Mice, rats, squirrels, bats, and sometimes even raccoons are freeloaders that love nothing more than to escape the cold and reside in unoccupied areas of your home during the winter months. Once they’ve settled in, they can be pretty challenging to get rid of and they quickly become the bane of your existence. If you’re currently dealing with rodents in your attic, here’s the 411 on how to get rid of them for good!
How They Get There in the First Place
The first thing you should do if you think you have a pest problem is to inspect your entire house so that more of them don’t make their way in. Rodents are slinky creatures that can contort their way into pretty much any space. The most common entry points for critters are vents, rooflines, and eave gaps. Pinpointing the problem areas early on and sealing them with steel is the only way to ensure this doesn’t become a persistent issue.
The Problem with Pests
Rodents residing in your attic can go from being a nuisance to becoming a big problem very quickly. Not only are can they be extremely noisy, but they also destroy your home by chewing through electrical wires and shredding insulation. Even worse, they can spread diseases like hantavirus and salmonella. No, thank you!
Signs You Have a Critter in Your Crib
One of the most apparent signs of a rodent in your attic is droppings in that area. Other signs of an infestation include:
- Insulation that has been toyed with
- Ducts ripped apart
- Unpleasant odours and urine stains
- Scratching, gnawing, and/or scurrying noises in your attic
- Pets displaying unusual signs of stress
- Nests composed of leaves, twigs, and/or paper
- Marks and trails that are leftover from their regular travel route to your home
- Catching critters running on power lines, tree limbs, and/or patios
How to Get Rid of Attic Pests
Different types of rodents have distinct behavioural attributes that need to be dealt with in a specific manner. Here’s how you can get rid of animals that oftentimes end up in your attic:
Mice
multiply at a rapid rate, so as soon as you become aware of their presence in your attic, you need to nip the problem in the bud. Set several mouse traps in various locations in your attic and use peanut butter, bacon, or chocolate as the bait. Believe it or not, they actually like all of these foods more than cheese!
Rats
Setting traps to catch rats is a bit more tricky than doing so for their smaller counterparts. To successfully catch a rat, you’ll need to do two things in particular – invest in a strong trap and convince them that nothing about their environment has changed. Smaller mousetraps won’t do much more than irritate a rat, and your infestation problem will persist if you don’t set a hardier one. In addition to being strong, rats are also pretty smart and they shy away from items in their environment that are unfamiliar. You’ll need to place traps around your attic at least a week before you actually set them up so that the rats are used to them being there.
Squirrels
Getting rid of a squirrel in your home involves a lot more than just setting a trap – you first need to make sure that you are permitted to catch and relocate these critters by law! You can contact your local wildlife agency to find this information out. If you get the go-ahead, use a metal cage that allows you to trap the squirrel and set it free outside afterward.
Raccoons and Bats
Sometimes pest control is best left to the professionals, and when it comes to raccoons and bats, that’s most definitely the case. Raccoons are feisty creatures that can become very aggressive when they are cornered and bats are incredibly difficult to round up due to the fact that they fly. You’ll be much better off sparing yourself the headache of trying to catch these creatures and using a professional pest removal service instead. At PestEnd Mississauga, we understand how much of a nuisance rodents in your attic can be, and we pride ourselves on putting an end to this problem efficiently and humanely. Our team has extensive experience in getting rid of rodents in both commercial and residential properties in the Mississauga area. Whether you’re dealing with a mice infestation, a rat infestation, or any other type of rodent infestation, we’re confident in our rodent control experts’ ability to solve this issue in a jiffy. Contact us today to get 100% guaranteed rodent control at the lowest price on the market!
