What does a Mouse Exterminator do?

A mouse exterminator is an individual who focuses not only on mice eradication, but also preventing future infestations. To do this, the exterminator must develop a comprehensive plan, determining what makes a home attractive to mice and how they are accessing it. In order to successfully carry out any plan, the mouse exterminator may need to make several visits.

The first problem a mouse exterminator must deal with is finding a way to take care of the mice already in the home. Doing this will, by necessity, take into account the makeup of the family. Care must be taken in the placement of traps and poisons around homes with young children or pets. In some cases, it may be necessary to block a child's access to certain areas. A good mouse exterminator will realize this and make adjustments where needed.

Mouse exterminators must evaluate each situation after a plan of action has been put into place. Even the best exterminators may find there are times when their preferred methods simply do not seem to work. They should realize when the results are not satisfactory, and come up with other possible solutions, such as switching baits, traps, or poisons. This is not the sign of an exterminator who does not know what to do, but rather the sign of one who is flexible enough to realize each situation is different and come up with a way to change the situation.

While the problem of the infestation is being eliminated, the mouse exterminator should also conduct an evaluation of the home. This will include looking at possible entry and exit points for the mice, and coming up with a strategy of blocking those points. Often, a professional mouse exterminator will be able to quickly identify these problem spots, based on experiences with other homes. Therefore, this part of the process usually does not take as long as many people may think, due to the professional's understanding of the animal's behavior.

Additionally, the mouse exterminator may also be able to determine what makes one home more attractive to mice than others, and make recommendations for how to change this. Plenty of places to hide, easy entry points, and access to sources of food may all play a role in making a home appealing to mice, and are easy for a homeowner to control. There may be other factors that are beyond the ability of the homeowner to control, such as the home's location. In those cases, most focus will likely be on extermination and preventing the mice from entering.