Question By: If you have rats or mice in your house, you need to know what signs they leave, what problems they cause and how to get rid of mice and rats humanely. Our guide explains how to get rid of rodents, such as mice and rats, and prevent them from returning to your home.
There are two main things that can attract mice and rats to your house – food and shelter. If you don't tidy up properly and there's food waste on the floor or surfaces, rodents are going to love it!
Rats and mice also need shelter, particularly during winter to avoid the worst of the cold. The same is true when they're trying to find a nice warm spot to raise their young. A heated home with lots of places to hide away is perfect, and an untidy home even more so.
Mice can squeeze through gaps less than 2cm in diameter, and rats only need slightly more space, so any small hole to the outside can serve as a rodent gateway straight into your home.
How to Keep Rats Away From Your House
When you're trying to figure out how to keep rats away, it helps to think of what a rat would need to survive. The best rat deterrent is removing any factors that offer these rodents food or shelter. Here are several ways to help do just that:
• If you live in a warmer climate, fix leaky outdoor faucets to cut off water supplies.
• Inspect your home and plug up any holes that are larger than a ¼ inch.
• Keep tree limbs trimmed so that rats aren't able to climb into the upper areas of your home. Additionally, you'll want to cut back ivy or other climbing vines from the side of your house.
• Clean your home regularly, paying special attention to the kitchen. Don't forget to sweep up your floor and to check easy-to-forget areas, including under the toaster and by the base of your fridge, oven and trash can.
• Store dry goods and pet food in containers made of metal or glass. And remember not to leave food out. (This goes for bread, too. Put that loaf in the fridge or a breadbox.)
• Feed your pets inside the house and keep their water bowls indoors. You should also keep litter boxes clean and pick up any pet feces from your yard.
It is impossible to remove everything from your home that might attract rodents. However, it is vital to keep your home free from mice and rats. In addition to doing extensive property damage, they are a health hazard, contaminating food sources and spreading a wide range of diseases. That is where Flick can help you. We can help you make your home much less inviting to rodents or other pests, from exclusion strategies to digital monitoring and responsive pest control. Call Flick today to learn more!
For more information, visit https://www.flick.com.au/blog/what-attracts-rodents-to-my-home/
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