Rodent Control Tip: What Attracts Mice? [infographic]

At Pest & Termite Consultants, we offer effective rodent control services for both residential and commercial properties in the Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina area. While we can resolve a rodent problem, it is also important to know what attracts mice so you can notice their presence and call us before they cause damage. Check to see if any of these things are going on at your home that could be an open invitation to mice, rats, and other critters.

• Clutter: Mice love whatever they can use for nesting, and a bunch of cardboard boxes and old clothing is quite inviting. Frankly, anything that sits around undisturbed is a peaceful place to raise baby rodents in record numbers.
• Crumbs: It may be just a cookie crumb to you, but it is a nice meal for a mouse! If you don’t want to deter family members from munching without care, be sure to vacuum or sweep frequently to dispose of any food particles that might get dropped.
• Trash: An ideal policy not only from a rodent control standpoint, but also other pests, is to take the trash out of the house at least once a day and use trash cans that seal securely to deter raiders.
• Food: It is important to recognize that mice prefer fruit, oats, and seeds, which just happen to be the kinds of things you might leave out rather than have in secure, sealed containers. In addition to cereal and other “people” food, you’ll also need to keep bird seed and pet food secure to avoid attracting mice.
• Lack of a Cat: Even if you get a cat that isn’t much of a mouser, just their presence in your home will make it less attractive to mice. If you can’t have a cat indoors because of allergies, consider an outdoor one that has been spayed/neutered.
• Access Points: It doesn’t take much of a gap to permit a mouse entry. Check around your home for spaces around incoming pipes and drains, around windows and doors, and vents and other items through your roofing. A good deterrent in these spaces is steel wool and a mouse generally isn’t desperate enough to try to get through it.