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In the world, there is one species of mouse that rises above all others in its ability to be a pest. It is aptly named the house mouse. This particular rodent got so used to living with people that there are currently no known populations of wild house mice found in the world. That isn't to say that they don't live outside. They can live in ground holes, tree cavities, logs, and other natural hiding places. They are just not found living off the land, or living in the woods and fields with no man-made structures around. These little rodents live off the generosity of humans. They find it far more equitable to eat out of trash bins and get into stored foods, rather than do the hard work of catching a meal in the wild. So, when mice get into Phoenix homes, they are very difficult to drive out. If these little mice haven't gotten into your home yet, it is important that you take steps to make sure they don't. A mouse infestation can lead to chronic illness and extensive property damage. Here's the trick to keeping mice out of your Phoenix home.
Make Your Yard Less Interesting To Mice
When your neighbor's mice have babies, those babies may grow up and start exploring your yard to raise a family of their own. When a building is constructed on a nearby plot of land, mice that are hiding in ground holes may evacuate them and enter your yard. When conditions become unfavorable, such as during cold weather, drought, or heavy rains, mice may come looking for safe harborage in your yard. Whatever the reason a mouse decides to come into your yard, it should be your goal to make them feel unwelcome. This is the natural way to control mice.
Remove any objects from your yard that don't need to be there. This will reduce hiding places.
Remove stick, leaf, and wood piles, which are ideal hiding places for mice.
Address any conditions that allow rainwater to be collected. Mice need to drink.
Keep your exterior trash in sealed containers, and keep your containers clean. The scent of garbage can lure mice from quite a distance.
Move bird feeders away from your exterior walls or get rid of them entirely. Seeds are a highly desirable food source for mice. Grass seed, vegetable seeds, and ornamental plant seeds can also be enticing to mice.
If you have a pet, feed your pet indoors. If you need to feed your pet outside, put the food down only during mealtimes and never overnight. Mice are nocturnal and will take advantage of pet food as a food source.
Address Common Entry Points
When a mouse comes into your yard, for whatever reason, they're likely to come near to your exterior because they're drawn to vegetation and moist habitats. If they do, make it as difficult as possible for those mice to get into your home. You also want to deter them from finding harborage in exterior locations.
Use fencing material to seal off voids under decks, stairs, patios, and other exterior places.
Trim the vegetation in your landscaping to remove hiding places. The more open your landscaping feels, the more exposed a little mouse will feel.
Inspect your doors for openings. Common entry points for mice are openings in weatherstripping, damaged or missing door sweeps, gaps around the outside of wood frames, damaged screens on sliding glass doors, and holes created by wood-destroying pests (of which rodents are one).
Inspect your windows for openings. Look for all of the entry points listed above for doors. Also consider broken window panes and gaps between screen frames and window frames.
Bolster Your Defenses
Sometimes it isn't enough to reduce attractants and seal entry points. Here are some tips for greater control:
- If you see a spot where mice are chewing on your home, you may apply sheet metal to keep them out.
- Insert wire mesh into your downspouts to prevent mice from climbing up to your roof and getting in through an access point up there.
- Trim tree branches away from your roofline.
How We Can Help
It pays to have ongoing pest control service from Green Home Pest Control. Routine visits from a licensed professional can give you a heads up when evidence of mouse activity begins to appear. When it does, you'll have fast access to effective mouse control. If you have questions, or you'd like to discuss pest services for your Phoenix home, reach out to us. Don't wait till mice are living with you. Take action now to keep them out.
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