Rat and mouse problems are so bad that the typical large city receives more than 10,000 complaints annually and performs thousands of inspections.
According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, rats and mice have very different behavioral patterns:
- Rats: Each evening, as they explore their territories, rats and mice learn the locations of new objects, food sources and escape routes. A rat’s territory or “home range” is generally within a 50-foot to 150-foot radius of the nest, while a mouse usually lives within a 10-foot to 30-foot radius of the nest.
- Mice: Other differences exist between rats and mice. Norway rats require about an ounce of water each day – one reason why they are often found in sewers and along rivers and streams. House mice, however, can survive on the water they absorb from foods. Norway rats prefer to live in underground burrows, but will live above ground in walls, ceilings and storage areas. Outdoors, mice will nest in burrows but will move into structures to nest in attics, wall voids, cabinets, appliances and furniture.
Both are getting inside residential and commercial structures causing damage and bringing disease.
One way to prevent their entry is using Burrtec’s new Ratshut weatherstrip that prevents mice and rats – as well as dust and dirt – from entering into a garage. The company also has a product for typical residential and commercial doors.
Ratshut by Burrtec is a stainless-steel spine-backed product and an essential tool for maintenance and facility managers, pest control professionals, and garage door installers. All of Burrtec’s door sweeps including Ratshut can protect from rodent infestations, as well as stop dust, dirt, and pollen.
Burrtec USA is a leading manufacturer of door sweep solutions, providing quality exclusion products to PMPs and building material suppliers. It is the North American division of Burrtec Co., Ltd., one of Japan’s largest pest control producers. To learn more about Burrtec, visit our U.S. website.