A lot of people seem to be fascinated by the use of electronic pest control in order to eliminate a rodent problem. This is for good reason as it can be an effective mouse deterrent when coupled with other rodent control techniques. The premise is simple: an electronic device emits a noise inaudible to the human ear but extremely irritating to mice, rats, and other rodent species. The pitch is such that common household pets like dogs and cats aren’t affected by it.
So how do these electronic devices work exactly? That’s an interesting subject, and a hotly debated topic of discussion at that. Some people will swear by the effectiveness of electronic pest control techniques, while others detest them and say the mice walked right up to the unit and laugh. I think the truth lies somewhere in the middle.
How do these electronic mice deterrents work? Well, if you buy the right one they take a multipronged approach. First, they emit high frequency sound waves that are non-repetitive in nature. This is to ensure that the rodent doesn’t become accustomed to a static tone. This creates intense auditory stress for rodents. The second technique is to emit a distinct frequency tone at 46.5 kHz to simulate the sound of a dominant male rodent. Due to the territorial nature of mice, if they hear another alpha male nearby, they will likely move onward. One such device that repels mice this way is the Victor Ultrasonic Rodent Repellent.
Now you’ll see that these devices generally tend to have pretty mixed reviews. The fact is that in controlled testing, these devices do actually work. The Victor Ultrasonic Rodent Repellent has an 81.3% success rate in lab testing. After 3 to 9 days, there should be a marked decrease in rodent activity. These statistics come from a field test of these devices as deployed by professional rodent exterminators. The keyword there is “professional rodent exterminators.” Unless you’re in the business, you may not achieve these rates unless you keep these concepts in mind.
In order to maximize the devices effectiveness, you have to properly deploy the device. You have to take into consideration such things as room size, placement, and quantity. Larger rooms require more devices or more powerful devices. Placement is key. While it might be nice to hide the devices behind couches or other objects to keep them out of sight, this restricts the range of the devices. Soft materials will absorb the sound waves and render the device useless. You need to place the device such that sound waves can emanate freely and without restriction. Intelligently position the devices to maximize the coverage. There is directionality to soundwaves, and every time the waves encounter a surface some of that energy is lost and some is reflected. Don’t expect the device you put in the kitchen to deter mice that are upstairs in your bedroom. Place the devices in your garage. Place them near doors or other access points. By properly placing these ultrasonic mouse repllents, you can prevent mice from getting in your home.
One word of caution… if you have a “rodent pet” like hamsters or gerbils, or anything similar, do not use these devices. The sound will drive your little pets crazy.
There are other electronic pest control devices to consider. The Victor Electronic Mouse Trap gives you an electronic version of the snap trap. Instead of a mouse tripping a spring loaded bar, when the mouse goes for the bait it completes an electronic circuit that generates a lethal pulse. Now the death of the mouse is not like the electrocutions you see on TV where smoke is pouring out if its ears and its glowing in the dark. The kill is quick and humane. Other nice features of electronic traps is that they are reusable and have a 100% kill rate. Sometimes the standard snap traps or other devices simply incapacitate the mouse causing great suffering and pain. The electric shock is quick and effective.
If you’re concerned about the risk of deploying snap traps around small children and pets, I don’t blame you. There is a risk of accidentally setting these traps off. You don’t have that kind of problem with the electronic mouse traps as they tend to be much safer to use. If someone tries to tamper with the trap, the circuit gets deactivated which would prevent small children from getting shocked.