This brings us into the winter months. If the rodent activity throughout the summer is any indication, we can only predict that all those rodents will be scrambling to find a warm, dry place and food for winter. This means our homes are fair game. We need to look at our homes as a shell. Any cracks in our shell the rodents are sure to find them. Areas to look at, but are not limited to include the following; First you will want to look at the vegetation around your home. Any tree that is in contact with the roof line is a perfect path for a rodent. Bushes and ground cover close to the home will attract rodents for its security. Once they feel secure, they will investigate opportunities to enter. Feeding birds is a noble gesture, but you are also feeding rodents. A rodent’s world is small. When they have a consistent food source they will live close by, never leaving that area, eventually realizing that your home is dry and warm.
Composting is also a good food source, this day and age we don’t want to discourage it, just keep it as far from your house as possible and make sure it’s rodent proof. If you must have any of the previous examples, you will want to make sure your shell is complete! On the roof make sure all vents are screened, this includes sophit vents. All vent covers come with a very thin screen which will break down over time and can be breached by rodents, make sure they are intact. Make sure flashing is tight to the roof and if you have dormers that the sophits fit snug with the angle of the main roof line. This area is very popular as most dormer sophits are left with gaps and the rodents are sure to find them.
More obvious spots include making sure doors have weather-stripping and window frames are complete. Any gaps in siding or trim will be found as well, homes with limited or no foundations can be borrowed under, look for dug out tunnels and homes with foundations, and make sure any vents are covered with screen.
Generally speaking, rats can fit into holes the diameter of a quarter to a Lonnie and mice will squeeze into a hole the size of a dime to a nickel. So mice can prove to be more difficult to exclude. Anything to do with nature is never exact, environment conditions, climate, food and nesting areas as well as the nature of the animal will ultimately determine what happens close to your home. Hopefully these ideas can help get you started in preventing unwanted guests from showing up at your place this winter.
We are expecting a busy rodent season, so if you have any questions or concerns feel free to call or email Bill Sanderson at (250) 732-1340 or saspc@shaw.ca
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