Why do rodents want to get into houses, basements, sheds, and cottages?
Rodents invade indoor spaces looking for the same things we like – food, warmth, and shelter. In addition, they prefer undisturbed and “quiet” places like attics, closets, and storage rooms.
See below for useful tips that will help us inspect our space for the possible presence of rodents inside houses, cottages, sheds, and basements.
Checklist
- Feces – a mouse infestation is often accompanied by feces (often resembling a thin, long, dashed line).
- Strong, strange odors – attics, basements and storage areas have distinct odors. Mice have poor eyesight, but they use their urine to “mark” their territory and navigate new environments. The urine they leave behind has an ammonia-like odor.
- Gnaw marks – rodents’ teeth never stop growing, so they constantly gnaw to keep them at a certain size. Gnaw marks can be found in the form of shavings on or around baseboards, doors or cardboard storage boxes.
- Tracks – mice have poor eyesight and will “hug” various spots on walls as they move around. So they leave their scent, hair, skin, dirt, etc. A powerful flashlight can help you discover these rodent signs in the attic or basement.
- Another way to “secure” the space is to protect it and block all possible entry points.
10 common entry points for rodents into our homes
What do we do after the inspection?
After inspecting your home, talk to a professional if you spot rodents or a possible infestation.
Frequent monitoring is a surefire way to prevent infestations and is an important part of a comprehensive rodent management program.
You can always have special plastic traps, ideal for all areas and not damaged by moisture, wherever you are. They have a special non-toxic, high-strength glue, as well as a special fastener so that they cannot move.
Such traps are the Rat-a-trap, which are available in 3 convenient sizes. You can change them every 10 months.