Professional Rodent Exterminator in the Fraser Valley
If you are facing a pest control problem at your home or business, you need the experience of a professional. We have the expertise to eradicate the rodents that have invaded your space and get you back to living your life in comfort. Contact The Bugman for rodent control in Abbotsford, Mission, Chilliwack or anywhere throughout the Fraser Valley
Rodents – Norway Rat
| Colour: Brown with a gray/white underbelly. |
| Size: 12-18 inches with a tail shorter than the body. |
| Body: Fat and round body with shaggy fur and a hairless tail and ears. |
Rodents – Roof Rat
| Colour: Black. |
| Size: 13-18 inches with a tail longer than the body. |
| Body: Slim body and a pointed nose with sleek fur and a scaly tail. |
Rodents – House Mouse
| Colour: Gray, brown or black |
| Size: 2-4 inches with a long tail |
| Body: Short legs and rounded ears with a slim body. |
Rodents – Deer Mouse
| Colour: Gray, brown, or reddish brown with a white underbelly. Their tail is dark on top and light on the bottom. |
| Size: 3-7 inches with a long tail |
| Body: Small body with soft & short hair. |
WHAT DOES BUGMAN OFFER?
Rodenticide-Filled Bait Stations
This is our most popular, and most effective method to reduce, control and/or eliminate a rodent population. This service involves placing rodenticide blocks into the station and then placing the station in an area with high rodent activity. Our technicians will refill these stations every 2-6 weeks, as necessary, to monitor the rodent activity.
These bait stations allow rodents to feed on the poison and then leave so that multiple rodents are able to access the rodenticide, providing an effective measure for dealing with a large population.
Snap Traps
This is a quick way to get control of a small rodent population but is not the ideal solution for a large population. Snap traps need to be checked and emptied frequently (sometimes daily), as rats and mice need to be removed asap. Rodents are spooked by seeing other rodents in a snap trap.
These traps are good for interior use, as the rodent is stuck in the trap once caught, which prevents it from dying elsewhere inside. We like to use these traps in addition to bait stations, but rarely as a stand-alone option.
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Rodent Repeaters
This is not an effective method for getting control of a large population, and we avoid its use when possible. Repeaters have a one-way door, which allows multiple rodents to enter, but does not allow them to leave. The lack of food and water will cause them to die a long and slow death.
These traps can catch multiple rodents and is best used in situations where rodenticides are prohibited, such as in commercial food prep areas.
Exclusion
Rodents can enter your house through the smallest of openings, and sometimes it takes the eye of a trained professional to find the path they are using. Once our technicians locate the access point, they will seal the area to prevent future entry.
However, before considering exclusion we like to make sure that any interior rodent problems are solved, meaning all rats and mice inside the building have been killed or removed from the structure.
Unfortunately, this is not an effective method for getting control of a large population. Rodents are very prone to chewing and if they really want inside of a structure, they can, and will, chew a new access point. As such, exclusion should be used in addition to other preventative measures, not as a stand-alone option.
Rodent Dangers
Diseases & Health Concerns
Both rats and mice are known to carry salmonella, but can also be carriers of lice and fleas, which can transmit the bubonic plague. Roof rats may also transmit Rat Bite Fever, which can cause serious health concerns.
Deer mice can carry and transmit Hantavirus, which can be a life-threatening disease that progresses quickly once contracted. In addition to Hantavirus, deer mice may also carry Lyme disease.
Don’t risk your health by trying to control your rodent population on your own, call Bugman at 604-854-2847 and we’ll send a trained technician to address the infestation.
Fire Hazards from Rats & Mice
Rodents will chew on electrical wires if they are in their way, causing them to fray, short circuit, or spark, which could lead to a fire in your home or business.
How to Tell If Rodents are Chewing on Your Wires:
- Flickering Lights – If rodents are chewing through your electrical wire, you may experience abnormal light flickering.
- Burning Smells – Chewed wires may spark onto nearby building materials
- Potent (and bad) Smell – If a rodent bites hard enough, it may electrocute itself, and if it does, it will begin to smell as it decays.
Rodents and Structural Damage
Gnawing is important for both rats & mice because their incisors continuously grow. If rodents do not chew on things, their teeth will keep growing to a point where they can no longer get food into their mouths, causing them to die.
Unfortunately, rodents have very strong teeth, giving them the ability to chew through tough materials, including the wood that forms the structure of your house.
Luckily, rodents will not gnaw on well-poured concrete that is in good shape, but if it is deteriorating, cracking, or crumbling, a rodent may gnaw through it as well.
Don’t let the rats chew through your studs, roof trusses, and floor joists, give Bugman a call at 604-854-2847 and we’ll send one of our experienced technicians to help prevent your house from being damaged.
More Information About Rodents
Rodent Senses & Abilities
Norway & Roof Rats: These rats have a sharp sense of sound, smell, taste, and touch. The vision of a Norway rat is less than ideal, they are colorblind and they cannot see far into the distance. However, these rats are capable of running, climbing, jumping, and swimming, and are known for gnawing their way into, or through, a structure.
House Mice: House mice are similar to rats in that they too are colorblind and have poor eyesight, but to make up for it, they have a great sense of smell. House mice rely on scent markers to communicate with one another and to detect predators. House mice are also very active rodents, they can jump up to 18 inches in the air, climb stairs, and swim.
Interesting Fact: A house mouse’s strong sense of smell is how they avoid traps! They can detect the “human” scent, and choose to avoid it if the bait is not potent enough to trick their senses.
Deer Mice: Deer mice have good eyesight, as well as a good sense of smell, touch, and sound. These mice can create a “drumming” noise by stomping their feet and vibrating their tail. The reason why the mice do this is unknown, but it alerts predators that the mice are in the area, which often causes their death. These mice, like others, are capable of swimming, jumping, and climbing.
Rodent Diets
Norway Rat
Prefer a balanced diet of moist, non-stale foods
Roof Rat
Prefer fruits, vegetables, nuts, and grains
House Mouse
Prefer fruits, seeds, and grains
Deer Mouse
Prefer small insects, seeds, fruit, and fungi
Rodents will eat anything, but even they have preferences! Unfortunately, the different types of rats and mice have similar preferences, so it isn’t always possible to tell which type of rodent you have based on what the rats/mice are eating. Luckily, rodents’ eating method differs from one another, making it easier to tell which rodent made the bite mark.
For example, house mice will nibble on food and chew through packaging to access the treats they want. Deer mice, on the other hand, prefer to gather and store their food before eating it. If you have deer mice, you will more likely see food go missing as they take it back to their nest, rather than bite marks in your tasty treats.
Rodent Habitats
Norway Rats: These rats will live in any area where there is an accessible food source, including where humans live, which provides a lot of suitable homes.
Roof Rats: These rats will occasionally burrow into the ground but are more likely to build their nests in tall trees or the higher points of a building, such as an attic.
House Mice: Being that house mice like to stay close to food sources, house mice will often build their nest inside your home but prefer areas that are enclosed. Ideal nesting spots include false ceilings, empty drawers or drawers with paper, beneath kitchen appliances or cabinets, and inside wall voids. Unfortunately, if there is not already an access point into the area the mice want, they will make one by chewing through the drywall.
Deer Mice: These mice prefer to avoid people and will therefore build their nests outside in hollow logs or beneath wood & rock piles. When it is cold outside, they may venture inside but will still try to avoid people by building their nests in attics, crawlspaces, and basements.