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Pest Control Tips for Families and Business Owners


About Me

Pest Control Tips for Families and Business Owners

Hello and welcome to my anti-pest blog. Hi, my name is Corrie. I live in an old home in the middle of nowhere. Due to the gaps in my home and the fact that we are virtually surrounded by nature, all kinds of pests have gotten into my home over the years. In addition to the usual suspects such as cockroaches, ants, termites and mice, we have also seen feral bees and small marsupials get into our home. Through trial and error and the occasional help of a professional pest removal specialist, we have learned a wealth of information about pest removal. Explore this blog and learn through my experiences. I think you will enjoy reading, but most of all, you will enjoy your pest-free house.

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A Quick Guide to Using Mouse Traps

Mice are active all year round, and are one of the most destructive pests which can invade your home. Not only will they contaminate your food, they will gnaw through furniture, insulation, and even through electrical cables—something which can easily start a fire. Mice might look a little cuter than cockroaches and ants, but you need to get rid of them quickly, so here's a quick guide to picking, setting, and laying out traps.

The Right Trap                

Cartoons have made us all familiar with the traditional wooden mouse traps. These generally produce a quick, painless death for the mouse, and are relatively inexpensive. Of course, it's never a pleasure to get rid of the mouse afterwards, and there's always the slight possibility of accidentally hurting yourself—though the risk is minimal.

There are also a number of 'humane traps'. Essentially, these enclose mice in a cage or tube without killing them. These are obviously less cruel, but you'll need to check them more often—two mice trapped together will often resort to trying to eat each other - and they're also more expensive.

Setting Your Trap

Whichever trap you chose, you'll need to provide some bait. Anything relatively heavy with a strong smell should work, with high fat or protein content serving as an added temptation. Cheese, bits of hot dog, peanut butter, or pet food are all recommended.

Snapping traps are a little trickier to set up, so make sure you follow the instructions to avoid a painful accident. Remember to bait the trap first so you don't have to fiddle around after setting the mechanism. Consider using glue to fix the bait—this avoids problems caused by traps which lack sensitivity.

The Right Location

Now, finding the right spot. You want to identify the likely path between nest and food source. Droppings, signs of chewing, and—of course—anywhere you've actually seen a mouse make good places to start. From here, zero in on gaps between or beneath furniture, crawl spaces, or anywhere near either heat sources or secluded locations.

Mice are territorial, so they'll always be ready to investigate something which pops up near their nest. If you can't locate the nest itself, try placing the trap along walls. Mice have very poor eyesight, and will rarely venture into the centre of a room. Check traps frequently once laid, and change their locations after a night or two until you're successful.

Mice can multiply quickly, so setting traps as soon as you think your home might be paying host to them is always a good idea. If the traps don't get rid of them, make sure you contact a professional exterminator (such as Ecology-Care Pest Control).