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Mouse Proofing Material

Mouse Proofing

Mouse proofing your home or business is an essential element to keeping mice out of buildings, or at least reducing their access.

Steel wool placed in a gap that is showing rust.
Steel wool placed in a gap that is showing rust.

But too many people use inadequate products, such as steel wool, or use products improperly, such as expanding foam. While, steel wool is mouse proof in that mice cannot gnaw through steel (it’s too hard), its not a good material because steel rusts as is shown in the image at the right. Can steel wool be used as a temporary fix? Sure! But if you don’t change it out, it will rust and there may be some staining that accompanies the rust. Don’t say you weren’t warned.

Hole in expanding foam that was gnawed through by mice.
Hole in expanding foam that was gnawed through by mice.

 

 

Expanding foam, though great at filling gaps, inexpensive and easy to use, is not rodent proof (image at the left). Mice can easily gnaw through the foam making it ineffective at mouse proofing. Should foam never be used? Not at all. If you have a large void that is needs to be filled then expanding foam is a great material to accomplish this in many instances. Just make sure that you protect the foam with something solid to prevent mice from gaining access to the foam. Use aluminum flashing, wood, steel, anything solid that is difficult or impossible for mice to gnaw through. Likewise, make sure that the foam is protected from sunlight as sunlight radiation will degrade the foam.

Effective Mouse Proofing Material

So what should you use to prevent mice (Mus musculus) from entering your home or structure? While there are a couple of products on the market, I will mention one that you may not have heard about. It is called Xcluder. Xcluder material looks like steel wood but it isn’t. It is actually made of stainless steel shards embedded into a nylon cloth. Wear gloves (it contains sharp shards remember?) and use paramedic shears to cut it. Then use a flat head screw driver to wedge it into place. Works great around pipe gaps (click for a tool to identify mouse gaps), and other cracks and crevices that can be exploited by mice. Finish the job by sealing the mouse proofing fabric with a quality sealant.

Bottom Line

When performing mouse exclusion, use the right rodent proof materials for effective and long-lasting results.

Stephen M. Vantassel, CWCP, ACE, is the owner of Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. He helps people restore their balance with nature through publishing, training, consulting, and the internet. He has published numerous articles in trade and academic publications (http://kingsdivinity.academia.edu/StephenMVantassel) along with several books (https://wildlifecontrolconsultant.com/store-2/). Listen to his podcast at PestGeek Podcast (https://pestgeekpodcast.com/). He is a sought after speaker and trainer. If you would like to have Stephen speak at your event or use his consultation services, send an e-mail to wildlifecontrolconsultant@gmail.com. Copyright All postings are the property of Stephen M. Vantassel and Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. Text (not images) may be reprinted in non-profit publications provided that the author and website URL is included. If images wish to be used, explicit and written permission must be obtained from Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC.

 

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Rodent Inspection Tool

Difficulty Measuring Holes

Rodents, such as mice and rats, cause significant damage to property, food supplies as well as vector diseases dangerous to humans. Pest control operators (PCO) and wildlife control operators (WCO) know that mice need 3/8 of an inch to enter a building, while a rat needs 1/2 an inch. But if you have ever been frustrated trying to use a tape measure or ruler to measure gaps around your building, then you know that there has to be a better way. The Rodent Inspection Tool is that way.

Rodent inspection tool (front side).
Rodent Inspection Tool (front side) used to quickly measure mouse and rat entry points, scat length, and gnaw marks.

The Rodent Inspection Tool is a simple yet powerful device to help you quickly and easily determine key mouse and rat entry points.

Rodent Inspection Tool

Does that hole look large enough to allow a rodent to enter? Stop guessing. Simply insert the appropriate end, e.g. narrow end for mouse entry and large end for rat entry, and quickly determine whether the opening is sufficient for the respective rodent. Does the Rodent Inspection Tool do anything else? Yes, it does.

