Common Causes of Mice Being Attracted to Your Home

Cute,brown,rat,dumbo,walking,and,sniffing,around,the,house

If you have ever had an unwelcome furry visitor scurrying around your home, you know how alarming it can be. Mice are not only a nuisance, but they can also spread diseases and cause damage to your property. It’s important to understand why mice may be attracted to your home in order to prevent infestations. In this blog post, we will discuss some common causes of mice being attracted to your home.

1. Accessible Food Sources:

Mice are attracted to your home because they are in search of food. If you have accessible food sources, such as open garbage cans, unsealed containers, or spilled food, it’s like an open invitation to these pesky rodents. It’s important to keep your kitchen and pantry clean and tidy, store food in sealed containers, and regularly take out the garbage to discourage mice from being attracted to your home.

2. Clutter and Storage:

Mice are attracted to clutter and areas where they can hide and build their nests. If you have a lot of clutter in your home, such as boxes, piles of paper, or old furniture, it provides the perfect environment for mice to thrive. It’s important to declutter your home and organize your storage areas to eliminate potential nesting spots for mice.

3. Cracks and Holes:

Mice can squeeze through tiny openings, so any cracks or holes in your home’s exterior can provide an entry point for them. Check your foundation, walls, windows, and doors for any gaps or openings and seal them properly. This will not only help prevent mice from entering your home but also improve energy efficiency.

4. Water Sources:

Just like food, mice are also attracted to water sources. Leaky pipes, dripping faucets, or even pet water bowls left out overnight can provide a water source for these rodents. Be sure to fix any plumbing leaks and clean up any spills or puddles promptly to remove the attraction for mice.

5. Pet Food:

If you have pets, their food can be a magnet for mice. Leaving pet food out all day and night can attract mice, as they are always on the lookout for an easy meal. To prevent mice from being attracted to your home, feed your pets at designated times and remove any uneaten food promptly.

6. Garbage and Compost:

Mice are scavengers, and they can easily find food in your garbage or compost pile. Make sure your garbage cans have tight-fitting lids and clean them regularly. If you have a compost pile, keep it well-maintained and away from your home to avoid attracting mice.

7. Neighborhood Environment:

Sometimes, the cause of mice being attracted to your home can be related to the overall environment of your neighborhood. If you live in an area with a high density of mice, it increases the chances of them finding their way into your home. In such cases, it’s important to be extra vigilant in keeping your home clean and free from any potential attractants.

Summary

Mice can be attracted to your home due to a variety of reasons. Ensuring that your home is free from accessible food sources, clutter, cracks, and holes, and maintaining a clean and tidy environment will help prevent mice infestations. Additionally, being mindful of water sources, pet food, and garbage can also deter mice from being attracted to your home. By taking these preventive measures, you can keep your home mouse-free and maintain a healthy and safe living environment.

Need Exterminators in Bartlesville, OK?

Family owned and operated since 2003, we have earned a reputation for providing quality, reliable, timely, and affordable pest control services to the residents and businesses of Oklahoma and Kansas. Our team of highly skilled, experienced, and certified staff uses only use the most technologically advanced treatment methods while respecting your home needs. We specialize in the removal of ants and carpenter ants, termites, cockroaches, fleas, spiders, bed bugs, stinging insects, mice, rats and more! We offer monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly, semi-annual and annual service for your convenience and peace of mind! Contact us today to learn more about what we can do for you!

Seven Tips for Keeping Rodents Out of Your House This Winter

Nothing beats coming home on a cold winter day to a nice warm home and being able to snuggle on the couch with a cozy blanket and a steaming cup of coffee or cocoa. Unfortunately, you’re not the only one who finds your nice, warm home particularly inviting this time of year.

Once the weather gets cold, rodents will be looking for a warm place to make their home for the winter. If you don’t want these uninvited guests infiltrating your home for the holidays—and we mean the rodents, not the in-laws—we can help. Here are seven tips from Excellence Pest Control, your local rodent control service in Bartlesville, OK, to help keep the rodents out of your home this winter:

By following these few simple steps, you can help protect your home from pesky rodents this winter. However, if you do find yourself having a problem with mice or rats in your home, call the team at Excellence Pest Control for rodent control service in Bartlesville, OK.

