So a white Christmas was not in the cards for the greater Cincinnati area this year. With 60 plus degree days and 40 degree lows at night, wildlife has been very active in the area as they take advantage of the warm weather and the opportunity to forage for winter sustenance.

One such group of animals scurrying about these past few days has been the rats and mice. The warm weather has given them the opportunity to pillage bird feeders, and take advantage of the feast of discarded leftovers we have been putting in our garbage cans, and gain access to our homes. Here is a list of four tips to help keep your home rodent free during these warm spells.

Prevent Easy Access

With the warmer temps, we humans are opening up windows, screen doors, and patio doors trying to get some fresh air in our homes. If the screens in the windows, or the sweep on our doors is not in good working order, the rats and mice will have easy access to our homes once it starts getting chilly out again. Make sure all torn and ripped screens are repaired and in good working order. Make sure all door sweeps are working properly and there is no light coming through the bottom. It only takes A ¼ inch gap for a mouse to be able to squeeze through

Check you Utility Entries and Exhaust Ports

The freezing temps we had a few weeks back can cause some sealants to constrict if not properly installed. The people installing your cable, of the handyman that replaced your dryer vent do not install these items and think about the pest implications of a hole in your home. Check to make sure these entries and exits are still properly sealed and that will prevent easy access to our rodent foes.

Move Your Birdfeeder

It is tempting to have a bird feeder close to your picture window so you can enjoy your songbird visitors throughout the winter. Unfortunately I have yet to meet a cardinal or a finch with any sort of etiquette training and there always seems to be a pile of spilled seed on the ground under the feeders. This is a HUGE attractant to the mice and rats in the neighborhood and if it is too close to your home, once the rodents have filled their bellies, they will look to your home for a place to nap, or worse, call home. Move feeders a minimum of 15 feet from your home to prevent this from happening.

Proactively Trap

Often times a client will ask me how they could have prevented a mouse from entering their home and I tell them one of the best options is a perimeter of traps set around the property. It is impossible to keep mice and rats from living outside, but it is possible to keep them from living in your home. Setting traps in strategic places to catch any possible intruders is a great way to ensure your home is not invaded by these rodent freeloaders. Huntsman Wildlife offers a monthly “Rodent Protection Plan” trapping program that starts at $35 a month for a 1,500 sq ft home and comes with a guarantee that any mice or rats that finds their way inside your home will be removed at no additional charge to you. There is a $85 initial start up charge to cover the equipment costs. If you are serious about protecting the health of your family and securing your home from rodent intruders, please click on the “Schedule Service” tab above and set up an appointment.

So there it is, four easy ways for you to keep the holiday tradition of “not a creature was stirring” in you home. Till next time… see ya folks.