指南 | 冬季灭鼠正当时 宿舍楼如何防控

Guide | Preventing & Controlling on Rats

This guide is designed for international students dealing with rats, focusing on prevention, safe control, and navigating housing rules.

The best approach is Prevention First, Control Second. Rats need food, water, and shelter. Remove these, and you solve 90% of the problem.

PART 1: PREVENTION (Your First Line of Defense)

This is the most important step and is often your responsibility as a resident.

1. Food Management:

Never leave food out. This includes unwashed dishes, fruit in a bowl, or snacks.

Store all food in airtight, hard containers (glass, thick plastic, metal). Rats easily chew through bags, cardboard, and thin plastic.

Manage your trash: Use a bin with a tight-fitting lid. Take trash out regularly, especially food waste.

Clean immediately: Wipe down counters, tables, and floors after eating. Don't leave crumbs.

2. Shelter & Entry Points:
Rats can fit through a hole the size of a quarter (25mm/1 inch). Mice can fit through a hole the size of a dime (18mm).

Inspect your room/apartment: Look for gaps around pipes (under sinks, behind toilets), holes in walls or floors, gaps under doors, and around utility lines.

Seal entry points: Use materials rats can't easily chew: steel wool, metal mesh (hardware cloth), or foam sealant stuffed with steel wool. Duct tape alone will not work.

Declutter: Reduce piles of clothes, papers, and boxes, especially on the floor. This removes nesting sites.

3. Environment:

Keep it dry: Fix leaky taps. Don't let water sit.

If you have a shared garden or yard: Keep garbage bins far from the building. Keep grass trimmed and avoid dense piles of leaves or wood against walls. Do not litter waste in the backyard.

PART 2: CONTROL (If You See Signs of Rats)

Signs to look for: Droppings (dark, pellet-shaped), gnaw marks on food packaging or wires, greasy smear marks along walls, scratching noises in walls/ceilings at night, or nests (shredded paper, fabric).

Step 1: Report Immediately

University Accommodation (Dorms/Halls): Contact your housing office immediately. Do not set traps or poison yourself. They have contracted pest control services.

Step 2: Safe Control Methods

Snap Traps: The classic wooden trap is effective and inexpensive. Use multiple traps. Bait with a small amount of peanut butter, chocolate, or dried fruit. Place them perpendicular to walls with the trigger facing the wall (rats run along edges). Wear gloves when handling to avoid human scent.

Electronic Traps: Deliver a quick shock. More expensive but cleaner and very effective for mice/small rats.

Glue Boards: Not recommended. They are considered inhumane and a trapped rat can suffer and make loud noises.

What to AVOID:

Ultrasonic Repellers: Scientific evidence shows they are largely ineffective.

Poison (Rodenticides): NEVER use poison yourself. A poisoned rat can die inside your walls, causing a terrible smell and flies. It can also poison pets, wildlife, or even children if mishandled. Leave this to professionals.

PART 3: PROPOSALS

Shared Housing: If you have roommates, have a house meeting. Agree on clean-up rules (dishes, trash, food storage). One messy roommate can attract pests for everyone.

Health Risks: Rats carry diseases (like Leptospirosis, Salmonella). Always wear gloves and a mask if cleaning areas with droppings. Spray with a disinfectant first, don't sweep dry droppings (stirs up dust).

Action Checklist for International Students

INSPECT your room/apartment for holes and seal small ones with steel wool.

STORE all food in sealed containers. Take out the trash.

CLEAN thoroughly and regularly.

REPORT any signs to supervisor in writing immediately.

If action is delayed, use SNAP TRAPS as a temporary measure.

NEVER USE POISON yourself.

Reference: 

预防鼠疫，你需要知道的这些事

一图读懂 | 鼠疫可防可治！

 Guide on Preventing & Controlling on Rats.pdf