Out here in Utah we are having a pretty unusually warm Fall so far. Typically it is much colder, this year we have been able to hold out for quite a few more days of nice pleasant weather, so you know we’ll take all of that! But the fact still remains the same it is Fall, and it is a very busy month for me with the days getting shorter it seems the list of chores is doing the opposite, getting longer!
It seems like Fall is the season that brings out the rodents, as it cools down they start looking to homes for warmth and a place to live. Eek! That is no good right! That is unless you have a pretty good size snake in need of food!
Not to say that they are not out there but I think since I have lived in my home I have seen two mice. One got into our window well and was trapped, although I don’t think it could have gotten into the home I didn’t care for that whole idea. So my Honey put a short board down and the it found its way up and out. The other was dead in the yard. We are fortunate in the way that we have neighbors with cats, this helps keep the whole mice population down quite a bit so while we didn’t ourselves kill it, the thing was terrified and scurried off to where a cat probably was awaiting. One of those balances of life things I suppose.
But we try to take preventive steps to ensure we don’t help encourage mice to come into our home. The steps we take are simple enough and are inexpensive, just good thinking.
· Tidy garage-Clean up the garage, if you have any tulip bulbs or lawn seed things like that, you are going to want to remove them as they are a food source for mice and rats.
· Pick up fallen nuts and fruit-I don’t have any fruit trees thank goodness I don’t do so well with the maintenance side of it very well, but we are so lucky to have neighbors with a tree that produces nuts. So clean up around any fruit or nut trees, make sure to remove all of the fruit and or nuts as this serves as food for the little critters.
· Covering your trash-Simple enough. Check to make sure that the trash can lid fastens securely. Also check for holes in the can if you have plastic like we do here.
· Keeping pet food properly stored-Our puppy dodge is an inside little guy so we keep his food stored securely inside. But if your pet is an outside kind of guy or gal then try to make sure that the food has secure tight lids and is stored in glass or metal jars.
· Home Inspection-Any damaged sills cracks in the siding or foundation or broken window are going to invite rodents into the home. The only way to prevent this is to fix them, the sooner the better. You will want to check around pipes and stove and dryer vents, look for any gaps if you have any you should cover the opening with a sheet metal collar.
· A tidy outside-Many people allow ivy and vines to grow on and up their home. This is really a hazard it damages your property causes obstructions and provides rodents another way up and into your home. It is best to keep it off of your home. Also trim shrubbery, we like to keep them from sitting against the house, we also trim them up so that nothing can hide underneath them. We have a little fire pit we use in the sanded volleyball pit so we make sure to keep the unused wood off the ground at least a foot.
Doesn’t it make you wonder, do we really make it that easy and convenient for mice, rats or any other rodent to get into our homes?
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