Rodents or Mouse Pest Control

 Rodents

Three rodents pest species are common to British Columbia. These are House mouse, Norway rat and Roof Rat. Rodents are known to transmit various diseases through bacterial, viral pathogens and parasites to human beings. Some diseases are spread by contact with the urine and droppings. Breathing dust raised during the cleanup of droppings can cause illness. Rodents can chew through electric wires and plastic pipes resulting fire hazards.
House Mice are gray or brown, small and slender, weighing 20-30 gm rodents with relatively large ears and small eyes. An adult is about 5-9 cm long, including the 3 to 4 inch tail. Although house mice usually feed on cereal grains, they will eat many kinds of food and remain active at night time. They eat often, nibbling bits of food here and there. Mice have keen senses of taste, hearing, smell and touch. They are excellent climbers and run horizontally along wire cables or ropes and can jump up 10-13 inches from the floor onto a flat surface. They can slip through a crack that a pencil will fit into (slightly larger than 1/4 inch in diameter). In a single year, a female may have five to 9 litters of usually five or 7 young each. Young are born 17 to 20 days after mating, and they are mature in six to nine weeks. The life span of a mouse is about eight to 11 months. Mouse leave small (less than 6 mm) dark brown droppings with smooth ends.

Norway Rat is a rather large member of the mouse family. On average, these rats reach nearly 300-400 mm nose-to-tail, and weigh 400-600 g. The nose is blunt, the ears are small. When distinguishing the Norway rat from the Roof rat, pull the tail back over the body. The tail of the Roof rat will reach the nose. The tail of the Norway rat will not reach beyond the ears. Their fur is coarse and usually is brownish or reddish-gray. The droppings are 1/4 to 1/2 inch in length, dark capsule shaped , with blunt end. Norway rats live in close association with people. They generally live at ground level and burrow to make nests under buildings and other structures, beneath concrete slabs, along stream banks, around ponds, in garbage dumps, and at other locations where water, food and shelter are present. Rats are primarily nocturnal. They usually become active about dusk, when they begin to seek water and food. Some time they may be active during daylight hours when the rat population is high, when disturbed (weather change, construction, etc.) or when their food source is threatened. The territories of most rats are normally between 50 and 150 feet radius of the nest. Female rats have 5 -7 litters per year with average 9 young per litter.

Roof rat or black Rat a blackish or brownish, medium-sized, slender rat with long, naked, scaly tail; tail usually longer than head and body. Individuals weigh between 100-250 g, and are between 20-25 cm in length. They are good at climbing, running and jumping. Roof rats frequently enter buildings from the roof or accesses near utility lines and hanging tree branches on the roof, support structural infestation. Like the Norway rat, they are omnivorous and will feed on almost anything if necessary. They can often be seen at night running along overhead utility lines. They may live in trees or attics and climb down to a food source. Roof rat and Norway rat have a strong tendency to avoid new objects in their environment. These rats may take several days before they will approach a bait station or trap. An opening larger than 1/2 in (12 mm) allows entry of roof rats into buildings. Female has Adult droppings are up to 1/2 in (12.5 mm) long, and are spindle shaped with pointed ends. A female have 4-6 litters per year, with 6-8 young per litter. Adult droppings are up to 1/2 in (12.5 mm) long, and are spindle shaped with pointed ends.

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