All posts in “rodents”

Rattlesnakes and pest control

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Rattlesnakes and pest control

 

Rattlesnakes just come with the territory out here in the Wild, Wild West and we do occasionally run across one or two or more a year. I try my hardest to relocate them, it’s not their fault that they get into our yards. They are usually just looking for food (rodents, ground squirrels etc) and they get trapped into enclosures or pool areas.  We have them in electrical or water meter boxes, pool or drop down embankments and sometimes even in garages. A word of caution – don’t try this on your own! This takes skills and equipment and a very steady hand.

So let’s talk about two of the most dangerous – rattlesnakes…

  1. Mojave rattlesnake – probably the most dangerous rattlesnake, it’s venom is neurotoxic. Generally found in the southeast of Arizona and with the expansion of its territories we could encounter them more often.
  2. Western Diamondback rattlesnake – one of the largest venomous snakes in the U.S. and rivals its cousin the eastern Diamondback rattlesnake. It tends to be very aggressive and is one of the most common snakes in the Southwest.

    

There is an excellent book by Carl Ernst “Venomous Reptiles of North America” which I suggest you read if interested in snakes.  I keep this book handy to identify any snake I think are dangerous or venomous.

Just when you thought, can they invent another rat trap?

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Just when you thought, can they invent another rat trap or bait station to be more exact?

   These bait stations are designed to look like electrical boxes, blending in and discreet. It includes simulated connectors that slide into the sides of the station, making it appear as an electrical box.  Perfect for sensitive accounts where discretion is essential, the EVO® CIRCUIT™ is understated for a reason.

I have always used a different design because of the ease of use with the key, so I’m very eager to try this new model all with the same key.

Brought to you by Bell Laboratories an exclusive manufacturer of rodent control products, Bell Laboratories produces the highest quality rodenticides and other rodent control products available to the pest control and agricultural industries on six continents.

What’s in your attic?

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What’s in your attic?

 

Have you ever been in your attic or crawlspace? I’ll bet like most you probably haven’t and I don’t recommend doing it from April to September here in Arizona. The temperatures could be in the high 150’s and you wouldn’t want to pass out up there and die from heat exhaustion. But anyway back to the real story: it is important from time to time to at least walk around your home and look up to the roof-line to make sure you don’t have openings in the soffett which would allow animals or birds to enter. The same can be said of insects like honeybees, which can also cause extreme conditions after they are eliminated. A quick glance will let you know what critters might be in the attic, rodent feces and rub marks could certainly be an indication of present problems and warrants a further look. Remember that secondary pests might become a nuisance after you solve the main problem of the original pest ie: bird mites, ticks or fleas – bat bugs etc. So if you can prevent the initial encounter – you may prevent the entire mess.

    

How the bugs get in? Part 2

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How the bugs get in? Part 2

 

This is one of those issues that most people don’t think about – at all. Let’s say you are a snowbird, or you have a spare bathroom that you hardly ever use except when company drops by? Do you ever consider the bathtub drain or the sink drain? Do you know what a P-trap or a S-trap is and what function it serves?

This device allows water to form and become somewhat of a seal against gases and other notorious stuff including bugs from coming up the drain pipes. So if you never check that bathroom or the drain, the water evaporates and allows those noxious fumes and sometimes bugs the opportunity to enter your home of business. I even recommend adding a little mineral oil to the drain, as this will protect the water from evaporating as fast – I understand that this will not harm the water treatment system. This also may prevent those bugs from swimming through the water and by getting  it on their skin and possible stopping them from breathing.

          See the American roaches – they are commonly called sewer roaches because they hide in sewer pipes and systems.

OK I have a great idea, NYC rat problem = Thailand

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OK I have a great idea, NYC rat problem = Thailand

We all have heard about the issues in NYC and the giant rat or the mega number of rats, what if a young entrepreneur started trapping rodents and sent the meat to Thailand. “Demand For rat meat in Thailand Exceeding Supply of Rodents” from OutdoorLife  Gayne C. Young. Hey I’m just saying!

This would be a Win, Win for everybody – it would diminish the number of rodents in NYC and supply food for people in Thailand who apparently like this stuff.  This rodent meat is going for $3 a pound.

I decided not to show the picture – :mrgreen:

Illegal pesticides sold in NY

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Illegal pesticides sold in NY.

There are some laws that make sense and should be enforced to the highest degree. This one caught my attention because of this sentence –

The authorities determined that the liquid contained nearly 61 times the amount of brodifacoum, a powerful rodent killer, permitted by the E.P.A. The substance is an anticoagulant, causing internal bleeding in rodents. The chemical is so dangerous, officials said, that its use is illegal in urban areas unless licensed professionals wearing protective gear apply it.

in the article by Colin Moynihan of the http://www.nytimes.com

“Man Admits Selling Illegal and Dangerous Pesticides“

Someone has lost it in Washington D.C. —– amazing new law

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Someone has lost it in Washington D.C. —– amazing new law.

