Ever since the Agricultural Revolution, human societies have harvested grains and other crops for food. At the same time, smaller animals such as rats and squirrels have competed for this convenient food source. In fact, a major reason for the domestication of wild cats and wolves was for animal removal and wildlife control. Even today, cats are used as rat and mouse catchers, naturally hunting and killing these unwanted rodents at farms. Meanwhile, squirrel families, rat nests, and more can be eliminated when professional rodent removal is hired by a homeowner or a public building manager. Restaurant owners may sometimes need professional rodent removal done at the premises, and some cities in the United States are known for their large rodent populations. How can squirrel removal be done right?
On Rodents
These harmful animals often gather where human beings do because of ample food sources and hiding spaces. Cities, towns, restaurants, and houses are attractive to these small animals for these very reasons, and they can be harmful wherever they go. Rats and mice are known for breeding fast; in an ideal environment, in fact, just two rats can grow into a population of 482 million in just three years’ time. This does not always happen so exactly, but the point is clear that rat and mouse populations tend to grow rapidly, especially when human civilization provides convenient nesting places and food. Even today, with modern professional rodent removal, such animals are often harmful. It has been estimated that rats and mice contaminate or consume up to 20% of the world’s food supply, according to data from the National Pest Management Association. And more American cities are reporting increases in rat-related complaints on the phone. In Chicago, for example, rodent-related calls have gone up 61%, and in New York City, such calls have gone up 129% in frequency. San Francisco experienced even higher increases, at 174%
Why are rats, mice, and squirrels such an issue, aside from the horrible image that they present to apartment tenants or restaurant patrons? Rats and rodents can carry rabies and other diseases, and transmit them with bites to people or pets. Rats and mice prefer to flee from threats, but they may bite if cornered or aggravated. What is more, such rodents carry fleas that harbor deadly contagions, and these fleas may transfer to people or pets. In fact, the infamous Black Death spread due to the fleas and rats that entered Europe from Asian trading ships. At the time, no one understood the contagion’s sources, and cat populations were low, allowing flea-infested rats to spread. Today, such illnesses are rare, but the threat of flea bites still exists. And of course, rats and mice love to chew items to keep their tooth growth under control. They often chew on electric cords or plastic pipes, damaging these utilities.
Calling Professional Rodent Removal
More serious infestations of rats, mice, or squirrels call for professional rodent removal. For example, squirrels sometimes chew their way into house attics and start building nests and chewing on electrical cords. Such nests block air ducts and the holes can allow rain water to leak in. Roofing contractors can repair that damage as well as remove the squirrels and their nests.
Meanwhile, professional rodent removal can use poison pellets, poison gas, numerous rat traps, and other methods to lure out rats for live capture or simply kill them. Larger rat populations in a house or restaurant may require shutting down and evacuating the entire building so that poison gas can be safety flooded into the premises. Such buildings will have protective tarps and other layers put over them to prevent such harmful gases from spreading elsewhere, and all rats and mice will be killed. Homeowners will not have access to large-scale rat removal methods, so professional rodent removal are the best answer.
On a smaller scale, just one or two rats may be present, and a homeowner can deal with this alone. Traditional rat traps can be used to lure out a mouse or rat and kill it, or live capture cages with bait may be set out. And if use very carefully, poisoned food pellets can be distributed, and a rodent will be lured out and die when it eats a pellet.