The narrow tip end can be used to measure mouse scat length. The rat side end also measure rat-sized scat. If the scat is wider than the end then it is likely Norway rat. If the scat is shorter than the rat end, then it is likely Roof rat. But there is more to the Rodent Inspection Tool, namely it also helps you distinguish gnaw marks made by rats and those made by mice. If the gnaw marks are wider than the narrow point of the tip then they have been caused by rats. If narrower, then they have been made by mice.

Rodent Inspection Tool Ad
Rodent Inspection Tool features.

Finally, the device has measuring hash marks to both inch and centimeter scale so you can quickly and easily determine hole size dimensions if you have to. The hole allows for easy attachment to your tool box or key ring.

Purchase Rodent Inspection Tool

Rodent Inspection Tool is $10.00 ppd to the U.S.

Paypal  Send $10.00 to StephenVantassel@yahoo.com  along with name, full mailing address, phone number and e-mail.  Order two for only $16.00 post paid.

Phone orders: 402-489-1042  leave name, address, and credit card information along with 3 digit code on the machine.

Stephen M. Vantassel, CWCP, ACE, is the owner of Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. He helps people restore their balance with nature through publishing, training, consulting, and the internet. He has published numerous articles in trade and academic publications (http://kingsdivinity.academia.edu/StephenMVantassel) along with several books (https://wildlifecontrolconsultant.com/store-2/). Listen to his podcast at PestGeek Podcast (https://pestgeekpodcast.com/). He is a sought after speaker and trainer. If you would like to have Stephen speak at your event or use his consultation services, send an e-mail to wildlifecontrolconsultant@gmail.com. Copyright All postings are the property of Stephen M. Vantassel and Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. Text (not images) may be reprinted in non-profit publications provided that the author and website URL is included. If images wish to be used, explicit and written permission must be obtained from Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC.

 

 

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A Suggestion for Bait Station Manufacturers

A Suggestion for Bait Station Manufacturers

Bait stations are boxes designed to restrict access by non-target animals (i.e. pets) and people (i.e. children). Bait stations also protect the bait from the harmful effects of weather, thereby helping to keep the bait fresh and palatable for rodents to consume.

Raptor-357 Rodent Bait Station in open position. Photo by Stephen M. Vantassel.
Raptor-357 Rodent Bait Station in open position. Photo by Stephen M. Vantassel.

As valuable as bait stations are, they are not perfect. Mouse-sized bait stations are typically not sufficiently strong for use outdoors. So people wanting to control mice outdoors often are forced to use the more durable rat-sized bait stations. You may say, “So what?” The problem is that rat-sized bait stations have openings that are large enough to allow rats to enter and find the bait. But if you only need to control mice, then the hole is too large by a factor of almost 2. While mice can still enter the larger opening, so can other animals such as ground squirrels and other non-target animals. So you may end up killing animals you don’t need to kill, but that it would raise the risk that you could kill animals that would be illegal to kill. If that doesn’t convince you of the problem, what about the wasted money in bait?

You could cut some screen and screw it over the opening to narrow the size to an inch or inch and half opening. But why don’t bait station manufacturers create stations with grooves by the opening where you could slide a piece of place with a narrower opening? Voila. The bait station would be a dual purpose one. The result would allow more targeted use of toxicants resulting in less rodenticide getting into the environment. Sounds like a win win for everyone.

Stephen M. Vantassel specializes in vertebrate pest issues. He is available for consultations, training, and writing.

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Car Damaging Animals

Car Damaging Animals

Vehicle. Photo by Stephen M. Vantassel.
Vehicle. Photo by Stephen M. Vantassel.

Surprisingly, I have received a number of people asking me how to stop animals from chewing on the cables in their vehicles. The damage and inconvenience caused by these automotive loving animals ranges from nests, to chewing cables and tubes. Of course, people are always looking for magic solutions such as something they can spray or plug in to stop the animals from getting near their vehicles. The problem with chemicals and sprays lies with the heat generated by the vehicle. One wonders if a fire could result from the chemical being heated up; not to mention the smell, health threat and or potential damage to the vehicle. Don’t bother with ultrasound as there is simply no conclusive scientific evidence that they work to repel animals in real world situations.

