As autumn days turn crisp and the nights grow long, we humans feel the instinctive urge to stay indoors, curled up in the warmth of our houses. That instinct is strong in rodents too, and your home starts looking mighty fine to them this time of year — even in the South, despite its relative warmth and abundance of food.
Follow these tips to keep them out during winter months.
Common Rodent Pests
Rats and mice are the most common and most destructive household rodents. They get into food and garbage. They chew almost anything, including electrical wiring. They go to the bathroom on just about everything they touch, their greasy fur leaves marks where it rubs, and they carry disease and disease-carrying fleas. They have no trouble getting into your house, because rats can squeeze through a half-inch gap, while mice can slip through holes just over a quarter inch wide. If your pencil can fit under the door, so can a mouse.
Squirrels, while not quite as bad as mice and rats, can still invade your home, build nests in the attics or the walls, keep you up at night with their skittering, and leave food and droppings. They and their fleas can carry diseases, including bubonic plague — yes, the disease that wiped out two-thirds of Europe's population in the Middle Ages. And you thought squirrels were cute.
Raccoons are the big bully of the rodent kingdom. They can rip open your fascia and pull back shingles to create an opening into your attic, or move into your chimney for the winter. They have no qualms about walking through pet doors to steal food. Like other rodents, they carry disease. They don't tunnel much, except to create their nest, but once they move into an attic, they're hard to dislodge. Oh, and they pick one section in the attic to use as a latrine, and the resulting stains, smell and damage become apparent on the ceiling below.
Skunks don't usually come into your home unless you have a pet door — in which case they will happily eat your pet’s food — but are often willing to live under your porch. Of course, when that happens, watch out! A skunk can spray up to 12 feet with great accuracy — in fact, they seldom miss — and generally aim for the eyes. The smell is terrible, hard to get out and can be detected over half a mile away. Skunks also bite, and while that may seem preferable to the alternative, they can carry rabies and other diseases.
Bats get a bad rap. These insect eaters help control mosquitoes, because they can consume half their bodyweight in insects in a single night. Unfortunately, they also like nice warm attics for sleeping and breeding, so they can go from help to problem in short order. They rarely bite, but many carry rabies and other diseases.
How to Keep Rodents Out in the First Place
Discouraging uninvited rodent guests before they set up house in your house requires a level of tidiness and housekeeping that Martha Stewart would envy. But it's far easier than getting rid of them once they unpack their bags in your attic.
Remove Food and Water Sources
The first step is to make your home — inside and out — not look like a smorgasbord.
Outside, remove pet dishes and bird feeders; seal garbage in metal, animal-resistant containers; and remove sources of water such as birdbaths, fountains and dripping taps.
Inside, clean your home thoroughly and often, including behind appliances and furniture. Store cereals and pastas in sealed containers durable enough to resist gnawing. Repair all dripping faucets and remove water from plant saucers. Give your pets only as much food and water as they eat at one time, and wash and dry their bowls between meals.
Remove Pest Hiding Places
Rodents need a place to hide, so keep the grass mowed and shrubs near the house trimmed. Clear your yard of leaf piles, underbrush and other debris, especially near the house.
Inside, get rid of the clutter, especially in the basement, garage, and attic. Boxes and storage containers are great hiding places for rodents.
Prevent Pest Entry
To keep rodents from entering your house, seal pet doors, cap your chimney and put screens on your chimney and your attic vents.
Take care of the small openings too: make sure weather-stripping is intact and solid, and seal all pipe and conduit entrances, and any holes in the masonry or foundation joints. Screen all weep holes in a masonry veneer wall. Replace any rotting wood on the exterior — it’s easy to chew through.
Finally, trim any trees or bushes that can provide easy access to your roof or siding. No branches should be within three feet of your roof.
How to Get Rid of Rodents
Once rodents are in your house, there are three ways to get them out: extermination, exclusion (blocking reentry when they are out for the day) and removal. All rodents are not equal in the eyes of the law, so contact your local professional to find out what method is appropriate.
For mice and rats, extermination is legal and preferred. Snap traps work well — peanut butter is a popular bait. Use gloves when handling the corpses to avoid disease. Poisons work, but carry risks, and should be applied by a professional. Also, poisoned animals might die inside your wall, leaving a lasting stench.
For squirrels and bats, use exclusion. Wait until squirrels are outside — they usually search for food in the day, but inspect your attic to make sure — then seal their access route. To exclude bats, install one-way doors over their exit points. In both cases, inspect your attic to make sure no young are left behind before you start work.
With raccoons and skunks, removal is the main pest control method, and should be done by wildlife professionals. After that, seal up their access points to keep others from moving in.
Caution!
All rodents can carry diseases — rabies is prevalent in skunks and bats — and all of them can bite. If you have any doubt about your ability to deal with your rodent problems, contact professionals and have them do the work. Make sure they are familiar with the species — for raccoons, for example, call a wildlife control professionals, rather than a pest control company.
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