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Ok, so we know that our whiskered friends are sharpening their teeth just waiting for the next real cold snap to sneak their way into our homes….just what can we do about it? Most rodent control falls under the category of common sense. It’s very logical but it’s not something most people think about that often. Here are a few things you can do to keep rats, mice, and even possums and raccoons away from your house that don’t involve chemicals
1. Don’t feed them.
When it comes to food most rodents have a veritable smorgasbord to choose from at the average house. In fact most homes have so many food choices that they actually attract rats, and mice to their homes. The 2 biggest food sources that I have seen are dog food and bird seed. If you feed Rover outside you’re most likely feeding a small army of rats as well. Unless Rover stands guard 24/7 the rats can easily steal his food at night or when he’s off barking at the mail man. Rodents are very opportunistic in this way. What’s worse is some dog foods contain elements that counteract the action of many rodent baits! It’s always best to only feed as much as your dog will eat in one setting or to not feed him outside at all if possible. To be on the safe side dog food should be stored inside or in a sealed metal container. Rodents can chew through bags or plastic storage bins. The same goes for bird feeders. Bird feeders are little more than rodent buffets. The seed that drops to the ground becomes easy pickings for rats and mice. It’s best to keep these well away from the house or just to eliminate them altogether. The same can be said for trash containers and dumpsters. These should be sealed off to prevent an easy meal.
2. Don’t let them in.
Depending on how old your home is the chances are that it has plenty of pest entry points built into it. Mice and rats can squeeze through some really small holes in the outside of your home and gain entry to the attic and the interior of the house. We recommend sealing any gap in the exterior greater than ¼ inch. Most of this sealing can be done by the average handy man but there are companies that specialize in this service.
The most important thing to remember when trying to exclude rodents is that they love to chew on stuff. We recommend hardware cloth be used in conjunction with some sort of caulk. The combination of this screen mesh and a good outdoor caulk usually deters most rodents.
3. Don’t build a home for them.
Now that we’ve blocked their entry into your home we can focus on making the outside less rodent friendly. In addition to removing food sources we also have to remove their hiding places or harborage areas. One thing I see a lot when I’m at our residential accounts is wood and debris stacked up against the house or garage. Whether its firewood, fence slats, or just those extra materials left over from a weekend project, this type of debris pile creates a perfect habitat for rodents and other pests to hide in. Wood piles close to the structure can also attract termites.
Wooden decks are also notorious as rat habitats. The Norway rat is common in the Houston area and they love to make burrows under decks and other man-made structures. There’s not a lot you can do about decks other than remove them and start over with another patio type.
Trees and Landscaping- We all love trees and ornate landscapes. They provide shade, beauty, and, you guessed it, homes to pests. I won’t suggest we slash and burn our hedges and cut down our trees but it’s not a bad idea to think of rodents when we plan our landscaping.
Less is typically more when it comes to landscaping with rodents in mind. The smaller the bush the less rodents it can hide. Stay away from thick ground cover right next to your home whenever possible and keep bushes trimmed off the ground. It’s also a wise idea to keep tree branches trimmed away from the edges of your house. Roof rats are excellent jumpers and consider anything less than 6 feet a pretty easy jump. So make sure they can’t long jump their way into your house.
