by Sos Wildlife Control | Oct 14, 2024 | Mice Control, Pest Control, Pest Control Tips, Rat Control
Toronto’s rat population is skyrocketing, but don’t worry—you’re not helpless in this fight. With a little knowledge and the right prevention techniques, you can take back control and keep your home rat-free.
At SOS Wildlife Control, we know firsthand how frustrating it can be to deal with a rat problem. But here’s the thing: with the right plan and proactive measures, you can stop these pesky intruders in their tracks. Let’s explore why Toronto is dealing with this rodent boom and how you can protect your property.
Why Are There So Many Rats in Toronto?
Toronto’s vibrant urban environment doesn’t just attract people—it’s also perfect for rats. Here’s why:
1. Construction Everywhere
Toronto’s constant development is great for growth, but not so great for keeping rats at bay. Major projects like subway expansions and condo builds are disturbing rat habitats, forcing them to seek shelter in neighborhoods.
2. Food, Glorious Food
Overflowing garbage bins and poorly managed waste provide an endless buffet for rats. With easy access to food, they thrive—and multiply.
3. Mild Winters
Toronto winters might make us shiver, but for rats, it’s a breeze. The city’s warmth, thanks to urban heat islands, makes it easier for them to survive and breed year-round.
4. Reproduction at Warp Speed
Did you know a single pair of rats can produce hundreds of babies in a year? That’s why even a small infestation can quickly snowball into a big problem.
Why Rats Are More Than Just Annoying
Sure, seeing a rat scurry by is gross. But the real concern is what they leave behind:
- Health Hazards: Rats spread diseases like salmonella and leptospirosis. Their droppings can contaminate your food and air.
- Expensive Damage: Rats chew through wires, insulation, and structural materials, leading to costly repairs—and even fire risks.
- Fast Reproduction: Let them linger, and you’re looking at an infestation before you know it.
How to Protect Your Home
Here’s the good news: you can take control and keep rats out. Follow these steps to protect your home this winter:
1. Cut Off Their Food Supply
Rats can’t stay where there’s no food.
- Secure Your Garbage: Use rodent-proof bins with tight lids. Don’t leave bags outside overnight.
- Smart Composting: Only use rodent-proof compost bins and avoid adding meat or oily scraps.
- Store Food Safely: Keep pet food and snacks in sealed containers.
2. Seal Up Entry Points
Rats are sneaky, but you can outsmart them.
- Inspect Your Home: Check for cracks, gaps, or holes in walls, roofs, and foundations.
- Seal Tight: Use steel wool, caulk, or mesh to block openings.
- Weatherproof Doors and Windows: Add weather stripping to close off gaps.
3. Tidy Up Your Yard
Make your property less inviting to rats.
- Trim Trees and Shrubs: Keep branches at least one meter away from your house.
- Clear Debris: Get rid of woodpiles, leaves, and other clutter.
4. Stop Them from Nesting
Don’t give rats a place to call home.
- Under-Deck Barriers: Seal gaps beneath porches and decks with hardware cloth.
- Store Smart: Keep outdoor items in sealed containers to reduce hiding spots.
5. Set Effective Traps
When prevention isn’t enough, it’s time to act.
- Use snap traps or bait stations where rats travel, like along walls or near trash areas.
- Avoid poison if you have kids or pets—it’s dangerous and often ineffective.
6. Call the Experts
Sometimes, you need a pro to handle the job. SOS Wildlife Control offers fast, effective, and humane rat removal.
Why SOS Wildlife Control Is Your Go-To Solution
Dealing with rats isn’t fun—but with SOS Wildlife Control, you’re in great hands. Here’s why we’re the best in Toronto:
- Thorough Inspections: We don’t miss a thing. Our team identifies every entry point, nest, and hiding spot.
- Humane Solutions: We remove rats safely and ethically, so you don’t have to worry about your family or pets.
- Prevention First: Beyond removal, we help secure your home to keep rats out for good.
When to Call a Professional
If you notice these signs, it’s time to bring in the pros:
- You’re seeing rats during the day—this usually means a severe infestation.
- You find gnaw marks, droppings, or greasy trails along walls.
- DIY traps aren’t working, and the problem keeps coming back.
- There’s a foul smell from hidden nests or dead rodents.
Don’t wait until the problem gets worse. SOS Wildlife Control can assess the situation and take care of it quickly and effectively.
Toronto’s Rat Problem: What’s Next?
The city is working on a rat reduction action plan, but results won’t be seen until 2025. Until then, it’s up to homeowners to protect their properties. By sealing entry points, managing waste, and staying vigilant, you can make your home less attractive to rats—and stop them from moving in.
