RODENTS

Rodents are another interesting group of pests that share a historic relationship with man. Rats and mice are just two of the mammals that belong to the order Rodentia. There are no less than 2200 known species of rodents in science with 40% of all mammals species belonging to the order rodentia. Rodents are particularly attributed with destruction and causing menace in and out of homes. They are actually some of the most dangerous pests known to man. They are known to spread disease, devastate properties and contaminate food items.

Major rodent pest species are:

Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus) also known as common rat
Roof rat (Rattus rattus)
House mouse (Mus domesticus)

APPEARANCE

Rat, in generality is applicable to various members of several rodent families with body lengths not being shorter than about 12cm or 5 inches. Rats generally are slender, having a pointed head, big eyes and prominent thinly furred ears. They usually possess long legs coupled with sharp and long claws. Brown rats are usually bigger than the common house rat and its tail is shorter relative to the body. The lengths of their tails varies, while some have tails longer than the body length, others have the opposite.

FEEDING

They are omnivorous animals and they eat almost anything that you eat. A great deal of them feed on plants such as seeds, grains and small fruit. While many perceive them as consumers of papers and wiring, in reality, they dont feed on those rather they gather them to build nests. They can be cannibalistic in nature during food scarcity, some mice and other types of rodents have been known to devour each other as they will do whatever it takes to survive.

HABITAT

Usually, their habitat varies depending on the species and they are primarily night crawlers. They tend to live anywhere humans inhabit. They are found in sheds, sewers, barns attics, basement and lots more. They also inhabit rainforests, deserts, woodlands and any form of habitats in close proximity to human settlements.

HOW HARMFUL CAN THEY BE TO HUMANS?

Rodents such as rats and mice are extremely dangerous to humans. They are associated with an ample amount of health risks whose effects are usually very costly. These diseases are transmitted in different ways, ranging from contact with live or dead rodents, contact with rodent feces, urine or even their saliva. Their droppings as well can trigger allergies and cause food borne illnesses like salmonella. Some common diseases attributed to rodents include Lassa fever, Hantavirus, tularemia and plague.

CONTROL

Youll agree with the fact that rats are one of the most annoying pests known to man, over time, a whole lot of methods have been devised to combat this pest. The first technique to prevent a rodent infestation is to block all possible sources of food, water and nesting sites. Rats and mice can be prevented by having a very high level of hygiene, removing excess clutter and foliage in the garden. Another technique employed is to eliminate rodents using physical traps or rodenticides. The rodenticides can put an end to the rodent with single or multiple doses.

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