So how can you respond to car damaging animals?

First, identify the culprit. Chances are the problem will be caused by mice, rats or squirrels, probably in that order. For additional help purchase, The Wildlife Damage Inspection Handbook 3rd ed.

Second, reduce the rodent population through reducing food sources and population control. Removing and/or modifying bird feeders, reducing harborage and woodpiles will go a long way to reduce the problem. Now removing food and harborage is not an instant solution. But it is an integral part of the long term solution. Population control will be greatly enhanced when you reduce other food sources as it will make the baiting system more attractive. (Always check wildlife regulations in your area before instituting any animal damage control program). For population control, consider trapping.

Finally, try to garage your car and or park it in an area away from the tree line. In other words, park your car in the middle of the parking lot so that wildlife have to travel farther to reach your car. Are any of these suggestions magic? No. But they will reduce the problem. As always, I am open to other suggestions. Just e-mail me at wildlifecontrolconsultant@gmail.com

About the Author

Stephen M. Vantassel is a Certified Wildlife Control Operator (CWCP®) who helps individuals, businesses, and agencies resolve wildlife damage issues through training, writing, expert witness, and research. His latest books are the Wildlife Damage Inspection Handbook, 3rd edition and The Practical Guide to the Control of Feral Cats. He can be contacted at wildlifecontrolconsultant at gmail dot com.

If you would like your publication, video, or product reviewed, please contact the author at the e-mail above.

Copyright

All postings are the property of Stephen M. Vantassel and Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. Text (not images) may be reprinted in non-profit publications provided that the author and website URL is included. If images wish to be used, explicit and written permission must be obtained from Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC.

 

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Wildlife Damage Causes of House Fires?

Can Wildlife in the Home Lead to Fires?

Fire in Dumpster
Does wildlife cause house fires? (Photo credit: benwatts)

I received a question once regarding the causes of house fires. The person claimed to quote, Billy the Exterminator who allegedly said, “1/3 of all house fires are caused by wildlife. ”

I responded with a “Wow!” That is quite a claim. I don’t know if Billy said this or not. But let’s explore the possible accuracy of the claim.

 Do Wildlife Cause a 1/3 of all House Fires?

http://www.ehow.com/facts_5150506_leading-causes-house-fires.html  says that cooking causes 36% of all house fires. Well, if that is true than that means there is still room for wildlife to cause a 1/3 of all house fires.

But, farther down on the page, it says that electrical problems are a leading problem. Interestingly it says that people overloading the line is the cause. Now here is the challenge.

Electrical Caused Fires Doesn’t Really Tell Us Anything

What is the real cause of the fire? Overloaded lines or the rodent gnawing  (assuming the rodent actually damaged it) or both? The problem is how would we ever know? It is very likely that fire destroyed the evidence of rodent presence as the insulation of the wire would be burned away. Plus the heat might melt the wire removing any sign of gnawing.

A more reliable source on the causes of house fires consult the Centers for Disease Control at http://www.cdc.gov/HomeandRecreationalSafety/Fire-Prevention/fires-factsheet.html

Bottom line

I don’t know if Billy made this claim or not. But without more evidence, I have serious doubts that wildlife causes a 1/3 of all U.S. house fires no matter who claimed it reality.

About the Author

Stephen M. Vantassel is a certified wildlife control operator. He is available for lectures, workshops, and legal testimony on wildlife damage related topics.

 

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About Stephen M. Vantassel

Stephen M. Vantassel, MNI, CNI, CWCP, ACP, ACE Stephen M. Vantassel's Bio Stephen M. Vantassel is the Vertebrate Pest Specialist for the Montana Department of Agriculture (2015-present). Formerly, Stephen M. Vantassel was the Program Coordinator of Distance Education-Wildlife Damage Management for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln School of Natural Resources from 2004-2014. Stephen filled … Learn More

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