As we approach Thanksgiving, remember that rodents are thankful for all that people provide for them. There is food, water, shelter, warmth, and nesting material. While they may be grateful for this bounty, your customers aren’t feeling the same way about these unwelcome guests. Like some guests who overstay their welcome, rodents in homes are not tolerated very well. A few things to keep in mind as we head into this holiday season:
- Look for the warmth. Temperatures are turning colder across the states and rodents are grateful when they find a way into homes for that safe and warm spot. In many residences, the garages, basements, mudrooms, and other lesser-used spaces in the home are prime for rodents. Many people have extra appliances like refrigerators and freezers in basements or garages and these provide not only a protected spot but warmth too. The motors on appliances like these and washer and dryers keep rodents toasty warm while the outside temps drop. Watch for signs of rodent activity and ensure you have monitors and/or traps in these locations. The EZ Snap Mouse Trap or the EZ Snap Rat Trap is a good choice because of the indicator ties. You can see at a distance if the trap has been triggered or not. You can be thankful for the time you save not checking traps that haven’t been triggered.
- Give them some food. Once rodents get in, there are plentiful food supplies in homes. Mice and rats are very appreciative of this and will take advantage of all the feasts they find. After the homeowner has cleaned up any spilled food and placed the remainder in sealed containers, the rodents should have a lot less to feed on. You can give them their own Thanksgiving dinner, on the traps. Bait traps with food items to draw them into the traps and make them more appealing to visit. A trap with a bite of food is more likely to be visited than a trap with no food. If the homeowner is okay with it, use spilled/spoiled items already at the home. Remember to not use any peanut or other nut butters, they could be a potential allergen.
- Think of mood lighting. Do you like the bright light at dinner so you can see every crumb of cornbread you missed or do you prefer the softer, candlelight dinner? Rodents seek out the dark. Mice and rats are mostly nocturnal and will hide during the day. They will even stay to the darker, shadowed areas at night. When a homeowner has a rodent problem, ensure you inspect (with a good flashlight) those dark areas behind appliances, shelves, and inside cabinets. Sometimes you can see the dark, greasy rub marks rodents leave behind if they have been traveling a particular pathway for a while. Concentrate on some of these shadowed areas that show signs of activity and place traps there.
Show rodents the door! The tips above can help you provide a quick removal of these unwelcome house guests, and your customers will thank you for it. For more tips on treating for rodents, visit us at www.vmproducts.com
