One of the most feared pests that we deal with is mice. These small rodents can get into your home and pantry and contaminate the food sources we keep there. They can smell food through plastic bags and chew through some hard plastic containers. They urinate and defecate wherever they go, leaving behind unsanitary messes. Keeping them out of your home should be a top priority. Your Tulsa exterminator can help you do that.
Let’s take a look at mice and how they operate.
How Mice Get Into Oklahoma Homes
Usually, when we find mice getting into homes in Oklahoma, they find their way through the garage. The large garage door is often difficult to seal and may have gaps along the sides. Even if it’s well sealed, a damaged or loose rubber seal at the bottom can leave an opening for these rodents to get inside.
Mice are very good at squeezing through small gaps. They can fit through openings about the width of a pencil, which is even smaller than a dime. The CDC recommends sealing entry points to help keep rodents out.
Once they’re inside the garage, they can use it as a hiding place. Many people’s garages are full of stored items and clutter. That clutter gives mice places to hide until they find a better spot.
Where Mice Hide and Build Nests
They may find their way toward the hot water heater, which is often in the garage or in a closet attached to it. Cold weather can push them indoors, and warm areas can attract them. From there, they may use gaps around pipes, utility openings, and wall cavities to reach other parts of the house, including the attic. They don’t need to climb inside a functioning water heater vent to get there.
In an attic, there’s plenty of insulation that mice can use to build nests. Here they’ll have their young and grow a family. They’re prolific breeders and can reproduce very quickly.
Signs of Mice Inside Your Walls
Once they have plenty of mouths to feed, they need food sources. They may move through wall cavities and start gnawing or scratching near openings as they look for ways into living spaces. This can make a surprisingly loud sound. Hollow walls amplify the noise and can make it sound like a much larger animal.
Once they find a way through, they can head for your kitchen or pantry, feed on stored food, and carry some of it back to their nests. Oklahoma State University Extension offers additional guidance on house mice.
Call TermMax Pest Control
If you think you’re having a problem with mice or any other rodents, it’s important to contact a good Tulsa exterminator to deal with these pests. TermMax Pest Control specializes in pest control, and we can help you get them taken care of. Call us today for an affordable and effective solution.
