Dealing with rats and mice after moving into your house in the winter

Winter is just around the corner, and the colder temperatures may force some pests to seek refuge in your home. Mice and rats may be some of the unwanted house guests that invite themselves over. We’ve briefly touched in this blog about how to spot rats and mice before you move in, so check that out if you haven’t yet. With that being said, sometimes it can be hard or even impossible to perfectly screen a new home for pests. So we’re going to take a quick look at how to deal with rats and mice in your new Vancouver home once you’ve finished moving in.

Dealing with mice and rats — how and when do rodents move in?

According to the New York Times, mice may start moving into your house to avoid colder temperatures as winter starts. Since the common house mouse is pretty small — something like an ounce in weight and two inches long — they can often find a way into your home. One common way is through piping. Many mice and some rats are often just small enough to make the journey through pipes and into your house.

The solution? Plug it up! Most pipes can often be blocked off by stuffing them with materials such as sponges or steel wool. If that doesn’t work, try stretching wire mesh over openings that are too big to be plugged up.

Garage doors can sometimes be a point of entry that homeowners overlook. The weatherstripping on garage doors is sometimes worn and not replaced. This can make it quite easy for a mouse to enter. The same applies for any doors that lead outside. Make sure you inspect and replace weatherstripping as needed.

What to do when mice and rats are inside the house

Once rodent pests enter the house, it can be a bit of a challenge to get them out. Trapping and poisoning are the two most common methods to dealing with rats and mice.

If you decide to go the trapping route, it would be best to examine the places mice and rats tend to frequent. One way to do this is to find where rodent droppings gather and place traps there. Luring mice to your traps is the next step, and this can be done with a variety of different baits. Personally, we’ve heard peanut butter works great, but the above article suggests other items such as hot dogs, maple syrup and even chocolate! Try rotating the baits to see which one works best at attracting your rodent roommates.

Poisoning rats and mice is another alternative, but can lead to some undesired consequences. If rats and mice get poisoned and die in hard-to-reach places in your home, they can decompose and create some unpleasant smells. Poison can also affect humans and other pets inside the house, so we’d advise consulting with professionals before using any.

Make your move ‘pest resistant’

When you’re just moving into your new home, the arrangement of items such as furniture can be a factor in determining if pests move into your house during the winter. For example, let’s say you move your stove in such a way that it makes a kitchen corner hard to reach and clean. Chances are, that area can become a hotspot for pests because food may start to gather there.

Vancouver Movers Guide, by Ferguson Moving & Storage

We at Ferguson have a lot of experience in the moving business, and whether you’re moving within Vancouver or relocating from abroad, we’d be happy to plan a pest-resistant move.

Give us a call at 604-922-2212 and we’d love to help you! While we’re best known for Moving & Storage in the Vancouver area, we’re also a great resource for all sorts of wisdom gained over our last 99 years in the Vancouver moving business.

For all your moving and storage needs, contact Ferguson Moving and Storage at 604-922-2212 and find out more about us online!