Take Action Today
Rats might be a growing problem in Toronto, but they don’t have to be your problem. Whether it’s prevention or removal, SOS Wildlife Control has the expertise to keep your home rat-free.
Don’t let rats ruin your winter. Call SOS Wildlife Control today for a solution that works—and take back control of your home.
by Sos Wildlife Control | Oct 21, 2022 | Mice Control, Rat Control
SOS Wildlife Control was recently featured in the Toronto Star! Sherwin Baghani, owner and field manager of SOS Wildlife Control, shares insights on Toronto’s rat problem. Many residents are seeing more and more rats around their neighbourhoods and are looking for solutions from the city. From January to July, the city had received 914 complaints related to rodents. Baghani explains that they’ve had many customers call for help after numerous attempts with the city. The current rat problem is likely due to ongoing construction forcing rats out of their nests and dated infrastructure, such as sewers. If you or someone you know is experiencing problems with pests and wildlife, call SOS Wildlife Control today. Be sure to check out our latest feature in the Toronto Star!
by Sos Wildlife Control | Oct 20, 2022 | Mice Control, Rat Control
SOS Wildlife Control Was Interviewed on NewsTalk 1010 Oct 10, 2022 about What the city is — and isn’t — doing about Toronto’s growing rat problem. Listen to the full interview on NewsTalk Radio 1010 to learn about the problem and how to prevent rats from coming to your home.
by Sos Wildlife Control | Nov 8, 2016 | Mice Control, Rat Control
Rats, mice. Mice, rats. Little squeaky noised rodents that are all the same. Right?
While although mice and rats have many similarities in both physical appearance and behaviour, they are not the same. Both rodents? Yes. Both small? Yes. Both possible problems for the average homeowner/property owner? Yes. Same rodent? Nope!
The names mice and rat have always been used interchangeably to describe these rodents running around the property, but should they? Mice and rats have some significant differences when it comes down to it, but what is important to know are the different types of damages they can cause.
There’s a reason as to why rats and mice are often mixed up, so let’s start with the similarities: The main reason why these two are regarded as the same is because of how they look. Both mice and rats are small rodents, with rounded bodies, a pointed snout with ears that stick up and a long tail. They both scurry through the city, finding their ways into basement, kitchens and hiding between walls, looking for shelter and a reliable food source.
What’s the difference between a rat and mice?
Let’s break it down and identify some of the different characteristics mice and rats have from each other.
Mice
- Mice have larger ears than rats
- Smaller in size (3-10cm)
- Weighs up to 19g
- Long hairy tail
- Lifespan avg. 2 years
- Smaller droppings
- Mostly herbivore
Rats
- Larger than mice (can grow up to 40cm)
- Smaller pointed ears
- Hairless tails
- Rats can weigh over 100g
- Larger droppings
- Known as omnivorous/opportunistic eaters
- Stronger and therefore can cause more damage than mice
- Lifespan avg. 2.5 years
Knowing some of these key identifying factors can be helpful for you when determining whether you have a mice or rat living on your property.
What are the dangers of having these critters in your house?
Whether you’re hosting either mice on your property, or rats, regardless of the rodent, you’re going to want to have it removed. While they do have many differences as mentioned above, another thing they do have in common (although not always to the same degree) are some of the risks.
Here are some things to be aware of and take precautions for if you’re experiencing any rodent problem
- Rodents catching and transferring different bacteria, germs
- Droppings from rodents can potentially be a health risk
- Possible carriers of parasites
- Getting bitten or scratched
- Chewing through your wires
- Growing population on your property
- Nuisance for your pets
- Chewing through structure of property or through personal belongings
- Leaving droppings and making a mess
And more
Why you should get professional help
Although there are many rat and mice control solutions out there on the market or DIY methods online, they may not always be the most effective nor safest solution.
Getting professional wildlife and pest control services is recommended especially if you have had no previous experience dealing with these sorts of problems. Hiring a professional ensures that the safety precautions are taken, that proper methods are instilled, that effective measures are put in to place and that you will get the results you want.
