Nassau County, Nassau County Rat Control Situation:
I live in Nassau County Long Island and I have been battling a problem with mice getting into my walls and attic off and on for two years. I know the rodents are mice because I have caught several of them in the outside "glue" traps. They are not getting inside my house and I never seen any evidence in cabinets, food etc. So there is no need to explore that anymore. They are just in my walls and attic. I have worked with Terminix, Orkin, Stevens Pest Control, Critter of Long Island. None of these so called "Professionals" have been able to solve the problem but they took my money. Not to mention the numerous things I have tried on my own to solve this problem. I have sealed up all the weep holes with steel wool and several areas around the front of the house where I hear them enter the house every night. I need help desperately trying to find out how the mice are still getting in the house. This is what I need. 1) Contractor who can help find the opening where they are still getting in and seal it up. 2) Contractor who can help get the mice out of my walls 3) Contractor who can help clean up the attic from the rodent residue 4) Contractor who can assess any damage done to insulation, walls, etc. Can you help recommend someone who can honestly and professionally help me with the steps to get rid of this rodent problem? I want to put my house on the market for sale but I need to take care of this problem first.
Nassau County Rat Control Tip of The Week
Rats And Black Pepper
Rats eat almost anything. In their search for food, they can gnaw on plastic, wood, and even electrical wiring. A rat presence in your home can cause a lot of economic damage.
When this expense is added to the health problems rats' body fluids can cause, the best thing a person can do is getting them out of the house as soon as possible. The most common extermination way is using traps or rodenticides. However, there are more natural methods such as the use of peppers that cause unpleasant odors and tastes for the rodent and quickly drive them away.
Odors That Repel
Using repellents with unpleasant odors for rats is a way to keep them away from you in a friendly way. The advantage of not having to deal with the rodent's carcass can be worth the effort of constantly using these temporary methods. Rodents use their sense of smell to socialize as well as to survive. An odor such as ammonia often drives them away because it is very similar to the urine of large animals that could devour them. Spicy odors are perceived as dangerous chemicals that are also often avoided at all costs.
Black Pepper
Spicy food odors are unbearable for rats, thanks to their high capsaicin content. These natural compounds give the food its spicy effect, but they are also often very irritating to the mucous membranes and lungs of rodents. If ingested, they can cause a burning sensation in the taste buds and olfactory glands. Pepper is known to be able to scare away rats temporarily although this is not scientifically proven.
For all those people who are afraid of having to deal with poisons or homemade traps, finding new and less harmful options is a headache; however, homemade repellents like black pepper avoid harming other animals and humans, being a perfect choice. In any case, even if they are harmless odors, it is advisable to seek the advice and follow the instructions of a professional in the field.