One might think that rats and mice can’t be a problem in offices and workspaces. But, contrary to the thought, rodents are a huge problem in the states.
Even more so, offices are found to be infested by rodents more than households.
If you suspect that you might have a rodent infestation in your office, here’s what you ought to be doing.
Inspect and Look for Signs
Before anything else, you need to be sure that you have a rodent infestation. After all, you wouldn’t want to waste your time and money for the sake of a false alarm.
Like any other investment, rats and mice also give away certain signs of their presence.
1. If you see one
One of the apparent signs of rodent infestation is if you actually see one, dead or alive. Mice and rats are social creatures, meaning they thrive in a community.
So, if you find one the chances are there’s a whole colony of them residing within your premises. In other words, they all are taking refuge within your walls, or floors, and even cabinets and drawers.
2. If you find their droppings
Another indicator of mice presence is finding their poop lying around. Well, you know that mice are not so hygiene conscious creatures. They poop anywhere they feel like.
You easily identify rat or mice poop from other pests. It looks like cumin seeds, but a darker shade of it. Besides, the most common places you can find their droppings include corners, cracks, drawers, and cabinets.
3. If you see gnaw marks
Being rodents means that their teeth can grow perennially. Indeed, rats and mice have sharp teeth for a reason. They usually gnaw at things they can’t access.
For example, you can find gnaw marks on food packets, around cabinet gaps, and so on. And if you do, the chances are that your place is already loaded with these creatures.
4. If you can smell their piss
Mice and rats usually mark their areas with their urine. They do so for keeping out predators and to mark safe territory for themselves. Well, it’s the basic survival instinct for most of the creatures in this world.
However, you can use this to identify their presence too. Mice piss smells mushy and can irritate your nostrils if inhaled for some time. Usually, the mice pee around their colonies, which means identifying their piss can actually help you locate their colony.
Identify their Entry Points
Did you know why your office is so favorite to these creatures? Well, the stacks of old paper serve both, food and nesting needs for these creatures. And you know that you have plenty of it in your office.
But, still, the biggest question lurking around is how did they get into your office, in the first place? As the experts on the subject mention identifying their entry points may answer this question for you. Nevertheless, here are some common entry points for rats and mice.
1. Through food crates and pallets
From time immemorial, rats and mice have been known to migrate between continents hiding within food supplies. Initially, the rats started traveling with ships and cargo. However, now the times have changed, and so have they.
Nevertheless, hiding within food crates and pallets is still one of the easiest ways these creatures can get into your workplace. If your supplier has rat infestation, the chances are you might have inherited it from them.
2. Connections between buildings
Another feasible route for rats to enter your building is through underground pipelines and cables. Essentially, these pipelines and cables connect buildings in any locality.
And if any of your nearby buildings have a rat infestation, you can easily invite them to your office too. Needless to say, mice and rats can travel miles in search of food. So, it is quite possible that not your immediate neighbor but a distant building may have a rat infestation. And they may travel from there to your building.
Extermination and Prevention
To put it together, once you know you have a rodent infestation in your office, your first thought would be to get rid of them. Placing bait boxes and traps might do the trick for you if the colony is not too big.
However, if the infestation is already out of control, you might want to call in professionals.
1. Extermination of rodents
Most of the pest control services, usually, use toxic baits and traps to exterminate rodents. Notably, baits smell like food to these rodents, but only they are lethal to them. Small gel-based baits are the most commonly used all around.
Likewise, traps also come with a variety of features. For example, there are traps that catch the rodents but don’t kill them. Only to later release them into the wild. Or there are traps that can kill the rodents right away. It is noteworthy that the former are more popular for their humane treatment of these creatures.
2. Prevention of reinfestation
After exterminating the infestation, the professionals would also take up the task of preventing future reinfestation. They would usually mark and mend any open cracks or gaps in the structure. Thus, sealing off the entry points for rats to enter into your office space.
Besides, some professionals would also use chemical treatments to double-check on reinfestation. The chemicals used are generally repellents for rats. Thus, minimizing their chances of re-entering your office, and wreaking havoc.
The Gist
By now, you are pretty well aware that rodent infestation is not so uncommon for offices. Instead, offices are the perfect playground for these nimble creatures.
Your only chance at preventing a rodent infestation is keeping all their food sources out of reach. And also, mending any open gaps and cracks within your structure that may facilitate their entry.
That being said, you also know now what you may do if faced with a rodent infestation. And we hope that we helped you in all the possible ways we can. So, stay vigilant and protect your property from the damages these creatures can cause.
