Those of us who’ve dealt with rodents in our houses know how much of a pain they can be. Walls, attics, crawlspaces, and between floors are perfect for rats and mice to make their homes in – we even provide them with insulation as nesting material.
Mice and rats can bring a lot of trouble to your home. They spread hantavirus, salmonella, and lymphocytic choriomeningitis through their droppings. Or their urine can dry and turn into dust that carries these diseases. And any place with one mouse or rat likely has many, many mice and rats.
Because of these warm little spaces we provide them with, these uninvited guests are more likely to come in during the cold and wet months – so here’s what you can do to prevent them from entering your home.
Keeping Them Out
Cover or plug any entrance holes larger than a-quarter-inch so rodents can’t wiggle their way into your home. Yes, that does seem like a very small opening, but rodents can squeeze themselves down very small.
Keep nearby tree limbs trimmed to avoid rodents using them as a bridge to get on your roof. They will come down your chimney if they can get to it, or will live in your attic given the chance.
Remove ivy from outer walls – they are perfect rodent ladders.
Store dry goods in metal or glass containers. The last thing you want is rodents in your living space and eating your food, and those little guys can eat through a cardboard box easily.
Feed your pets indoors. Leaving kibble outdoors can attract both rodents and bigger animals. It’s best to pick up your pet’s waste, too.
Pick up and dispose of any fallen, decaying fruit. It can be both an eyesore, send seeds and pits into your lawn mower, and be a real rodent magnet.
Stack firewood and other piles of material as far away from your home as possible, these invite rodents to come live in their crevices while they find a way into your heated house. Few of us want to unstack and restack a pile of firewood in the rain.
Rodents, Begone
If you’re already dealing with a rodent problem, there are a few things you can do.
If you know they’re in your crawlspace, try putting a light down there that you can turn on and off periodically. Light acts as mouse repellent, which is why you generally don’t see them during the day. The periodic light chance will force them to find a place more reliably dark.
Ultrasonic pest control units can help drive rodents away. They emit sounds at a frequency that are undetectable to humans and most pets, but are unbearable to rodents.
If your rodent problem lies within the walls of your home, although it is unpleasant, your options might be limited to trapping the unwelcome critters. There are traps designed to kill rodents, and traps that require you to release them far, far away from your property. If you don’t have a way to access the inside of your walls, you might have to drill a small hole for the rodents to use as a tunnel to get to an enclosed trap on the outside.
Do you have a story for The Advocate? Email editor@corvallisadvocate.com