Rodents, those hijackers
Rats and mice are the worst kind of unwanted guests that will ever set foot in your homes. They have skillfully mastered the art of hijacking to such an extent that they can become the landlords and you, well, the rentee. In winter, the situation will easily worsen as those proprietorial squatters will seek further refuge from the cold and predators. Not to mention that your kitchen and sewage cater for bountiful food supply making it the ideal place for them to raise their offsprings.
There are many Do It Yourself solutions that have been popular in Mauritian homes, from homemade mouse traps, cheese baiting to mothballs and even peppermint oil. The question still remains about which method works best to evict those unwanted guests?
Moth balls a.k.a Naphthalene
Mothballs are those white, strong smelling balls which we often find in Mauritian closets. It is believed that they have the power to deter insects and rodents because when inhaled or ingested, they can cause blood cells to lose their ability to carry oxygen. If that is true for moths, which explains why they are called mothballs, it is not the case for rodents. The amount of naphthalene in mothballs is not enough to eradicate them. Believe it or not, but the level of naphthalene needed to repel mice is the same needed as for humans. That would explain why mice have been seen walking over mothballs paying no attention to them whatsoever.
Peppermint Oil Aromatherapy
Peppermint has been a very popular repellent thanks to its dual action, it makes your house smell fresh and it is precisely that potent minty smell that is thought to get rid of rodents, who apparently have a sensitive sense of smell. But let’s have a quick reality check! Rodents live in filthy places and if they can thrive in stinky sewage systems, they certainly can handle peppermint. It’s almost like you are offering them a room upgrade! Not to mention that like any gas or fume, peppermint will rise. So, unless your rodents are 1 meter high, in which case we suggest you run for the hills, this repellent will only take care of making your home smell like a tub of breath mints.
An order of homemade trap with extra cheese, please!
The stereotypical association of rodents and cheese is common knowledge, going all the way back to childhood cartoons with images of snap traps with big chunks of cheese as enticing baits. Just as Tom and Jerry, cheese and rodents are ingrained in people’s psyche as the perfect pair. Well in actual fact, rodents aren’t that fond of cheese as one would think, although that’s not to say they won’t eat it. These opportunistic invaders just won’t go out of their way to nibble on this dairy goodness. If you really want to create a love at first sight effect, we would suggest replacing cheese with nothing other than peanut butter. But again, this is at your own risk. News spread fast in the rodent community, good news even faster, so the display of the delicious spread might bring in more peanut butter fans.
So about DIY Solutions
Rodents are cunning, resilient and adaptable squatters and when it comes to their eradication, prevention is better than cure. We are not here to bust your convictions but we do suggest you seek professional help in case you still have mocking rodents galavanting through your homes. If you want to put a definite end to this hostage situation, do not hesitate to contact us. Our technicians with their expertise and our tailor-made rodent control solutions are best equipped to help evict your unwanted lodgers permanently and make sure your home is completely rodent free.