Pest Control Questions Answered

Expanded Question:

Hi George,

I have a small boat stored under our summer cabin. The boat has exposed areas of plastic and foam flotation which cannot be covered. The cabin crawlspace cannot be easily sealed, it is about 10% 'porous'. The rats, mice, and other small critters, are ruining my boat by eating the seats, and other foam areas.

Is there anything I can do to prevent this? What do you think of ultrasound devices, mothballs, mint oil, and other repellents like Rat-away?

Thank you and Regards, Ken.

Answer:

When you define your boat situation as rats, mice, or other small critters, the overall concentration becomes more elusive.  I am prone to believe that a persistent gnawing of your furnishings is that of a mouse problem or a rat problem but not both at the same time.  It seems to me that with such persistent activity, where the two species are at the same location, mice would be the more inhibited.  Rats could and would seek to destroy mouse nesting, and their population if both were resident populations.

May I suggest that you never eliminated the existing problem; the base population generating replacements for every one that is destroyed.  other than that, if the boat is not beached, how are mice or rats arriving on board?  would they be so available that they continually climb your mooring ropes?  I doubt that this is the case.

possibly, when the vessel is dry-docked, your infestation had its beginning.

You must reduce available food supply or keep contained and unavailable.  Over bait with anticoagulants.  My favorite is produced by Bell Labs, and is called Contrac.  Order product from a supplier.  You can find our supplier on our website, www.pestproblemssolved.com.

Please contact me again if I can be of further help.

Good hunting and best wishes Ken,

George Manning
Consulting Entomologist