Kent County, Grand Rapids Rat Control Situation:
My name in Nia, I have a horrible mouse and rat problem under my outside deck. I have called a local company and they put down bait traps. Every month they check them and all the bait is gone. I looked out the back window at night and see the mice ru Ning around from under deck into garage and along the sides of the house. I am soooooo scared one will get in the house. I hope it's not already. Please call me and direct me as to what I should do next. My husband acts as if he thinks it's not a big deal. Help me please.
Hi David, just been looking at your website. I have found a run into my compost bin and also in the 1/2 foot wide gravel soak away around my house this week. I obviously now need to get rid of the source of food, i.e. the compost bin and remove any shelter, so my mission is a good old tidy up in the back garden this weekend. However tonight i was kept awake by scratching in the house, gotta say freaked me out a little. I have already put poison down in a bait box this week which is already all gone!! So do i continue baiting or shall i trap them? Am i right in thinking that the poison will try them out so even if they die in the wall they wont smell or will they go seek water and hopefully die outside!!!! wishful thinking on my part i guess!! I just don't want stinking rats rotting in the walls! Anyways hope you can help, Kind regards Hayley in Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids Rat Control Tip of The Week
How Far And High Can A Rat Jump?
Jumping is a major part of many animals' survival instincts including rats. But in the case of these small rodents, they have a special way of using this particular survival instinct to their best advantage. One of the most common rats around, which is the brown rat, is known to be able to jump over four feet horizontally or in a downward slope and leap vertically to about 77 centimeters without hurting itself. This clearly shows how high rats can jump and how well they can suspend themselves in the air.
The jumping performance of rats depends mainly on their species because some rats are big while others have lighter bodies which tend to support agile movements. For instance, black rats with lean bodies are known to be able to leap over five feet. While brown rats with large body frames find it quite difficult to leap but do well at jumping downwards.
Another reason why some rats jump better than others is mainly because of their better survival instincts and hunting abilities. Rats in the wild are better at jumping than those in the suburban and urban areas. Therefore, you shouldn't expect the rats in your home to jump or leap that high.
Rats are naturally silent animals and will prefer to move around unnoticed. But in some cases, they make use of their jumping skills. One of the special cases in which they use their jumping skills is when they see a possible threat or a predator. They often use this to propel their speed and get away as soon as they can. Their speed and swift body movements are one of the ways they can stay alive and avoid been eaten by a predator.
