The best way to prevent mice and pack rats is to remove all traces of food that rodents may be able to get to, including Thanksgiving crumbs on countertops or bits of food in the kitchen sink. Store cereals, beans, and grains in sealed containers instead of the packages they came in. Mice can quickly chew through cardboard or lightweight plastic containers, so we suggest glass or heavy-duty plastic containers.

1.) You see rodent droppings near food packages, in drawers or cabinets, under sinks, and in dark hidden areas. 2.) Your see gnaw marks. The size of the gnaw marks will tell you if you have rats or mice. 3.) There is a foul odor. Rodents have a nasty habit of urinating wherever they go. 4.) There are tracks and runways. Rodents travel along the same pathways between their nest and food source. 5.) You find nests. Rodents will create their nests from materials like paper, cloth, or cardboard to make their nests.

For many homeowners, mice and pack rats will enter the garage before entering the house. This fact often surprises Conquistador Pest Control customers, as homeowners believe there are no food sources in the garage. However, they are mistaken. Bird food, pet food and other edible odds and ends (even cardboard) that tend to pile up in garages are very attractive to rodents. Even cookie crumbs left over from cleaning your car is a gourmet treat for a mouse. If you must store food sources in the garage, make sure you seal them in a tight metal or heavy-duty plastic container.

Rodents can squeeze through surprisingly small openings. The typical house mouse can squeeze through a hole the size of a dime. Check all the spots around your home where openings may be, like where utility cables and plumbing come in. The most important prevention measure you can take is seal as many gaps and cracks as you can find. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) suggests filling holes with steel wool and caulking around them. Wherever possible, install metal screens with a small wire gauge over roof vents and under the eaves. The ventilation will work just as well, and you’ll eliminate easy entry.

Yard debris, old newspapers, packing material from shipping boxes, and the boxes themselves, are all top choices for mice and pack rats to use for construction of their nests. Use plastic boxes with tight-fitting lids to store paper items. The less of this stuff you have laying around, the better.

Rats and mice are attracted to the warmth and shelter that your car engine offers, so if you have a car that you don’t drive frequently, check under the hood or leave the hood open if the car will be sitting for a while. Keep an eye on your car’s wiring, too, because rodents may be chewing your wiring.