Mice

The other day I was inspecting a neat and clean little house and there, in the middle of the room, was a dead mouse. I went on about what I was there to do and did not pay too much attention. Shortly after that, the homeowner arrived and we walked through the property together. As soon as we approached the “mouse room”, the owner just freaked right out. It was an unbelievable reaction.

I gave them a couple of suggestions. Get rid of the bird feeder and stop feeding the birds, at least so close to the house. No matter how neat your birds are, some seeds fall to the ground and that is an attraction for mice. The more seeds, the larger population of mice you can expect.

Second, move the wood pile away from the backdoor. While you are at it, remove your trash cans.  Mice love a good garbage pail and a wood pile. Mice seldom venture outside a thirty square foot radius of their nests, so moving them further away from your home greatly lessens you chances of one sneaking in .

Third, patch any holes or cracks in your foundation and siding. Pay extra attention to where pipes and/or wires enter your home. Mice can get through very of openings, so if you notice even the smallest of openings, fill it.

A little attention to detail will save future annoyances.