Rodent Riddance: 4 Tips for Dealing with a Mournful Mouse Problem
- Written by News Feature Team
Mice are one of the most common household pests.
There are few climates and environments which they cannot adapt to, so they thrive pretty much anywhere. This is bad news for homeowners because it means that the vast majority of people will share their house with a rodent at least once. Fortunately, there are some tried and tested ways to get rid of these unwanted guests.
The thing to remember is that the biggest risk posed is to materials in your home. Mice gnaw through cables, wires, skirting boards, and food packets, but they don’t usually present an immediate danger to people. Nevertheless, though they may be cute and furry, it is unhygienic to have them in the home and they must be removed quickly. The fastest solution is to hire a pest removal service.
Keep reading for some handy tips on how to get rid of mice with the minimum of fuss, mess, and stress.
Hire a Pest Control Expert
This is the single best way to deal with a mouse problem. It isn’t the only way, but it is the most effective and, essentially, the only method that is guaranteed to work. There are some great pest companies in the West Victoria area and most offer same day service. So, you’ll have a technician at your home within hours of calling for help. Pest experts use a variety of techniques to eliminate rodents, with many placing bait powder around the property.
Set Your Own Traps
There are so many different types of traps on the market that it can be tricky to know which is best. You could opt for the traditional spring loaded trap. Or, you could use bait packets, which contain a poisonous substance made to smell appealing to mice.
Alternatively, if you are keen to avoid harming the mouse, you can stick with humane capture and release boxes. It is imperative that you release live mice at least 100 feet away from the building. If you do not, they will return.
Secure Your Food
The reason why mice are so fond of living close to humans is that they know exactly where to find food. For a rodent, a nice, warm house is an unmissable prospect, especially in the winter. So, while it is nearly impossible to keep them out entirely, you can put your food out of reach and render your home pretty useless. If there is nothing to chow down on, a mouse will move on and search somewhere else. Place all food in packets up high and keep unsealed ingredients in an airtight container so that mice cannot smell them.
Keep the Yard Tidy
One mistake which many homeowners make is to keep bushes and shrubs too close to the house. Being so small and vulnerable to birds and other prey animals, mice do not travel across open spaces unless startled. This means that, if there is no ground cover leading rodents safely to the walls of the house (where they’ll likely find entrance holes), they’ll probably give it a miss entirely. Similarly, you shouldn’t keep bird feed or compost scraps on the ground. They should be hung up high or secured in a garden container.
Why Hiring a Pest Service Is Easier Than You Think
All you have to do to get a pest professional to your house is call and explain your situation. Even if the problem is severe and has been left unaddressed for some time, it is best to let the experts help. They deal with rodent infestations every day and they know first-hand the havoc that rapidly growing numbers of pests can create.