RODENT CONTROL

Rodents such as mice and rats, in addition to being fairly disgusting creatures, are very serious pests for humans and animals. According to estimates from the USDA, they account for over 2 billion dollars in destroyed feed annually in the United States. An adult rat can consume up to an ounce of food per day. A colony of 100 rats could potentially put away over 8 pounds of grain a day or around 1 1/2 tons per year! Mice and rats have been associated with a multitude of transmissible diseases, including salmonella, leptospirosis (associated with Moon Blindness), various clostridial diseases (such as botulism, enteritis & colitis), trichinosis, and Henta virus in humans. Their urine and droppings contaminate feed, water, bedding, and other areas of the horse's environment. They also harbor other disease causing organisms, such as mites, ticks, lice, and fleas. Mice and rats can also act as "couriers" of equine diseases by literally carrying infectious material on their fur or feet. Thus they can carry infectious material (e.g. pus from a Strangles abscess) from one infected horse in one part of the barn to another horse in another part of the barn. The gnawing habits of these creatures can lead to damage to facilities and tack as well. Gnawing on the wiring could lead to fire. So there are many reasons to get rid of these pesky rodents.

Knowing more about the enemy can be helpful. The Norway rat, or common brown rat, likes to live in close association with people. It is primarily nocturnal. Although fairly large, they can wiggle through openings as small as 1/2 inch. It'll eat almost anything, but prefers grains, meats, nuts, fish, and fruit. On average they will wander 50 to 150 feet from their nest. They prefer to have a stationary object on one side while they travel, so they like to run along side a wall. They don't see well but do have an excellent sense of hearing and taste. It likes to use shredded paper (like feed sacks), fibrous material, and cloth for nesting materials. Females will have 4-6 litters of 6-12 babies per year, generally in the spring and fall. Their average lifespan is 12-18 months.

Mice are generally nocturnal also. They can wiggle through openings as small as 1/4 inch. Grain is a favorite but they too will eat almost anything. They tend to be homebodies compared to rats and only venture out 10-30 feet on average. They are quick learners and are not as sensitive to change as rats are. They are pretty athletic too, able to climb up any rough wall and able to make vertical jumps of over a foot (they'd do well in the NBA)! Like rats, they don't see well but have keen senses of hearing, smell, and touch. Fibrous material is a common nesting material. Also prolific, the female can have 5-10 litters of 5-6 babies per year, with a lifespan of 9-12 months.

How can we control these prolific, shrewd, damaging creatures?

Keep them out
It is nearly impossible to keep the average horse barn completely inaccessible to rodents. But we can take steps to reduce their nesting and hiding places and that will help reduce their numbers.
1. On the outside of the barn, keep the grass, weeds, and shrubbery trimmed and mowed.
2. Keep the inside and outside neat. Stacks of wood, lumber, piles of equipment, debris on the ground or floor serve as shelter and hiding places.
3. Secure garbage; empty feed sacks, twine, etc into inaccessible receptacles.
4. Make the tack room as rodent proof as possible.

Starve them out
This too is nearly impossible to control completely in a barn. But there are steps that can help:
1. Secure feed into rodent proof containers with secure lids. This is probably the single biggest, most effective preventative measure in rodent control. It will help reduce the number of cases of grain overload in horses too!
2. Clean stalls after feeding grain, so spilled grain can be swept up.
3. Clean stalls often (remember, mice and rats will eat almost anything).
4. Don't leave pet food out. Feed the dogs and cats set times and remove their dishes when they've finished.

Traps
Traps take more labor and skill than poisons do. However, there are several advantages. One is that you will find out fairly soon if you have been successful. With traps, the dead rodent can be removed. With poisoning, the dead rodents are generally never found but their decomposing bodies are a source of disease and odor. Another big advantage of trapping is it avoids the safety concerns of using poisons. With poisons, there are major safety concerns for yourself, your children, neighbors or visiting children, pets, the horses, and other animals.

There are several styles of traps available. Humane live traps are available but these are fairly impractical and create some risks associated with contending with the live mice and rats. Glue traps are available too and work sort of like fly paper. This style is used especially where food is commercially prepared and the use of poisons is unsafe and against federal law. With the glue style, one will have to be prepared to destroy the entrapped creature, fairly messy business. The most common, practical, and affordable traps available are the wood-based snap traps. Here are some tips on using them:
1. Place them without bait initially to reduce "bait shyness."
2. Set near walls, corners, travel-ways, behind objects, and in areas of obvious rodent activity.
3. When placed against a wall, place the trigger to the wall side.
4. Side by side placement of multiple traps increases the chances.
5. For rats especially, place traps along side of a wall.
6. Along a wall, place two traps together both parallel to the wall. Have the triggers on the outsides of the line formed by the two traps.
7. For mice, space traps no more than 10 feet apart.
8. Check and change bait often. Moldy bait is less appealing.

Poisons
There are a variety of "rodenticides" available. The "single dose" type is very hazardous and better suited for professional exterminators. The less hazardous "multiple-dose" rodenticide is comparatively safer and causes death by internal bleeding. Most of these require several days of consumption to be effective. Although safer, these are dangerous poisons, so safety for children, pets, the horses, and other animals is very important. Read labels and follow safety recommendations. Here are a few safety tips:
1. Use rubber gloves when handling
2. Wash thoroughly afterwards with plenty of soap and water
3. Post labels and warnings about the poisons
4. Store rodenticides properly in secure locations

When targeting mice, place small amounts of bait in numerous places, 8-10 feet apart. Rats prefer bait blocks to pellets. They tend to consume more and the blocks resist moisture better, a definite plus in our climate. Blocks are also easier to work into difficult to reach areas. For rats, space the blocs about 15 feet apart and target their travel routes between home and feeding areas.

Another suggestion when using poisons is to construct "bait stations." These are tamper proof boxes with a hinged lid that should have a latch that can be locked. It requires at least two small openings about 2 1/2 inches wide to allow the mice and rats in. The box helps to protect children from access to the poison. It will help protect pets and other animals as well. Inside the box, the bait is sheltered from the weather. Label the box clearly with appropriate warnings. The bait station provides a quiet area for the rodents to feed on the bait and allows you easy access to inspect and keep bait fresh.

How about using cats and dogs as "rodent predators?" In theory it sounds good. In practice, rodents often live in close proximity to cats and dogs and are quite savvy to their habits. Often, pet food provides yet another source of food the rodents too!

A very useful web site for information and products for rodent control is:
http://www.pestproducts.com/rodents.htm