The sooner you call, the faster you can eliminate the chance of an increasing rodent infestation! If you notice signs of wildlife in your house give us a call. At SOS wildlife control, we provide superior pest control services for residential, commercial and industrial clients, guaranteeing effective results every single time. Let us help you solve your wildlife problems. Taking action before it’s too late will help eliminate animal damage repair costs. We can easily be reached at 1-800-981-0330. Don’t wait and call us to schedule an appointment for a thorough inspection to help evacuate all your unwanted wildlife guests in the most humane way possible.
by Sos Wildlife Control | Oct 18, 2016 | Mice Control
Mice. We have all heard of these tiny, fast moving rodents. We see them in movies and on television followed by loud high-pitched shrieks from scaring people who come in contact with them. Some see them as cute critters while others see them as nightmares, but one thing’s for sure, is that these little guys can be trouble when they get stuck somewhere in your home. We’ll explain to you how to recognize, prevent and remove these little mice from your property.
How to detect you have mice living in your property
You kind of have an idea, but you’re not yet 100% sure whether you’re hosting a mice gathering in your home, behind your walls or elsewhere? These mice can’t hide for too long. Have a wander around the property and see if you catch some of the following signs:
- Droppings on the floor
- Holes in the wall
- Cracks in the floor and ceilings
Something else you might notice are the sound of gnawing or clawing from behind the wall especially at night when everything is very quiet. Although facing this issue might be alarming, keep your head up! It’s better to find the problem sooner than later, to when it’s escalated to bigger issues like extensive damage or an infestation! If you’re still not sure whether you have mice either behind your walls or anywhere else on your property, give a professional pest control technician a call to conduct an inspection and verify this for you.
How to get rid of mice on your own
So now you’re sure that you are faced with a mice problem. There are several routes you can take from here. One, is to call a professional pest control company to solve the problem for you, giving you lasting results with safety measure implemented. Taking that route is recommended, especially if you have not dealt with wildlife and pest control issues before.
If you are not ready to call for a professional, there are still other options available. While there are different sorts of methods available online or in stores, S.O.S Wildlife Control and Pest Control still recommends calling a pro due to the different risk factors involved. Please take all safety precautions if you decide to conduct your own mice control.
If you are faced with mice problems on your property, these are some popular methods of mice control outside of calling a professional.
- Mousetraps are one of the most common solutions to mice control and is easily available for purchase from any general or hardware store. While they are common and available, there are still some risks involved with setting these types of traps. If you do decide to use this as your mice control method, please exercise caution and read and follow safety guidelines as instructed.
- As a preventative measure, seal any open holes in your house to keep any mice or other sort of wildlife animals from getting into your property
- Removing cartons, cereal boxes and boxes in general will help eliminate their resting place.
- Keep a neat area, free of trash or crumbs that might attract mice to these areas for food sources
- Keep all food in secure containers, away from any accessible areas for mice. This includes securing pet foods away as well.
- Regularly checking property structure for cracks and holes.
While all of these solutions may help reduce mice appearances on your property, they may not always be the best long-term solution. For effective mice control results, call a professional wildlife and pest control company to help you.
Using professional services
Now you’re probably wondering, is calling professional actually worth it when I could just do it myself?
Having a professional help, you solve your mice problem is a long term, safer and more efficient solution over conducting it yourself. Although mice traps may work, they can be a safety risk to toddlers, pets and adults if not careful.
Here are couple more reason why mice control by professionals is the more effective and safer choice:
- Wildlife and pest control technicians are familiar with mice, and mice behavior and therefore know the most efficient methods on how to get rid of them and keeping them away
- Technicians will know where to look, and conduct a thorough inspection to learn the severity of the situation. They will help you determine whether that single mouse you found is the only one, or if there’s infestation in progress!
- SOS Wildlife Control and Pest Control technicians have years of experience in mice control and therefore know the best practices
- There are some risks to conducting mice removal, especially when getting too close to mice droppings as their feces can be hazardous. Our technicians ensure the right precautions are taken
An important thing to keep in mind is what happens during these mice removal processes. After technicians have set up the bait stations and the mice have taken the bait, what happens is the mice dehydrate and are in search for water. Unless you have an available water source where mice can easily access from in your home , they poison from the bait will fulfill it’s purpose by the time the mouse it outside leaving you with no dead mice problem inside the house.
All in all, if you don’t want mice in your living space or anywhere on your property call a professional wildlife and pest control service. With a pro, you’ll be able to be longer lasting and effective results! Deal with your mice problem today and call S.O.S Wildlife Control and Pest Control!
If you notice signs of wildlife in your house give us a call. At SOS wildlife control, we provide superior pest control services for residential, commercial and industrial clients, guaranteeing effective results every single time. Let us help you solve your wildlife problems. Taking action before it’s too late will help eliminate animal damage repair costs. We can easily be reached at 1-800-981-0330. Don’t wait and call us to schedule an appointment for a thorough inspection to help evacuate all your unwanted wildlife guests in the most humane way possible.
by SOS Wildlife Control | May 12, 2016 | Mice Control
It’s common knowledge that damage cause by mice is a nuisance and dealing with the situation can be pricey, but can insurance companies help you out?
