RODENT BLOG

Rodent Prevention Tips: 

With rodent season coming up here are some tips to try and prevent them from coming in your home. Rats & mice are attracted to sources of water, food & shelter. 

Outside Conditions that attract rodents: 

One of the biggest issues we find in attracting these critters are items that are in your trash. The smell of the trash will attract them to your property & are able to jump up to 2 feet high to get inside. The best bet is to keep trash in plastic or metal trash cans with tightly closed lids. 

Another Item that does attract rodents is your outdoor grills & cooking areas. Make sure to keep these clean. Bird feeders are another attractant so be sure to keep those a good distance from your home. 

Having items & objects in your yard also can provide shelter for the rodents. Some of these items may include: firewood, construction materials & junk piles. Rats have been known to dig tunnels under these objects to establish burrows. All these items need to at least be 20 feet from your home. 

Items Inside to eliminate: 

Keeping your home is an important role. Be sure to clean dishes & cleaning up any spilled food immediately. Items that you have in your cabinets such as snacks & cereal these should be kept in plastic containers with lids. If you do have pets be sure to store pet food in metal containers & don’t leave pet or animal food out overnight. 

Ways to prevent them from getting in the home: 

Rats can squeeze through quarter sized holes & mice can get through dime sized holes. Be sure to seal up all gaps inside & outside of your house. Areas to look out for are: 

• Closet corners
• Around windows & doors
• Plumbing, electrical gas & cable holes
• Basement & crawl spaces 

Even with all the above there is always a possibility to miss something. The only way to be 100% sure that you don’t have any issues is to have an expert come & inspect your property. Environmental Pest control will be able to look at every nook & cranny of your home & lawn to check for possible entry points, nesting areas & damage. Call us today for more information.