Rodents

Rodents present unique problems for a business

Few pests are more frustrating to battle than the elusive rat or mouse. Their obvious droppings make them easy to detect, but if you can see their telltale droppings, so can your customers.

Rodents are one of the biggest threats to your reputation and the risks are too great to let an infestation go unchecked.

Don’t go at it alone; Sprague offers a wide range of proven rodent control solutions that will eliminate mice and rats to protect your company’s safety and reputation. We understand rodent habits and behaviors like no one else. Don’t play cat and mouse – contact us to eliminate the mice altogether.

Key Risks

1

Rats and mice pose serious health threats and carry infectious diseases.

Their droppings and hair are also a source of allergens for some people. In addition to posing a health concern, they also cause physical damage.
2

Don’t underestimate the rat’s destructive capabilities.

An effective way know whether a burrow is active is to cave the entrance in (if possible) and check back in a day or two to look for signs of activity. Rats are wary of new objects or sudden changes to their environment – this is known as “neophobia.”
3

Rodent activity is highly scrutinized by auditors and inspectors.

Any complications with them could derail the reputation of your food safety program and preventive efforts. While rats and mice are undesirable, sometimes having inaccurate or incomplete records during an audit is the worst risk of all.

Education

Rodents eat and contaminate food and are a threat to health as disease carriers. Fortunately, knowledge is power.

  • They Will Chew Anything
    Rodents’ teeth never stop growing and gnawing keeps that growth in check. Look for chewed up wood, cardboard, or plastic. Rodents will chew through walls, electrical wires, and even metal flashing, causing extensive property damage.
  • They Leave Evidence
    Dark-colored droppings, oily marks on walls, and nesting materials are signs rodents may be present in your place of business.
  • Tiny Does It
    Mice can enter structures through holes the size of a dime. They can easily squeeze under a door, through a pipe, or into a box. Be proactive. Seal all possible openings, pronto.

Sprague Solutions

Baits

Baits eliminate insect activity and reduce rodent pressure. Non-toxic baits can help us monitor rodent activity and be useful in sensitive situations.

Exclusion

This one sounds like a no-brainer, but trust the experts to do it right. Let us seal, screen, net and caulk potential pest entry points to keep them out of your place of business.

Fumigation

When it comes to fumigation, experience matters. Trust Sprague for railcar, container, warehouse, processing, flour mill, seed and grain storage fumigation services. We can fumigate on our site, or yours. And we’ll do it right, to minimize its impact on the environment.

Fumigation Alternatives

Did you know you can reduce your reliance on gas fumigants and achieve equal or better results? Mass trapping, mating disruption and heat treatments all deliver good results without the environmental impact of traditional fumigations. A special combination of carbon dioxide, heat and phosphine can dramatically reduce the amount of gas required to deliver an effective treatment. Ask us about your options.

Light Repair

Sometimes, a minor repair is all it takes prevent a pest infestation. Make sure it’s done right by calling the Sprague team to correctly seal, screen or caulk potential pest entry points to keep them out of your business.

Pest Prevention

Sometimes it’s as simple as eliminating food, water or shelter to prevent pest activity. Sprague has a detailed understanding of pest biology, experience and creativity, so trust our team to work with you to stop pests before they jeopardize health, safety and property.

Pre-Audit Inspection

Have an audit coming up? What should you do? Are you sure you’re ready? Our experts will evaluate your situation, develop an action plan and verify your compliance. Make pest control the one part of the audit you don’t have to worry about.

Products

At Sprague, we pride ourselves on offering the very best, proven choices available on today’s market. We’re not a manufacturer or product-focused company, so count on us to recommend only the most effective, efficient and field-proven insect light traps, fly traps and other pest control products.

Third Party Consulting

Having an expert opinion is critical when food safety, money, customers and your reputation is on the line. For pest prevention across a wide range of industries, Sprague’s got it covered.

Trapping

Trapping is a highly effective method for getting rid of rodents and insects. With a keen understanding of pest behavior and biology, our Sprague specialists rely on an arsenal of traps to monitor or eliminate pest activity.

DIY Tips

KEEP YOUR DOORS CLOSED

Your best defense is exclusion. Keep doors, receiving areas, and indoor trash/recycling rooms closed when possible. Seal all cracks, holes, and gaps in the building walls.

INSPECT ALL PARCELS

A Trojan Horse package is often the culprit behind rodent infestations. Rats and mice hide within pallets of products or inside packaging and turn up suddenly in the middle of your warehouse, commercial kitchen, or store. Inspect all incoming goods for gnawing, droppings, and nesting material to stop rodents at the door.

WATCH FOR TELLTALE DROPPINGS

The white-footed deer mouse (Peromyscus leucopus) has been known to spread Hantavirus — a deadly disease through its droppings and urine. Take precautions when cleaning! Wear gloves and wet down dried urine and droppings to reduce any airborne contaminants.

Expert Insights

  • Rodents are a critical element in food safety programs, especially with the house mouse. The house mouse is every place. [It] is a particular threat because it's constantly defecating and constantly urinating and may travel over hundreds of boxes within 24 hours.
    Dr. Bobby, Corrigan RMC Pest Management Consulting
    Managing Rodents in Food Processing Arenas