Rodents are one of the excellent and genius vertebrates in the world that infest almost wide range of habitats such as drainage area, rooftop or underground. It lives in a colony and are nocturnal animals which active during night and dusk time. Since rodents are very adaptive and quick in learning, it will be hard to control higher population of them.
Rodents
Rodents are considered pest as it carries lots of pathogens and parasites such as tapeworm, hookworm and Yersinia pestis. Foods are frequently contaminated as they walk through on the food and excrete or urinate on it. Besides, rodent damaged electrical and electronic devices by gnawing and biting on it.
Why rodents are an issue?
- Transmit diseases; rats usually serve as an intermediate host for pathogenic organisms to reproduce and develop before it was transmitted to the main host.
- Contaminate foods & drinks; through its urine/droppings.
- Damaged electrical devices & furniture; by gnawing the objects since it needs to trim its teeth as it never stops growing.
Life Cycle
- A female produced about 10 times per annum (2 to 12 offspring in 1-time pregnancy).
- Gestation period for Norway and Roof rat (about 21 to 24 days); House mice (about 19 to 20 days).
- Born naked and blind.
- Rat are fully furred at 15 days while house mice fully furred at 10 days.
- Young born can mate after 2 months.
- Life Span: Up to 2 years
Signs of Rodent Infestation
- Urine.
- Dropping.
- Black smear.
- Footprints.
- Bite marks.
- Sound of rats running.
- Presence of burrows.
- Presence of the rats itself.
How to control rodents?
Chemical control
Use of Tamper Resistant Bait Station (TRBS) or External Perimeter Bait Station (EPBS) which can be
installed along the perimeter of fencing area, external or internal perimeter of building. The station
is waterproof and lock for safety, giving protection of freshness on rat bait and protecting children
or pets from accessing the rat bait.
Chemical control
Apply rodenticide at possible rat pathway and rat burrows for rat’s control.
Proofing
- Used of door strip to removes gap.
- Install wire mesh material to seal up the gaps.
Mechanical control
- Use of glue board, rat cage, rat trapper or snap-traps.
- Manually search and remove rats from their underground nests by using hoe.
Sanitation & hygiene
- Keep dustbin closed all the time.
- Remove any leftover food and drinks especially after business hour to reduce food source for rats.
- Remove and cleaned rats dropping and urine stains.
- Remove stack of woodpiles.
- Trim the bushes or remove longer vegetation away from buildings.
Roof Rat
Rattus rattus
- Blackish color.
- Dropping are tapered at both ends.
- Does not live in burrows.
- Very good climbers.
- Very good swimmers.
- Tail is longer than its body length.
- Nose is pointed.
- Smaller in size: about 15 cm compare to Norway rat but bigger than the mice.
- Usually can be found indoor.
- Produce 6 to 8 litters.
Norway Rat
Rattus norvegicus
- Brownish color; gray to white underside.
- Dropping about half an inch long and blunted.
- Lives in burrows.
- Very good climbers.
- Very good swimmers.
- Tails is shorter (as long as its body length).
- Nose is blunt.
- Bigger in size: about 25 cm compare to roof rat and mice.
- Usually can be found outdoor.
- Produce 6 to 12 litters.
House Mice
Mus musculus
- Brownish color.
- Triangular head.
- Usually it has white belly.
- Tail is same length as its body.
- Very good climbers.
- Very good swimmers.
- Quick runner.
- Nose is pointed.
- Dropping is black with pointed ends.
- Smaller in size: about 65 to 95 mm compare to roof and Norway rats.
- Usually can be found indoor.
- Produce 5 to 6 litters.