Rodent control begins with a thorough inspection of your premises to identify the species involved. Rats and mice have unique behavior characteristics, and by identifying the species, you can select the most effective control strategies.

The inspection also helps you determine the size of the infestation and where rodents are living and feeding. This information will give you a good idea of how much bait to use and where to place it for optimum results.

INSPECTION PROCEDURE
  Begin the inspection outdoors and then move inside the facility. Note where you've seen signs of rodents, which include rat burrows, gnaw marks, rodent pathways, and the surest sign, droppings.
 
The best time to inspect is just after dusk or shortly before dawn when rodents are most active. Seeing them in the daylight usually indicates a heavy infestation.  
 
  With a good flashlight, check where feed is stored or spilled. Rodents build up in numbers wherever food is available.
 
Look for rodents' entry points - around doors, siding, and the foundation of buildings to determine where rodents are getting in. Inspect curtains for holes gnawed by mice. Be sure to check walls for damaged or shredded insulation, where mice are nesting.    
 
  Think "three dimensionally" - down, around and up. Mice, roof rats and even Norway rats are climbers and will travel aboveground, so inspect along feed lines, rafters and in attics.
 

RODENT IDENTIFICATION
  The most common rodent pests are the house mouse, Norway rat and roof rat. The house mouse is easy to recognize, generally 5-7 inches in length and gray in color.
 
The Norway rat is a large rodent, usually 13-18 inches in length, weighing 12-16 ounces with reddish brown fur. Be careful not to mistake a juvenile rat for a mouse.  
 
  The black roof rat is smaller, weighing between 6-9 ounces, and predominantly lives along the West Coast and in the southeastern United States.
 
Other than sightings, the best way to identify rodents is by their droppings. Rat droppings are about 1/2 to 3/4 inch in length; mouse droppings are 1/4 inch.  
            MOUSE                 RAT