Your local Tulsa pest control company can make quick work of a rodent issue in your business. Restaurants have many different things that they have to protect their business, their employees and their clientele from. One of the main issues that we have are pests. And in restaurants, rodents can be a huge issue. But you can protect your restaurant from these invaders. Rats and mice are controllable if you know what to do. So in this article, let’s take a good look at rodents, their life cycle, and how you can protect your restaurant with the help of your Tulsa pest control company.

RAT TYPES AND TULSA PEST CONTROL

In Oklahoma, we have two different kinds of rats. We have the roof rats and we have the Norway rat. The Norway rat is the larger of the two of these rodents. They are the size of a small cat and are very agile. They can swim, climb, jump and scurry quite quickly. We also have the roof rats. They are also very agile, but are found more often in attic spaces and places like this.

Mice are also very prolific in restaurants in Oklahoma. There are multiple kinds of mice, but in the end, the most important thing is to keep these mice out of your kitchen area. Both mice and rats are mostly attracted to the food in your pantry and in your kitchen. Because of this, sanitation can be a very key part of your integrated pest management protocol. Keeping countertops clean, and food picked up is the number one deterrent to keeping these rodents out of your restaurant. Your Tulsa pest control company can help you with this.

RODENT EXCLUSION AND TULSA PEST CONTROL

In addition to sanitation, exclusion could be a very important part of your integrated pest management system. Exclusion is the process of limiting or eliminating all entry and exit points by which rodents are making their way in and out of the building. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to eliminate all of them, because they are just so many different places that mice and rats can make their way into your building. Both mice and rats have a very flexible skeletal system that allows them to wedge their way through very small gaps. A mouse can fit through a hole the size of a dime and a rat can fit through a hole the size of a quarter. If they can get their head through, then the rest of their body will find a way to get through a gap or crack.

In Oklahoma the ground is constantly moving. This means there’s always new gaps and spaces that appear in your foundation or brickwork. Also, most brick buildings have vents left open in the side of them. These are gaps between bricks that allow for airflow so that when the building expands or contracts due to the heat and the cool, it won’t develop cracks. In many cases siding and shingles can have small gaps in areas where mice and rats can find their way through. Because of all these factors, exclusion is not the only method of control that you must consider when it comes to dealing with rodents. While limiting their access to your building will help, it can’t be the only solution. Your Tulsa pest control company will have the solution.

RODENT TRAPPING AND TULSA PEST CONTROL

Many people attempt to trap rodents. Hardware stores have plenty of different kinds of traps that can be used on mice and rats, from the traditional snap traps all the way up to bucket traps and electrical traps. While these traps can eliminate some of the problems that you have, they’re never going to be enough to completely get rid of the mice or rats in your building. The reason for this is because these rodents find themselves at the bottom of the food chain. Because of this, they multiply very rapidly. So, if you kill one, they’re probably 20 more of them in the walls.

The best way to deal with mice and rats is to use a rodenticide. This is a pesticide created specifically for rodents. Rodenticides coming two types. There are anticoagulant rodenticides, and non-anticoagulant rodenticides. If you go to your local hardware store and get the rodenticides that are available to you there, you are almost certainly going to get an anticoagulant This poison causes the rodent to not be able to clot when it bleeds. This ends up resulting in internal bleeding that kills the rodent. This kind of poison takes multiple feedings to take affect and finally solve the problem. Because of this, these rodenticides are not ideal. Non-anticoagulant rodenticides usually attack the nervous system. One dose is enough to eliminate a rodent. Often these rodents will take the bait back to their babies, and this is why rodenticides work much better than trapping alone.

RODENT IPM AND TULSA PEST CONTROL

At the end of the day, your integrated pest management system should include multiple modes of action. Exclusion, rodenticides, and trapping can all be used in order to control these pests and keep them out of your building. It’s important that you stay in close contact with your Tulsa pest control company and get treatments monthly in order to maintain your integrated pest management system. Your Tulsa pest control technician will be able to help you build a system, maintain it and keep your restaurant or other business mouse and rat free.

If you’re dealing with rodents, or any other kinds of pests, then its time to give your local Tulsa pest control company a call. Here at TermMax Pest Control, we are the best in the business when it comes to dealing with mice and rats, or any other kinds of rodents. We service greater Tulsa area, including Owasso, Turley, Broken Arrow, Bixby, Jenks, Sand Springs, Coweta, Claremore, Catoosa, Prattville, Sapulpa, and much more. Call today for a free estimate. We’re here to help!