Neither rats nor mice hibernate so in order to survive, they must adopt a nomadic and opportunistic approach in their search for food. As they migrate from the fields they will begin to invade rural properties, such as smallholdings, attracted by the smell of animals and food that may be accessible to them.

Rodent infestations can develop very rapidly. Female rats will on average carry five litters a year with an average of around eight pups per litter which, in ideal conditions, can reach sexual maturity themselves in just five to six weeks. House mice reproduce at a similar rate, though as the name suggests live indoors so may have more favourable conditions to increase their numbers more readily. It is easy to see therefore how numbers can escalate to problem levels.
“When an infestation is identified it is important to act quickly,” explains Nic Blaszkowicz, sales and marketing manager, PelGar International. “It is so much easier to get rid of a small infestation than a plague. Rats and mice can cause considerable damage in buildings and spread disease. While sometimes using of rodenticides is a daunting proposition, it is often the most effective route to control. Not only that but it is relatively simple and more cost effective to do yourself. Act quickly and most small infestations can be cleared up in a few weeks.”
Once you have managed to get rid of an infestation there are a few steps that can be taken to make the environment less attractive and accessible to rodents and reduce the risk of a new population of rats coming in. Clear away rubbish, empty feed sacks and stored goods from the side of buildings as this will help to limit the places rats and mice like to travel and live.  Keep the smallholding tidy and protect food stores by sealing the bottom of wooden doors with metal strips and fixing entry holes and broken pipes which might allow rodent access. Limiting the amount of free water by turning off taps and fixing leaks will also help.
Taking these steps will not necessarily keep rodents away for good, but it will help to reduce the scale of infestations and allow you to identify problems more quickly and deal with them more efficiently.
For further information on steps that can be taken for successful rodent control contact PelGar for a copy of their DVD email: [email protected] or view on YouTube  and search ‘PelGar’.