With cooler temperatures finally making their way down to Texas, we have already seen an increase in rodent calls. One of the main components of our rodent control programs is performing exclusion. Exclusion means we block off all the holes around your home that rodents are, or could be using to get inside. We wanted to write a short post about how rodents actually get inside your house at places other than the most obvious ones, like the garage. Rats and mice need only the tiniest of holes to get inside your house, but how the heck do they get there when the hole is way up high? Rooftops, brick walls,chimneys…all are easily accessible to most rodents.

Climbers

People don’t realize what fantastic climbers rodents are as roof rats can climb right up a wall, or gutter downspouts even. Mice can climb pretty well also, but they need a corner or something to brace on. The video below demonstrates the ability of a rat to climb a wall. The video says it’s a mouse, but it is actually a juvenile roof rat. In the video you will see that they are just as mobile on a wall as they are on flat ground.

Jumpers

Don’t forget about jumping!  Both rats and mice can jump many times their body length. We often see tree branches hanging over the house, but they don’t have to be touching the house as many people think because they can jump.  Ever seen squirrels jumping from branch to branch high up in a tree? When we find a hole anywhere on your house that a mouse or rat can fit through, we never assume that they can’t get to the hole. Odds are they’ll eventually find it, so we just go ahead and block the hole off using copper wool, hardware cloth, or flashing depending on the size and severity of the hole. Check out how far the mouse in the video below can jump!

What Does It Mean?

When performing exclusion, it’s extremely important to also inspect up high for entry points and it sometimes takes a very trained eye to identify entry points.  Remember, rats only need a hole about the size of a quarter to get in, mice even smaller.

If you are hearing scratching or scurrying in your attic or walls, or if you would prefer to never hear scratching or scurrying in your attic or walls (aka Rodent Proofing), call Venus Pest Company. Click here to learn more about our Rodent Control and Prevention Program or click “Request Service” above to get a free estimate.