DC Rat Law ‘Crazier then Fiction’ – Requires Rats to Be Relocated with Families

VA AG Fears DC Law May Relocate Rat ‘Families’ to Virginia

OK so sometimes you see stuff and you think how the hell did that happen? This has got to be one of those events, somebody who thought this was a good idea and somehow people went along with this. Rodents rats, mice are vermin – plain and simple. Now I understand that rats deserve a place on this earth, its just not in our homes or businesses. If you don’t keep check on things they will take over or spread disease – just like the Plague in the 14th Century – 1/3 to 1/2 of Europe died.

Cuccinelli said D.C.’s new rat law–the Wildlife Protection Act of 2010 (Wildlife Protection Act of 2010.pdf) –is “crazier than fiction” because it requires that rats and other vermin not be killed but captured, preferably in families; no glue or snap traps can be utilized; the rodents must be relocated from where they are captured; and some of these animals may need to be transferred to a “wildlife rehabilitator” as part of their relocation process.

The law does not allow pest control professionals “to kill the dang rats,” Cuccinelli told CNSNews.com. “They have to capture them–then capture them in families. [Not sure] how you’re going to figure that out with rats. And then you have to relocate them. That brings us to Virginia. Now, if you don’t relocate them about 25 miles away, according to experts, rodents will find their way back. Well, an easy way to solve that problem is to cross a river, and what’s on the other side of the river? Virginia.”

Hantavirus and Plague                               Filthy Cities (Medieval London) and early New York…

My opinion – BAD MOVE, vermin are vermin – end of story. Who comes up with this stuff?

What’s worse rodents or snakes?

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What’s worse rodents or snakes?

I guess it all depends on your perspective, maybe you are not a fan of either one. Phobias get to all of us I think (recent article ProBest’s Blog Fear and Phobia’s) and from my earliest day spiders have not been a good thought. So which is worse – I think either could be but at least generally speaking snakes can kill you. I’m going to rank snakes higher on my list just because they can bite.

So  this fall I received a call from a warehouse that was really having an issue with  snakes and rattlesnakes to boot. They were wondering about near the bay doors and has people were coming around the corners they would get the shock of their life. So the fix is to take away the food, if you eliminate or reduce the numbers of rodents the snakes will move on. Now thats if they read the same book I read. But just for the facts it worked, reduced the number of rodents and the snake call went away.

Remember its not so much the technique as it is the knowledge. You can spend time trying to figure out the options and spend money often times with little or no effects. So call a Pest Management Professional at ProBest Pest Management and be ahead of the game.

Curiouser, Curiouser the Intriguing Tale of a Mouse or the Rat…

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Curiouser, Curiouser the Intriguing Tale of a Mouse or the Rat…

An actual story from two of our customers:

Curiouser “There I was sitting on my couch one late evening, probably shouldn’t have been watching a scary show.Then I heard the noise. My mind races thinking I was being burglarized or someone was watching through a window. Then I heard it again and small noise more like a bump. I got up and went into the kitchen and I almost screamed, it was a small mouse on the kitchen sink counter. I couldn’t wait, I knew my bug guy was probably asleep. But I did call and got the asnwering machine and I left a message. Then it happened the Bug guy called me back and boy was I impressed with that company. The Bug guy said it probably was something unusal and that he would see to it that someone would respond first thing in the morning.”

So it turns out that the mouse probably came in through the bottom of the kitchen door and we replaced the door threshold. We put down a tin cat to catch the little mouse (which we did the very same day). We did check all the cabinets and only found a few little dropping on the counter and no where else.No mention of a rodent again from that customer and I’ll bet she is extremely glad of that.

  1. The inspection – identifies the issue and the cause = one mouse.
  2. Fix the problem – door threshold.
  3. Catch the mouse.
  4. Follow up with customer.

I received a call one morning from a very upset customer – during the night one of her children had to use the bathroom and discovered a rat in the toilet. I can only imagine that scream and how I would respond to that shocking discovery. She indicated that the rat was still in the toilet and would I please respond ASAP. I had to think for a minute or two to come up with the plan and I headed that way. I put a fishing net under the seat and lifted the lid and there it was – one scary wet looking rat. It was tired and I grabbed it with my gloved hand and put it into a bucket and away I went. Several months ago I saw the customer again and she mentioned the rat again and we laughed. In my 20 years in this industry I have never had a rat in a toilet and often think about how it got there. Second story bathroom, no signs of a tree touching the home and I would think the sewer pipe was a long way to go – so I’ll guess I’ll never know!

  1. Inspection/asscertain the issue
  2. Remove rat
  3. Inspect to make sure nothing can come in from outside, windows closed, no evidence outside including any way in.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDi_p_2_4Ow]

Not my video but one I found on youtube. stelladachicken

Curiouser

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