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Home  /  pest control  /  World pest day and the future of pest control
pest control
07 June 2021

World pest day and the future of pest control

Written by Nathalie Leblond
pest control Leave a Comment

Did you know? Mice can squeeze under the narrowest gaps – like your front door. Watch our video to see the scary truth.

In one of my previous blogs, “Did you know? Mice and rats are extremely resilient” I looked at the biology of rats and what makes them so resilient and capable of invading our homes or businesses.  In the blog I briefly touched on how mice can squeeze through the smallest spaces to enter your premises.

What we learned is that mice possess a unique set of bodily characteristics that enable them to access almost any space: they have flexible skeletons so they can squeeze through a gap as small as 6mm. Once they fit through a gap with their head you can be assured that it won’t be much of a problem for the rest of their body to fit through as well.

Mice are burrowing animals, a trait they need to survive in the wild. There they would burrow tight tunnels underground, in which they would nest for protection, often burrowing exit routes for quick escapes. Their ribs have a greater capacity to flex than most other mammals, which enables them to flatten themselves temporarily to squeeze through narrow gaps.  In the video below we illustrate how they use this trait to invade our premises.

To prevent rodents from occurring in your home or business we recommend filling all cracks around the building, installing strong wires mesh over holes that can’t be closed, and ensuring that your doors don’t have any gaps below. Additionally, be mindful of open windows as mice can scale walls and enter through windows when seeking shelter or food.


Suspect that you may have a rodent problem?

We advise a professional pest control service provider with the technical expertise to help identify and solve your pest problem. For more information on why getting professional pest control services is essential, read our blog: 3 Reasons Why Pest Control Will Always Be An Essential Service.

With ongoing training for technicians and the latest technology, treatments, and innovation, Rentokil is in the best position to be able to offer you the most efficient services to control rats and mice. Contact us today about your pest control needs, or to book a free pest risk survey.

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Nathalie Leblond

I joined Rentokil Initial South Africa in 2004 as the PA to the MD, and after 6 months maternity leave I re-joined the Company in 2009 as the Marketing Co-ordinator for Rentokil. I'm now the Marketing Communication Manager for Rentokil Initial. I'm still terrified of cockroaches (Americana's only!) but the rest of the creepy crawlies we deal with don't really bug me (see what I did there?), so I guess I'm in the right industry! I am passionate about what we do here at Rentokil Initial and also write for our Hygiene Blog, which can be found at www.initial.co.za. Life outside of Rentokil mostly revolves around my daughter, who has just turned nine and my husband (who’s a bit older). I love living in Cape Town and wouldn’t trade living here for anywhere else in the world.

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