Boston Rodent Control Services | Free Consultations | GreenHow
Mice and Rat Exterminator Services in Newton, MA
Also Serving Needham, MA and Eastern Massachusetts
Mice and rats carry diseases, damage property and wreak havoc on your home or business structures. The Boston area is no stranger to rodent problems. Rats arrived in eastern Massachusetts with the first settlers. A rodent exterminator in Newton and Needham is always busy. That is why we put our office right here. Start your rodent control now with a free inspection.
Mice and rats are both rodents, but they have many differences. They are different sizes and have different habits and needs. Mice are smaller than rats. Mice are curious. Rats are shy and phobic of new objects. Mice get the water they need from their food. Rats need a supply of water each day.
Mice and rats both climb. Here in New England we do not deal with the Roof Rat, just the Norway Rat. In the natural environment, mice may live under forest litter or up in trees, sometimes using knot holes in tree trunks for a home. Rats burrow in the ground. Burrows are often built into natural slopes like banks or stones. In the urban landscape rats will burrow against stone walls, foundations and tunnel along sewer lines. Following sewer lines are one of the most common entry points rats enter a home.
Rodent Problem? We Can Help!
Rodents are destructive
Rodents are annoying pest problems to have and they damage property by contamination with their droppings and urine. They gnaw, damage and eat any food they can get to. A rodent problem is best managed early by a rodent exterminator. We offer effective and environmentally friendly methods that exterminate rats and mice from your home.
Signs of Rodents
Common Signs Rodents are Present
Droppings are the most common sign that rats or mice are present. Both types of droppings are distinctive and can be easily distinguished.
Rats or Mice? The difference is the size.
Mouse droppings are small and pointed on both ends. They look like chocolate sprinkles you see on a donut or ice cream. Rat droppings are larger, the size of a coffee bean, and have blunt ends, not pointed like mouse droppings.
Mice and rats differ in another important way. Rats need a water source to reach each day. Mice get water from their food. Food stored in a wall is normally behavior from mice. Rats will nest anywhere, but are often found in the burrows dug into the soil. The dens in the burrow will be filled with nesting material that is mostly trash.
Dog food put into a wall by mice storing it.
Protect Against Rodents
Rodent Treatments
Mice and rats are treated differently. Mice are trapped inside structures. For mice, baits are only used in garages or bulkheads where traps will fill up too quickly to be of use on multiple rodents. Rats are baited outside structures. Rats are trapped inside structures and occasionally outside.
Rodent Baits
We install the exterior rodent bait system in appropriate rodent runways and areas rodents will be comfortable. We look to place exterior rodent bait stations against fences or walls. Baits are selected by reviewing research to make sure we use the least toxic materials with the lowest risk to non target animals. There are two routes of exposure primary where the material is consumed and secondary where the body of an animal that has eaten the material is consumed.
Primary exposure
To prevent primary exposure the first part is the correct placement – meaning using the correct amount, in a properly secured and labeled bait station designed to reduce access by non targets (anything not a structure infesting mouse or Norway rat) and using material in accordance to the label directions. Those steps minimize primary exposure which is when a non target animal eats the bait and is impacted or killed by eating the bait. The number one cause of pesticide poisoning in the US is rodenticide exposure primarily from children finding and handling or eating bait that was not placed in a secure bait station. Homeowner misuse leads this category by far and the EPA has taken many steps to reduce homeowner access to rodenticides, but the internet provides lots of ways for people to get around those steps.
Secondary exposure
This is much more difficult because there are many variables to this and some materials have low secondary exposure to birds but high secondary exposure to mammals and vice versa. By working in the industry for over 20 years I believe the most important exposure to minimize is the secondary exposure to birds. To that end we have selected a small variety of materials that provides efficacy and reduces the exposure to birds. The three active ingredients we use right now in order from most used to least are Cholecalciferol, Diphacinone and Bromadiolone. For areas that the risk for secondary poisoning is high, we recommend the implementation of rodent birth control and our PestSensor trapping system.
Rodent Birth Control
The newest technology is using birth control for rats. This material dramatically reduces the rat population in an area through birth control. The birth control is contained inside rat bait stations and rats on the birth control do not exhibit bait shyness. The biggest advantages are population reduction and lack of secondary exposure to non target animals.
Rodent Traps
Trapping is effective and efficient. When a rodent is trapped it can be removed. Traps are best used inside, because in a garage, bulkhead or outside rodents will get caught quickly the device will be useless until emptied and reset. The one exception is our PestSensor service traps. PestSensors are utilized in exterior rat traps to alert our service technicians that a rat trap needs to be emptied and reset.
When we set up mouse traps they will always be contained in boxes or hidden from view in the living areas. Exposed traps may be used in attics and on basement or crawl space sills. In a garage or in a bulkhead, traps are not to be used unless they are equipped with a PestSensor.
Trapping rodents on your own? A few tricks can help you be more successful. First, bait the trap with bait placed tightly in the trigger and set the trap unset to let the rodents get in the traps and be comfortable with the bait. This is essential with rat trapping, but optional when trapping mice. Second, when you are ready to set the trap use the lightest sensitivity. Third, be effective in your trap placement. Utilize corners and runways when trapping mice and always use traps in pairs. Place traps against edges with the triggers against the wall or placed back to back with the triggers facing out. Finally, use more traps than you think.
Rodent Inspections
Rodent services are not permanent. Rodent behavior, relentlessly seeking food, shelter and mates, makes it important to regularly inspect structures and update traps and baits. Our pest control service makes protecting your home easy. We set up regular rodent control services at a time convenient for you. We check the inside and outside of your structure for rodent activity. After the initial rodent treatment, Greenhow pest control service continues the protection.
Pair of mouse snap traps in a cardboard box
Our Rodent Control Solutions Include:
Rodent Inspection
Inspect for rodent infestation is the first step. Identifying the type of rodent and rodent runways, harborages and conducive conditions will lead to successful control.
Trapping
Rodent traps are an effective way to control rats and mice. Used indoors (not in garages) except for rats which may be trapped outdoors with our remote sensing system that lets us know if a trap is sprung.
Baiting
Using baits with the least impact on non target. We select our baits to have the lowest risk to raptors.
I have kids and pets so I wanted to avoid the crazy chemicals while still getting rid of the ants that had raided the cat food bowl and then made them selves at home in our bathroom. GreenHow was easy to deal with, prompt, and quickly found the source of my ant problem… and got rid of the ants. They are now my pest control company of choice! – Michael K., Arlington, MA
I now have a go-to exterminator!
They came out very quickly (one business day from when I called), were thorough in their investigation, and gave us an incredibly reasonable quote for pest control for other “guests” that we have like carpenter ants. I was very surprised at their low initial and quarterly costs compared to their high level of service and commitment to using natural products. – Kathy R., Woburn, MA
Great Service - Super Smart.
Sean Grenhow has without doubt the best of business ethics. He came on time. He was intrepid in finding the problem, did a thorough search, gave me lots of information – and good news- charged me not one penny and left after a good 20-25 minutes. I recommend him and his extremely knowledgeable service wholeheartedly. – Alexandra H., Newton, MA
Honest and Smart
…the best experience of my life in calling an exterminator. Sean is a great guy. Honest. Avoids toxins. Smart. GreenHow is what you should want to deal with pests. – Max, Cambridge, MA
