Southwest Florida Rodent Control

Although roof rats are omnivores, they prefer a diet of fruits, seeds, vegetables, and eggs. They are also partial to snails and slugs. A roof rat consumes ½ to 1 ounce of food daily and must drink up to 1 ounce of water daily, unless its food supply is high in moisture.

A thorough inspection by Pestwise is the first step in rodent control. Roof rats can be found in commercial and residential settings, especially in areas with poor sanitation or an ample food supply. Heavy landscaping or undeveloped fields are ideal habitats for roof rats. A key to inspection is to look for droppings and urine, rub marks, tracks, and nesting sites. Looking higher for roof rats is also very important as they are extremely nimble and can gain access from branches, vines, pipes, rafters, and ledges. They are often first heard at night, in the attic. They may have gained access from a number of different ways: through the roof vent or soffit vents with torn screening; through plumbing pipes, through the chimney, or from the a/c line that runs in from the outside to the attic. Roof rats can enter through an opening as small as a half inch and mice can enter through an opening as small as a quarter inch.

Properly placed snap traps, baited with food the rodents may already be feeding on, such as dog food, fruit, or peanut butter is an important control measure. Installation of tamper-proof bait stations along the perimeter of the building is another step to controlling the rodent population. Sanitation measures, including removal of food, water, and harborage is another important aspect of successful rodent control. Such measures include ensuring garbage cans and commercial dumpsters have tight fitting lids, removal of dense vegetation, and trimming back trees and shrubbery. Finally, excluding rodents from entering buildings by sealing off openings at screened vents, pipes leading into buildings, doorways, etc. is essential for complete rodent control.