The cooler temperatures are here, a sharp contrast from even just a month ago. You can bet that we’re not the only Cape Cod or South Shore residents who have noticed. All the flying, crawling, and creeping things that live alongside us have, too– and some of them are looking for a place to take shelter for the winter.
Two familiar rodents are among them: mice and rats. These furry critters need warmth to survive, and will begin looking for safe places to hide out during the winter. And they’ll take whatever they can get– including the walls, basement, attic, and other out-of-sight places in your home.
Preventing mice and rats from entering your home is easy, in theory: just plug every hole or gap in your home that opens to the outdoors. But it’s much more difficult to pull this off. Finding every hole a mouse can fit through is time consuming and difficult, especially when you consider that mice can squeeze through holes smaller than a dime.
Once inside, mice will forage for food and water. They will leave droppings behind that look like tiny brown cylinders. And since they’re not afraid of diving into the trash for a scrap, they’ll be carrying all the bacteria that’s in your trash bags around your house, sometimes on your counters or in your pantry.
Tell-tale signs that mice or rats have entered your home are their droppings (usually found in out-of-the-way areas like behind appliances, since they sneak to stay out of sight), and scratching noises in your walls, especially at night.
Mice and rats will carry bacteria, viruses, and parasites around your home, bringing health risks to your family and pets. If you suspect rodents have invited themselves to stay for the winter, call A&M Pest Control at (508) 237-9536 for professional rodent removal services, or contact us online by filling out the form on the right. We’ll help make your home clean and safe from these uninvited pests.
