House Rats and Mice

The bulletin surveys the biology and destructive habits of common rats and mice, describing how they contaminate and consume food, damage structures and goods, and transmit disease while reproducing rapidly. It outlines preventive strategies that prioritize exclusion and sanitation, with practical guidance on rat‑proof building, secure food storage, and removal of shelters. For active suppression it details traps, poisons, fumigation, use of domestic animals and natural predators, and recommends coordinated local, state, and community campaigns and legal measures to achieve sustained control.