Rodents are a very real problem for just about anywhere there is food or shelter to be found.

You must deal with them as soon as you see an indication you have even one or you will eventually have a much larger problem to deal with; here are some tips.

Getting the predator

If you are based in a rustic setup with a farm to handle cats is advised as being the best form to handle and curb the rat attack. The grain split near and around the farmhouses is a huge attractant for rats and hence their number grows in quick proportion. However, make sure to feed the cats in the morning itself and then clean the leftovers quickly as more rodents get pulled towards them.

If the number of attackers is huge then maybe getting the cat may not be helpful. You could in that case set up boxes for barn owls as they are much more effective in hunting the rats, mice, and gophers.

Improved rat traps

When you feel that this problem cannot be handled well by dogs and cats and even barn owls is not something you would like to invest in then a mouse trap is the best resort. However, you might have to think over which method of trapping is going to suit your kind of requirement. Glue traps are considered to be merciless as they do the killing only after some time.

You could opt for snap traps as they are the most commonly available but you might have to understand its basic setup methodology. Multiple traps could be set up for catching many rodents at a time however you might have to figure out what to do once they are caught.

Rodent proof your home

In case the manifestation has not yet happened you could avoid it completely by sealing all the cracks which are more than one-fourth inch dimension. You might have to use thick cloth, mortar or metal sheet to do so effectively. If there are trees near your house trim their branches such that none of them come within reach of the roof or any window of your house.

Try to keep things at a slight height i.e. on shelves etc. and leave open space near the base of each wall.

Tips to trap them

Trapping the little ones are not going to be easy hence use the correct baits to entice them. You could use peanut butter with oats or even attach sunflower seeds to the trigger plate. It is advisable to put many traps together as the number of mice caught on the first day is always the highest as compared to any other day.

The rule is mostly to add twice the number of traps as the numbers of rodent you expect are present. Also after two to three days remove the traps and then repeat the process after a week.

Rodents pose a risk to stored and growing food as well as to introducing disease to your household and if you find one, chances are you have many.

Ridding yourself of these pests has to be a priority, if for no other reason than the cleanliness and healthcare factor.

To read more on how to contain and eradicate rodents, check out Prepper Broadcasting.