Seal entry points, remove food and water sources, and eliminate outdoor harborage near the house. Rodent prevention is almost entirely about exclusion, which means making it hard for mice and rats to get inside and giving them no reason to try.
If you’ve heard scratching in the walls or found droppings in a cabinet, the rodent is already inside—which is probably the last thing you want to hear. Even still, the conditions that let it in were there long before it arrived. Preventing rodents is more effective, and a lot less stressful, than dealing with an active infestation. And it all starts with understanding what draws them to your home in the first place.
Mice can fit through a gap the size of a dime. Rats only need slightly more room but can still squeeze through a hole the size of a quarter. Gaps of that size can be hard to spot, but any that you can block will help. So it’s always prudent, if you think you have rodent issues, to walk the exterior of your home and look for gaps. You can often find these around utility lines, pipes, dryer vents, and where foundation meets siding. Check door sweeps, garage door seals, and basement window frames as well. Seal any gaps you find with steel wool backed by caulk, hardware cloth, or metal flashing. Rodents can chew through foam, rubber, and plastic, so that’s why the steel wool or equivalent is necessary.
Inside, you’ll want to make sure any pantry items are sealed in glass or heavy plastic. You’ll also want to make sure that pet food isn’t left out overnight. Clean up crumbs and spills regularly. As for garbage cans, make sure those have tight-fitting lids. All it takes for rodents to feel at home is a single accessible food source.
Outside, reduce the conditions that bring rodents close to the house. Stacked firewood against the foundation, dense ground cover along the walls, overgrown shrubs, and fallen fruit under trees all provide shelter and food that attract rodents to your home's perimeter. Move firewood at least 20 feet from the house. Keep vegetation trimmed back from the foundation. Pick up fallen fruit and birdseed regularly.
If rodents or other pests are a concern around your Southeastern Massachusetts property, Mosquito Squad of Southeastern Mass can help. Mosquito Squad offers perimeter treatments that target the areas around your home where pests live and travel, helping reduce pest activity across your outdoor living space.
