How to Exterminate your House of Rats and Mice

You will learn some habits of rats and mice and how to eliminate a population for about a third of the cost of an exterminator. You will also learn some exclusion methods to prevent future problems.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Inexpensive sandwich bags, tablespoon or small scoop, DeCon, 6 foot step ladder and flashlight.

1. Measure the linear footage of your house or structure to be treated. The average 40' x 24' home will need at least 20 repackaged bait stations.Buy at least 15 packets or boxes of rodent bait. Find the "Active Ingredients" on the package, Preferrably 0.005% brodifacoum or equivalent from you local pest control or hardware store. Buy the least expensive sandwich bags at the grocery store.

2. Acquire a step ladder and a flashlight may be handy. Empty packets of rodent bait in a clean dry bucket.By doing this you stretch your dollar. There is too much bait in those packets for one station. Put two rounded tablespoons of rodent bait in each plastic bag until all the bait is gone. You want at least 20 repackaged bait bags for the average 40' x 24' home.The average home being a house with a cellar, living area and attic.

3. Place one bag of rodent bait at 10 foot intervals on the cellar ledge or mud sill. Preferrably behind the insulation or in such a way it can not fall to the floor. Place the bait OUT OF THE REACH OF CHILDREN AND DOMESTIC PETS. In the attic toss the bags around the perimeter at 10 foot intervals.

Tips & Warnings

• In its own environment mice have a foraging range of only 10 feet from their nest. Rats have a much larger foraging range. To prevent future problems repair any entrances 3/8 inch or larger. Stuff fine steel wool up the corners of the structure. You will start to get results in 4 to 5 days but allow 30 days for the problem to clear up. Rebait as necessary. For foul odor, find and remove any bodies and use a masking agent, i.e. moth balls until odor subsides. It is better to have a little foul odor than to have live mice or rats. They gnaw on everything, including electrical wiring. Their teeth continuously grow, so they have to gnaw to keep their teeth a certain length so they can feed.
• When moving insulation wear a dust mask to prevent breathing in of dust and fibers. Washs hand before preparing food or eating.

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on 12/28/2008 Would mice get to the bait if the bait is in plastic bags?