Barn owls are efficient hunters and a family of barn owls can eat up to 3000 mice per year. To encourage barn owls to nest and stay in your area, consider installing a nest box. The strategic placement of nest boxes, combined with the use of traps and other preventive measures, will go a long way in managing rodent problems. Live traps, as the name suggests, will catch a living rodent.
The rat or mouse is attracted to investigate the hole, but once they are in the trap, they cannot get out. Because these traps capture a live animal for humanitarian reasons, it is essential to inspect the traps on a daily basis. The problem with live traps is that you'll have to deal with a live animal. Glue boards are a trap that has a base with glue.
Once the rodent has been lured to the trap, it gets stuck in the glue and dies. They are not as effective for rats, since rats can sometimes break free or simply drag the trap attached to their body. Rodenticides are poisons used to eradicate rats and mice. Recommended in larger infestation cases only with traps recommended for most cases.
If you call a professional, they are likely to use this method. Ultrasonic sounds, those above the range of the human ear, have very limited use in rodent control because they are directional and do not penetrate behind objects. For more tips, visit the University of Florida Non-Chemical Rodent Control page and the Humanitarian Pest Control In Buildings website. Natural predators such as snakes, hawks and owls can help control rodent populations by feeding on rats and mice.
