Cooler weather brings mice indoors Published Nov. 19, 2012 By Richard Gilbride 23d Civil Engineer Squadron MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga -- It's getting colder outside, as a result, rodents may enter your home for food or shelter. There are three basic steps to help keep any type of pest, including rodents from getting into your home or office: 1. Seal up any holes in the exterior of the building 2. Clean up any sources of food or water 3. Eliminate any areas that might provide shelter Mice and rats can enter your home through small holes or gaps. Mice can squeeze through a hole the size of a dime, and rats can squeeze through a hole the size of a nickel. Worldwide, rats and mice are the cause of over 35 different diseases. In the U.S., rodents can spread diseases like hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, rat-bite fever, leptospirosis and lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (which poses a particular risk for pregnant women). How do I know if rodents have invaded my home? Rats and mice are considered "commensal" pests, meaning they share the same food as another, in this case, the same food that we humans eat. So, one of the first indications you may have that rodents have moved in is damage to stored food products. Signs include boxes that show chew marks, bags with small holes, and small quantities of loose food in storage areas. Mice and rats are almost constantly urinating and defecating and their droppings can be easily seen. Fecal pellets are the most commonly encountered sign in a rodent inspection and serve as primary evidence to confirm an infestation. Even a small population of mice can produce literally thousands of droppings in a short period of time. Examining the droppings can serve as evidence of an infestation and may help you identify your type of infestation. House Mice · Qty: 50 to 75 pellets daily · Size: ¼ inch long · Shape: Small with 1 or both ends pointed Norway Rat · Qty: 40 to 50 pellets daily · Size: ¾ inch long · Shape: Larger, rectangular with blunt ends · Found in small groups Roof Rats · Qty: 40 to 50 pellets daily · Size: ½ inch long · Shape: Larger, curved, sausage shaped with pointed ends · Found scattered Now that you have determined that rodents have invaded your home or office, what can you do get them out? Seal holes or gaps in your home to prevent rodents from entering. Fill small holes with steel wool. Rodents can chew through expanding foam and caulk easily, so use these only with steel wool. Put caulk around steel wool to keep it in place. Use cement, hardware cloth, or metal sheeting to repair larger holes. These materials can be found at your local hardware store. Check around all doors and windows to ensure they close tightly and no gaps exist, replace door sweeps and weather stripping as necessary. Clean up any sources of food or water and remove items that might provide shelter for rodents Rodents love clutter - especially cardboard boxes. Rodents will also find any food that has not been properly stored, and leaking pipes can provide an easy source of water. Store food in thick plastic, metal or glass containers with tight lids. When possible, store bags/boxes of food in the refrigerator. If rodents are without access to food, water, or shelter, they'll have no reason to be in your home. Trap rodents in and around your home using an appropriate trap. Look for fur, droppings and grease stains to determine where rodents are moving. In general, place any trap against a wall and in areas inaccessible to children and pets Place snap traps perpendicular to the wall with the trigger against the wall Sticky traps or glue-boards are very inexpensive so you can place a lot of them around the home. Note: If a non target (children, pets, etc) gets caught on a sticky trap, cooking oil will help to release the glue from fur or skin. Clean up safely Take precautions before and during clean up of rodent infested areas. Before cleaning, trap the rodents and seal up any entryways to ensure that no more can get in, and continue trapping for about a week. If no rodents are captured, the active infestation has probably been eliminated and enough time has passed that any infectious virus in the rodent's urine/droppings or nesting material is no longer infectious. First clean up any urine and droppings · When you begin cleaning, it is important that you do not stir up dust by sweeping or vacuuming up droppings, urine, or nesting material. · Wear rubber, latex or vinyl gloves when cleaning urine and droppings. · Spray the urine and drippings with a disinfectant or mixture of bleach and water and let soak for 5 minutes. The recommended concentration of the bleach solution is 1 part bleach to 10 parts water. When using a commercial disinfectant, follow the manufacturer's instructions. · Use paper towel to pick up the urine and droppings, and dispose of the waste in the garbage. · After the rodent droppings and urine have been removed, disinfect items that might have been contaminated. Next, clean and disinfect the whole area · Mop floors and clean countertops with disinfectant or bleach solution. · Steam clean or shampoo furniture and carpets that show evidence of rodent exposure. · Wash any bedding and clothing in hot water if they were exposed to rodent urine or droppings. · Lastly remove gloves and thoroughly wash hands with soap and warm water.