You may enjoy the occasional guest in your home, but when it comes to the four legged variety you might not be so welcoming. Mice, rats, raccoons, squirrels, and bats can get into your attic, basement, crawlspace, and even living area and wreak havoc. They can destroy drywall, chew wires, and introduce disease and pests like fleas and mites that will feast on you, your family, and pets. How can you evict these unwelcome squatters? By approaching pest eradication from the pest’s point of view you can not only rid your home of them but also prevent them from returning.

You should approach this house cleaning by first identifying why the pests are entering your home. Do they seek harborage? Are they looking for food? By making your home as uninhabitable as possible you can start getting rid of them. Put food in plastic containers or canisters that critters like mice and rats can’t get to. Remove nests and bedding material from attics so that squirrels don’t have such a comfy home.

The next step is to seek access points. How are the pests getting into your house? Taking a quick walk around the exterior of your home will often reveal access points like vents or holes that lead to the attic or broken windows that lead to your basement. Sealing these points will keep pests out, but if you aren’t careful you can also seal them inside your home.

If you’ve ever seen squirrel trapped in a house, it isn’t pretty.

Rats, mice, and squirrels are the most common home invaders. You can get rid of mice and rats with poison or traps. Poison works well because it is quiet and you usually don’t have to view the mangled little body. However, with poison you have no guarantee that the animal will die outside. It very well may crawl down into your wall and die, leaving you to enjoy the aroma of a rotting rodent corpse for several days. Traps work well because you know that the rat or mouse is dead and you know where it is (so you can dispose of it properly – no smell).

There are snap traps, glue boards, and live traps for mice, so you have plenty of options. Squirrels can be caught using a live trap but what you do with it after you catch it will depend on your state and local laws regarding nuisance wildlife. You may also opt to simply evict squirrels from your home by covering up all access points but one. When the squirrels are out doing their squirrely things you just cover the remaining access. When they return to find they can’t get in they won’t be happy, but your home will be free from unwanted guests.

You can rid your home of raccoons and bats in a similar way, by sealing up access points while they are not in your house. However, bats can carry rabies and raccoons can be aggressive so it may be a better option to have a professional rid your home of unwanted pests. In fact, any time that you feel you may be in over your head with a pest problem it is best to go ahead and call in a professional to take care of it for you.

Protect your family and home from pests. For affordable and reliable Residential Pest Control, trust Preventive Pest Control. Call us today!