Whether they are bats, rats, mice or any rodent; pests love to live in attic. The most common reason is that attic is not the most visited area by house residents. Further, not all the attics are well kept and organized. They are mismanaged and disoriented enough to provide too many hidings to the mice.
Attics also have abundant darkness. They get exposed to light in very rare circumstances. Being a dark spot, makes an ideal hub for rodents. Perhaps this is the reason, why process of mice prevention in attic requires too much time.
Luckily, making an attic clear of any pests is not much tricky. One just needs to think, plan and then act; goal can be achieved in few days. Getting final results also depends upon the level of infestation.
No matters how complex the mice infestation problem is; one can solve it by using following tricks.
1. Thoroughly examine the hidings in attic
Mice hidings or their nests in attic can be way much complex, than other places in the house. Before you start an operation against these stubborn and tricky rodents; closely look for perspective hidings. An attic has an ideal environment in the form of trash, debris, wooden boards, old furniture and other such stuff; features that are desirable for mice habitat.
Very basic way to locate the hidings is by looking at narrow passages under the furniture and below the wooden boards. One can get a hint about possible hidings, through mice droppings that can be ¼ inches of size. Once you know about potential nests of the mice, the process of their destruction becomes easier.
2. Monitor the entry points into the attic
It is essential to look for passages that serve as entry points for the mice. Such passages are abundant in attics that are located on top floor or a house. Even wedge between floor and bottom of the door can serve the purpose quite well. Apart from this, apertures in walls, broken plywood base, or any pipe leaving the attic for removal of water, can be other entry points. Caulking is the very basic technique to close such passages. It doesn’t work in all the cases.
Putting a seal on holes requires more care. One should make sure that all the mice have already exited the place; because they have a good ability to chew any stuff, whether it is paper, piece of cloth or a book. The best practice in this regard can be to use the building material like cement etc. to permanently seal the points,
3. Hire the services of a cat
Cats are the natural predators of mice. Unfortunately, not all the cats are trained enough to capture their prey. Those who are pets, generally find it tough to chase an active target. Even if you have a pet cat which is not a good hunter, then consider using some other one. Cats can instantly finish mice if they are not too many in quantity. In case mice infestation of your house is at higher level, you must consider other options. Because, at times cats can exhaust so easily,
4. Use mice trap
Mice trap are the most effective technique for getting rid of these pests. They are very much customizable according to the needs. Traps come in variety of shapes, sizes and designs; hence, anyone can use them according to their need. Those who are battling with few mice can use a smaller mice trap. In many cases a larger trap that can capture 2-3 mice is also available. For dealing with any infestation which is at larger scale, it is better to use a relatively larger trap. A traditional snap trap can’t be enough when problem is severe; this is because it can capture one mouse at one time only. In this way, it can serve as the lesson for its fellow beings, while preventing them to fall for a trap.
5. Use Organic pesticides
Many people show reluctance for using pesticides to control the pests. Their concerns are very much right, because chemicals and synthetic compounds aimed at curbing the animals, can have side effects on human health as well. It is better to use organic compounds like peppermint oil. Their odour proves to be strong repellent for rodents, and hence makes them to change their habitat.
6. Clear the trash from attic
An attic is not always a junkyard. It should not qualify as the right place to keep the trash. In order to prevent mice infestation of attic, one should keep it in order. It is highly recommended to launch a regular clean-up and rearrangement of all the stuff. There should also be a light passage in attic. In this way, it doesn’t remain in dark for longer period of time.
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How to Kill Mice page.