Having unwanted mice on your property is definitely an unsightly, nuisance situation – but more than that, can be a costly and destructive problem. Mice in buildings, homes etc. are a common issue throughout all parts of Toronto and the GTA, and when it happens, the mice become even more problematic the longer you wait. Wait too long and soon enough, you’ll be faced with a mice infestation, with mice in your cupboards, under appliances, behind walls etc. Alone, mice are already a challenging situation, but in groups where they multiply quickly, your property is at risk, putting you at risk of having to deal with the aftermath.
Damages caused by mice is not a great situation. Their ability to chew through the following can be dangerous, costly, and a risk to your health.
Mice can chew through
- Electrical wiring
- Gas lines
- Wood
- Soft Concrete
- Drywall
- Rubber
Having these capabilities and more are a sure way to ring up a couple transactions on your dime. Or is it covered?
Do Insurance policies provide protection against property damage caused by mice?
Short answer? Under specific circumstances
Long answer? Sometimes they do, but only if the situation falls under what is written in the policy. Some insurance companies for the most part do not cover the damage caused by rodents. If a mouse chews up your walls, some wiring or some pipes it’s possible that you are on your own. Under certain policies, some insurance companies do not cover damage due to the fact that mice infestation is due to negligence. It is recommended to verify with you insurance company to see what is included in your plan.
For some insurance companies to get involved with a mice problem would be when an incidental problem occurs. For example, a mouse that chews your electrical wires may not be covered, but if this causes a fire to the home, then it is possible that an insurance company will take care of it.
If you shop around enough, you might be able to find an insurance company who offers pest control damages on their plan. Usually these plans are offered at a higher cost in a more elaborate insurance plan, or it’s treated as an add-on. It’s not a bad idea to consider these options if you’re looking to be covered for mice problems, but an alternative is to take preventative measures before it can even happen.
Don’t Ignore a Mouse Infestation as it can be a Health Hazard
As previously mentioned, a mouse infestation can be costly, but more importantly, it can be a health hazard.
Mice are known to cause lots of damage, and in these damages, the risk of threats to yourself and your family increases. Although small in size, their effects on a property can be massive, for example, some nibbling through pipes can cause flooding or even worse, mice chewing through electrical wires can possibly cause fires.
More popularly known about mice over causing lots of damage is their reputation for carrying germs or spreading viruses. Mice are small enough to get into our walls, under our appliances and even in our kitchen cupboard, so if there is a mouse on your property, ensure that these places are inaccessible as you don’t want them to contaminate your food storage. Some common viruses that are spread from mice are salmonellosis, listeria, or hantavirus. Hantavirus is a virus contracted by inhaling or ingesting mice feces or urine and can cause major health risks. Chances of this occurring goes up when you have a family of mice in your property.
Dealing with mice is more than a nuisance, it can be a health risk. So for the safety of the building occupants, don’t ignore a mouse infestation and take care of it now better than later. As soon as your notice mice activity on your property, it’s best to take care of it as soon as possible. Mice multiply quickly, and together, they have the ability to wreak havoc, so take precautions before it is too late.
Ways to protect your home from Mice infestation by sealing your house
If you want to avoid a mouse infestation, protect your home before it’s too late. It’s much easier to take preventative measures now, rather than having to deal with the unfortunate consequences later which can end up costing you even more.
One of the main methods of mice infestation defense is by having areas sealed around the house. Finding areas which are more prone to mice entering must be conducted first. Once these areas are identified, they should be sealed (often done with caulking/steel wool) to prevent mice from coming through. This will help in reducing the chance of a mouse infestation which in turn can save you money in the long run.
To stay on-top of preventing a mouse infestation, another thing you can do is to regularly inspect and monitor the property for any holes or weak spots, potential entry-points for mice to come through.
Prevention is a great way to avoid a mice infestation, but in the case where it’s too late, you can call a pest control expert like SOS Wildlife Control Incorporated
How SOS Wildlife can help you get rid of Mice
SOS Wildlife Control Incorporated has years of experience in all sorts of pest control including certain insects, rats, and mice.
Our mice control services include sealing mice entry-points to prevent mice from coming through the property as well as the use of tamper-proof bait stations. These bait stations are meant to keep people from meddling with it, which keep them, children and pets safe.
Don’t wait on calling for mice control, take care of mice infestation problems as soon as possible and call SOS Wildlife Control Incorporated today!
