Rat infestation in Singapore has grown ever since the dawn of the COVID-19 pandemic.
When businesses temporarily shut down, rodents became more aggressive and intentional. Rats and mice used uninhabited buildings as their habitat, a place to find shelter and breed while they forage for nearby food sources. With this, it’s evident that rodents took full advantage of the situation while human activity was reduced to a minimum.
Consequences Of Rat Infestation During COVID-19
Because of this, their actions can lead to detrimental consequences such as:
- Population Growth
Due to the decrease of human involvement and increase in available food sources, rats could breed quickly. An average brown rat can produce up to eight offspring per cycle and undergo three to six reproductive cycles in a year. The offspring can then mature anywhere from two to three months.Once the offspring begins to reproduce, they can immediately double or triple the rat population in Singapore with ease. Moreover, once a colony is created, it can adapt to the environment and spread across the country in search of food and shelter. - Spread of Parasites and Diseases
Alongside the growth in their numbers comes an increased risk of spreading deadly parasites and diseases.Since rodents are naturally attracted to dirty and bacteria-filled environments, they can carry and transmit various diseases and parasites across the country, resulting in uncontrolled contamination. To make the situation more complex, a single mouse or rat can carry hundreds of different pathogens and parasites, leading to possible disease mutations.With this, people now have to worry about the diseases being carried by rodents in addition to the COVID-19 virus. - Structural Property Damage
Besides being a threat to one’s health, rodents can also pose a danger to one’s property. Rats and mice have the tendency to gnaw on different materials to gain access to various places. But apart from the typical wood, plastic, cardboard, and steel materials, rodents also chew on electrical wires out of habit. This often leads to damage to expensive electrical equipment and machinery.
- Population Growth
- Contamination of Products and Other Supplies
Products and supplies in the inventory are not safe from a rat infestation, no matter how high or well-stored they are. Once rats gain access to their storage facilities, they can quickly destroy and contaminate everything within their reach.
Knowing these, it’s become more vital now more than ever to be vigilant and proactive when it comes to ray and mice infestation. Here are some methods you can try with the assistance of commercial pest control services Singapore to eradicate rodent infestations effectively.
Natural Rat Repellents
While most rats can chew and eat almost anything, there are certain products and substances that can repel them instantly. These include:
- Ammonia
- Essential oils such as peppermint, citronella, and eucalyptus
- Crushed chilli
- Mothballs
- Black pepper
- Indoor plants like lavender, euphorbias, peppermint, or camphor
One particular characteristic that ties these items together is their strong odour. Rats have a very acute sense of smell. So, while sulfuric smells found in woods, cardboards, and non-nutritional materials attract them, natural scents in essential oils, plants, and certain spices can instantly repel them.
Glue Boards
One of the most common methods used by consumers across the country is installing glue boards in areas in which rats are potentially active.
There are different types of glue traps you can buy in stores. But take note that not all of them work the same. Some brands specialise in making traps for mice. These will not work effectively with rats.
To target rats, you may need something stronger and larger. If you’re unsure about the particular brand and product to buy, you can inquire with your pest control services provider. They should be able to direct you to the correct item.
Baiting and Trapping
In addition, you may want to try out baiting and trapping. Avalon Services’ rat and mice control through baiting can involve the following steps:
- Inspect the property to identify which areas to place the baits and traps.
- Placing baiting stations with back-up to secure a line of defence.
- Setting snap traps to ensnare the rodents successfully.
- Disposing of captured rodents offsite.
- Monitoring after the process to assess the results.
Ratsense Technology
A relatively new method that can help address rodent problems is Ratsense technology. It enables users to identify rat sources and entry points. Moreover, it uses automated prompts to manage rodent activities and report data to all parties involved.
With this technology in place, you can execute effective pest risk management solutions to monitor, manage, and prevent rodent infestations, thereby securing your property’s safety.
Conclusion
For the best results, be sure to engage in long-term commercial rodent control with Avalon Services and benefit from permanent rat elimination.
