Mice and rats

Why fight rats and mice yourself?

• Direct health threat: they spread germs such as parasites, viruses and bacteria. In addition, they leave urine and faeces everywhere. 
• Gnawing damage: Rats and mice are rodents which makes the likelihood of gnawing damage very high. If they gnaw on electrical cables, for example, there is a real risk of short circuits or fire. They can also damage other objects considerably with their small, sharp teeth.

Types of rat and mouse traps

Snap traps

You probably know snap traps as the classic way to control rats and mice yourself. You put a piece of bait on the tray and as soon as the rat or mouse steps on the tray, the trap slams shut. This instantly kills the rat or mouse without damaging its skin. This avoids other pests coming onto the dead animal or spreading odours.

Electronic rat or mouse traps

An electronic rat or mouse trap initially resembles a catch cage, but there is no door that closes. Instead, the mouse or rat touches an electrode when it reaches the bait. The pest is electrocuted and instantly dead. It is important to check an electronic trap regularly to avoid the arrival of new pests. Because the rat or mouse is electrocuted, the body remains intact and the risk of odour nuisance is reduced anyway.

Glue boards

Ultrasonic repellents

To control rats and mice on your own, you can catch them on the one hand but also scare them away on the other. This can be done using ultrasonic repellers.

Rats have very good hearing. The frequency range is between 200 hertz and 90,000 hertz. Frequencies that are imperceptible to human hearing are called ultrasound. Ultrasonic sound has a frequency between 20,000 hertz (20 kHz) and 800 million hertz (800 MHz). Some pitches are perceived as annoying by rats. If the pests hear these sounds for a long time, they will look for another place. This makes the use of ultrasound an effective way to repel rats.

• Animal-friendly 
• Organic 
• Easy to use 
• Can be used indoors and outdoors 
• Safe for children and pets 
• Also repels other pests such as insects
  

Rat and mouse poison

Benefits of using rat or mouse poison:

• The pests die without the body rotting. This is because the body dries up inside. This avoids new pests coming back on it. 
• The rats and mice keep eating the poison until they die. This is because they do not notice they are eating poison but think they are devouring a tasty snack. The last rats and mice also eat the poison, preventing survivors from starting a new infestation.

Fighting rats and mice? Prevention first!

It is important to realise that fighting rats and mice yourself is futile if the cause of the infestation is not addressed. 

• Waste containers should be properly sealed. Rats and mice descend on food scraps. What to you is a smelly rubbish bag is certainly to rats an all-you-can-eat buffet. 
• Be careful with bird food. Birds are especially happy with suet balls or scatter fodder for in winter. But make sure not to leave too much lying around. 
• Found holes and cracks? Close them immediately, because rats and mice really don't need much space. 
• A pile of branches or other trimmings in autumn is a nice hiding place for hedgehogs, for example. But rats and mice also like it there. It is therefore best to keep a stock of firewood, for example, far enough away from your home. 
• Avoid clutter. A cellar, attic or garden shed is often stuffed with boxes full of things you 'might need again'. It is best to regularly clean these places and throw away what you no longer use. These places are ideal hiding places for rats and mice.

Want to know more about how to control rats and mice yourself or how to use poison? Read all about it in our blogs!

• Controlling rats and mice, a handy guide to buying poison online
• Controlling rats and mice
• 5 tips for using mouse and rat poison