constant chewing and gnawing through anything softer than their teeth, including electrical wiring that poses a serious fire hazard.
Do not be fooled by their size – breathing air that has come in contact with mouse excrement has been linked to severe, sometimes life-threatening respiratory problems, such as Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome. Mice can also pass on salmonellosis by contaminating food with its feces. Although they are definitely cuter than rats, mice are still considered a pest by the Canadian Environmental Health Authority. Atlas experts have the necessary solutions to remove any undesirable guests and achieve Rodent Control.
Did You Know? In ancient Egyptian times, cooked mice were used to heal a range of illnesses (we however do not recommend this as a form of dealing with any unwelcome visitors!).
Contact us today to implement an effective Rodent Control plan as soon as possible.
