We all tend to cozy up inside our warm homes during the colder days. Unfortunately, so do rodents. Our homes are way warmer and dryer than outside, so, naturally, rodents will try to find a way in.
While they may seem like they are harmless, as of today, mice and other types of rodents can carry over 35 diseases. They are linked to the spread of everything from Lyme disease to plague.
They can enter your home through many cracks and holes such as torn screens, loosely fitted baseboards, cracks in the walls and floor, or through unsealed doors.
Once they get inside, they inhabit a part of your home and might even reproduce. Check out the do-it-yourself pest control guides and tips we know that while it may not seem hard, once a pest infests your home, it may be very difficult to remove it.
In order to keep them outside of your home, you need to understand what attracts rodents and the signs of those being round.
Without further ado,
What Attracts Rodents
According to rodent exterminators at Fantastic, the reason why these pesky creatures may be attracted to your home is the urge for food and your kitchen is a gold mine. Besides supplies, rodents also need shelter. Nothing is better than a warm home, with easy access to food, not to mention that they may also search for a safe breeding ground.
Unfortunately, if you spot mice at home, there’s a good chance that its whole family is nearby, for they breed fast.
Signs of Rodent Presence
Common signs that a rodent has entered your home:
- Droppings – Spotting rodent droppings is a sure sign that mice or rats are present. Usually, mice droppings are smaller in size (less than one-quarter inch) and pointed on both ends. If you spot a lot of droppings, it may be a sign of a large infestation.
- Urine Odors – It has a strong musky odor. In large infestations, you can easily smell it.
- Rodent Sounds – Rodents are very active during night time. You can hear them as they make scratching sounds when they run.
- Rodent Nests – They make nests from strings, shredded paper, flexible materials, where the whole family lives.
- Unusual Pet Behaviour – If your pet hears or smells a rodent, they will start to act unusual. Monitor their behavior. They may seem very alert, bark or extensively sniff at unusual places.
- Gnawing Damage – Rats and mice move inside the walls, ledges and piping. If you spot tooth marks or tiny scratches along walls, that’s a good indicator of their presence.
How to Keep Mice and Rats away
These two species have different sizes, habits, and resistance to certain conditions. That’s why you have to use different tactics sometimes when trying to keep them away from a building. If they have already entered your home and you’re having difficulties getting rid of them, the best solution will be to call a professional.
Keep your house clean
The number one tip is to keep your home clean at all times. Maintaining your home clean will lower the chances for a pest to find it attractive for living and breeding in it.
Do not store food in anything different than metal containers
Both mice and rats can sense food rich in carbs and will make their way through until they reach it. Metal containers (jars etc.) are blocking the odor of the food very well. In addition to this, such containers are very sustainable to the teeth of the rodents if they decide to chew on them.
Rats will most probably be able to get through the metal so it’s also essential to keep them at a decent height, such as a shelf. Just make sure the rat won’t find a way to it.
Get a pet
Pets such as cats and some dog breeds are very good at hearing the movement of rodents. They will naturally attack any infiltrator into the home even if they’re not hungry.
What you should know is that a fully domesticated animal might get afraid of a rat of a very large size. A wild rodent may also transmit a large number of diseases if it bites your pet, so you should regularly check your pet for signs of rat bites.
Cats and dogs, raised in a garden are much more efficient in the fight with rodents than pets, which have never left the apartment.
Check all of your walls and the roof for holes
These are the primary entry points of rodents into your home. Immediately seal any holes or the rodent invasion will never stop. Land a few snap traps if some mice or rats have entered before sealing the property. This means they are still trapped inside and if left unbothered, they may live there for months and multiply without being disturbed at all.
Close the toilet lid
Rats are great swimmers. They can hold their breath for longer than a minute, which enables them to swim through the drain into your bathroom. If the lid is not closed, the rat will be able to get out and move deeper into your property.
Use ultrasonic rat repellents
Not the most effective method for rat deterrence but you can still try it. Rats usually get adapted to it in a few days and will just ignore it. If you’re unable to come up with a better solution at the current moment, just use this repellent until a professional pest exterminator comes to seal the deal.
Use rodent-proof door sweeps
It’s a great tool that will seal the gap between the doorstep and the door. A rat or mice can squeeze through any tiny hole it can get its head through. Their bones are very flexible and their bodies are kind of melting through the gap, it’s a bit shocking when you see it for the first time but it’s real.
Final thoughts
No one wants to see mice or rats inside of their home. Following the tips above will make it as hard as possible for them to get inside. If you believe you may have a rodent problem at home that you can’t deal with on your own, contact a professional exterminator.
