As fall and winter approach, mice will be seeking refuge in homes, barns, and sheds in search of food and a place to build a nest. Here are a few simple steps to help rid your home from mice:
- Location, location, location
Determine possible living quarters or frequent spots mice visit. It’s important to know these runways and feeding areas so when it’s time to place traps or bait, you can select the best places to have the most success.
- Sanitation
Mice are known to feed on both human food and pet food. It’s important to enclose any exposed food in sealed containers and to clean any floors or countertops where food may have been left behind.
- Rodent proof your space
Check your home for openings where mice can enter. A rodent can fit through tiny spaces or small gaps around pipes or electric lines. Any possible entrance ways you find should be sealed.
- To bait or to trap
The final step is to choose your method to remove rodents. Trapping provides advantages over rodent baits, such as locating the rodent once caught rather than finding a dead mouse later. Providing bait for mice to eat can carry a lethal dose in a single feeding, but it’s hard to locate the mouse after death. This may be less of a problem if you are trying to get rid of mice in barns or sheds rather than a home.
Once you have taken these steps and decided whether to bait or trap your pesky rodents, stop by your local Co-op to pick up all your rodent care needs.
