Not Even Mighty Mouse Can Save the Day If Your Home Is Home to Mice and Rats

Everyone over a certain age will remember Mighty Mouse. Beginning on television in 1955, and continuing for almost 12 years, Mr. Trouble never hung around when he heard this mighty sound. “Here I come to save the day! That means that Mighty Mouse is on the way.”

When rats and mice enter homes, farm buildings and warehouses, they’re not there to turn a “wrong to right.” They’re seeking food and shelter. They eat or contaminate large quantities of food and damage buildings, stored clothing and documents. They also serve as carriers of disease, including Rat-bite fever, Weil’s Disease, pox, plague, trichinosis, typhoid and a host of others.

Commensal rats and mice are the most common rodent pests in Florida. Commensal means living with or in close association with humans. These include the roof rat, Norway rat and house mouse. These rodents have been carried by man to every corner of the Earth.

Roof Rat Most Common in Florida

The roof rat is the most common rat encountered in Florida. It’s dark brown to black in color and measures 13-18 inches in length, including the tail. They weigh from 5-9 ounces, are slender and their ears are large and nearly hairless.

These rats travel off the ground and enter buildings from nearby trees or powerlines. While they prefer fruit, they will eat any type of human, pet or livestock food. Their presence can be determined by gnawing damage, droppings, sounds of scratching, squeaking, or gnawing in walls or ceilings, and characteristic dark, greasy rub marks on their paths along walls and on rafters.

Norway Rat

Norway rats, which are about 12 to 18 inches in total length and appear stocky, are uncommon in Florida. Nonetheless, they can occur anywhere in the state. Rats found in sewers are generally Norway rats. They’re good swimmers and because they can swim underwater for up to 30 seconds, they can enter homes by coming up toilet pipes. They usually dig burrows along foundations and under debris piles. These rats enjoy meat and fish, but like their cousins the roof rat will eat any type of human or pet food. Norway rats are very aggressive and while it’s no solace to anyone with any type of rodent infestation, these rats will drive roof rats out of an area.

House Mouse

House mice are smaller than their rat relatives. They measure less than 8 inches in total length, with a slender body, pointed nose and small protruding eyes. The tail of this mouse is hairless with scale rings. They’re very prolific and breed year-round. Females can produce as many as 13 litters a year ranging in size from three to 10. Following birth, young mice grow rapidly and reach their maturity in only six to eight weeks.

Good Sanitation First Defense

Good sanitation is very effective in reducing mouse and rat populations in your home, although it will not completely eliminate them.

1. Keep garbage containers tightly covered.

2. Store bulk foods in sealed, rat-proof containers.

3. Do not leave pet food out, especially overnight.

4. Promptly pick up any fallen fruit from citrus trees, etc.

5. Harvest citrus crops promptly and completely.

Rodent-Proof Your Home

Physical barriers can also help prevent mice and rats from entering your home. Seal all openings larger than 1/4 inch. Use heavy materials that will resist gnawing. Mice and rats find some chemical tastes and odors distasteful, but chemical repellents are usually not a practical solution.

Trapping is an effective and often used method of controlling mice and rats in dwellings. It has the advantage of allowing you to physically remove the carcass and eliminate odor problems that occur because of decomposition when mice and rats ingest poisons and die in the walls and floors of your home.

Unfortunately, Mighty Mouse can’t save the day for you if your home is also home to mice and rats. But the pros at Insect Protection Pest Control can. They have the training and the knowledge to help you make your home as inhospitable as possible to mice and rats. Call them now for a FREE consultation.

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