Your Home is the Perfect Haven for Rodents This Winter

When the weather is cold and the ground is covered in snow, there’s no better way to warm up than to stay indoors. Unfortunately, rodents have the same thought process as people do when the cold weather rolls in. If you’re not careful, rodents can settle down into your warm house and have easy access to your food. Not only can these rodents feast upon your snacks, but they might also damage your home and even spread serious diseases. Knowing what attracts them and whether your home is infested is the first step to effective rodent removal in Bartlesville, OK.

How rodents enter your home

A rat or mouse can fit through the smallest openings on their quest to get out of the cold. A full-size rat can fit through an opening the size of a quarter, while a mouse is able to easily slip through a hole smaller than a dime! Those cracks and crevices in the walls or foundation are the perfect entryway. Not to mention they can also enter through an open window, a poorly sealed chimney or even underneath your front door!

How to tell if your home is infested

Most homeowners never realize they have a problem until they actually see droppings, teeth marks on furniture or damaged food packaging—and some don’t notice anything until they actually catch sight of a rat or mouse. The best way to tell if you have any unwanted critters is to watch out for any signs of nesting in dark and warm areas, such as in kitchen cabinets. Pay special attention to any squeaks or other sounds coming from the walls in the middle of the night, as well.

Preventative steps to keep pests out

Follow these steps before the weather drops below freezing to prevent rodents from entering your home this winter:

Removing rodents from your home

Unfortunately, these steps won’t be much help if the mice and rats have already found a warm bed in your home. If that seems to be the case, then it’s best to call a professional for rodent removal in Bartlesville, OK to eliminate the problem quickly and efficiently. An experienced exterminator will know the best ways to remove the rodents before examining your home to find any vulnerable points where they may have entered.

After the initial service, it’s best to schedule a regular appointment to ensure your home is continuously safe from any rodent intruders. Call Excellence Pest Control today to learn more about rodent removal in Bartlesville, OK, and to schedule a visit.

A Few Things to Know About Rodent Infestations and Rodent Removal in Bartlesville, OK

Rat and mouse infestations are more common in homes and businesses than they ought to be. These rodents like to get inside to eat food scraps and find what they assume is a safe place to stay (unless you have a cat). Once you have a rodent problem, it’ll probably only get worse. Rats and mice can breed quickly, rapidly multiplying your rodent infestation problem. There are several steps you can take to prevent a rodent infestation, but once you’re dealing with an infestation, you’ll have to contact us for rodent removal in Bartlesville, OK. Here are some answers to questions you may have regarding rodent infestations and removal.

How do I know I have a rodent problem?

There are other ways to know you have a rodent infestation besides actually seeing a rat or mouse scurrying across the floor of your home. An easy way to tell you’ve got a problem is if you see their droppings around your house. If you see anything that you think may be rodent droppings, contact the pros ASAP for rodent removal in Bartlesville, OK. Droppings are not only unsightly—the bacteria in droppings can also be harmful to your health.

Because rodents have to gnaw on things to keep their teeth from growing too long, you may also notice little bite marks on furniture around your house. If the infestation is bad enough, you may hear them running around in your walls or air ducts at night when you’re trying to fall asleep.

I have a rodent problem—now what?

After you’ve noticed any of the above signs, it’s pertinent to call a rodent removal service as soon as you can. It’s not a bad idea to set up some rat and mouse traps around your home to try to catch a few of the critters before the exterminator can get there to fix the problem once and for all.

What will the exterminator do?

To put it simply, the rodent removal service you hire will take care of your rodent infestation. The professional will determine where the rodents are getting in and make sure that the area is sealed completely. The professional will then set traps throughout the house to catch as many rodents as possible. He or she will then spray a chemical around the perimeter of your house that should keep the rodents out for good.

Is there any way to prevent a rodent infestation?

Yes! It’s pretty easy to mitigate the chance of your home becoming infested. The first thing you should do is take care to keep your home clutter- and trash-free. There’s nothing rodents love more than messy and trash-filled areas. Next, keep food crumbs off the floor. Mice and rats are motivated by food, and if they find food all around your home, they’re going to want to stay for a while to eat all the tasty morsels. Finally, it can’t hurt to keep a cat around your house to scare off and/or eat any rodents.

If you think you have a rodent infestation, call D & Q Pest Control, Inc. today to get rid of the problem quickly and affordably.