- Rats and rodents are among the most dangerous pests threatening the safety of homes, warehouses, farms, barns, and food establishments, due to the significant health and economic damage they cause. Their danger is not limited to damaging food and property; they also transmit numerous serious diseases to humans and animals, in addition to contaminating food and water with feces and urine.
- Rodents are highly adaptable to different environments, reproduce rapidly, and are adept at hiding within walls, ceilings, drainage systems, and storage areas, often resulting in delayed detection of infestations after significant damage has occurred. Furthermore, inadequate preventative measures and readily available food and water sources contribute to their rapid population growth in a short period.
- Controlling rats is one of the most difficult control programs, because it does not depend on just one procedure, but requires an integrated plan that combines prevention, baits, traps, and sealing off entry points to prevent the infestation from recurring after it has been eliminated.
🔍 Signs of the presence of mice and rodents
- Hearing sounds of movement or chewing at night
- Signs of gnawing on electrical wires, doors, and wood.
- The presence of small, dark-colored droppings
- Unpleasant smells in corners and storage areas
- Missing parts of the food or torn bags
- Footprints or scratches in dusty places
🔄 The life cycle of mice
- Rodents are characterized by a high rate of reproduction, as the female can give birth several times a year, and each time from 5 to 12 offspring. The young reach maturity within a short period, which leads to the number of infestations doubling very quickly if early control is not carried out.
💥 The dangers of mice and rodents
- Transmission of serious bacterial and viral diseases
- Food and water contamination with feces and urine
- Damaging electrical wiring and causing fires
- Damage to stored crops and fodder
- Spreading foul odors and intimidating residents
- Direct economic losses in farms and warehouses
- 🛠️ Integrated Rodent Control Program
🌱 First: Preventive control
- Seal all openings and cracks in walls and doors
- Store food in airtight containers
- Disposing of waste daily
- Reducing water sources within the premises
- Organize the warehouses and leave no hiding places.
- Trim grass around buildings and reduce dense vegetation.
🧀 Second: Control with poison baits (Rodenticides)
- This is the primary method for eliminating rats inside burrows and passageways.
✅ Suitable active ingredients:
- Brodifacoum: Powerful, long-lasting baits that eliminate rodents in small doses.
- Bromadiolone: An effective vaccine for moderate injuries
- Difenacoum: Suitable for indoor environments
- Zinc phosphide: Use with caution in open areas and under the supervision of a specialist.
- ⏱️ Repeat: Check the bait after 3-5 days and repeat as needed
⚠️ Important: Baits must be placed inside secure bait stations to prevent access by children and animals.
🪤 Third: Control by traps
- Used in: kitchens, food establishments, and sensitive areas
- Environments where the use of toxins is prohibited
- ✅ Includes: Mechanical traps, sticky traps, and multi-catch traps
🧠 When should we use each method?
- ✅ Are there large numbers? ➜ We start with poison baits inside stations
- ✅ Sensitive areas? ➜ We only use traps
- ✅ Persistent infection? ➜ We combine baits + traps + prevention
- ➡️ The best result is achieved when an integrated program is implemented and not relying on only one method.
❌ Common mistakes
- Placing baits in exposed locations
- Touching the bait with bare hands
- Stop the control immediately after the mice disappear.
- Failure to seal the openings after the treatment
- Using one type of bait for extended periods
- Leaving food sources exposed inside the premises
⚠️ Health warning
- Rats are a primary carrier of many serious diseases for humans and animals, and can cause direct food contamination. Therefore, infestations should be taken seriously and control measures should not be postponed, no matter how small the numbers may seem.
🌱 Orchid's Advice
- Don't rely on bait alone, but:
- Close the openings
- Clean the place
- Then use baits and traps together
- In this way, you cut off the source of the infection and prevent it from recurring.