As a general manager for Aspen Pest, I often hear from homeowners who are frustrated after trying DIY methods that failed. While our quarterly maintenance program is the ultimate solution, there are three critical steps you, as a homeowner, must take to get the best results from our service and keep rodents away.
1. Eliminate the Secondary Food Sources
Rodents come into your home for two reasons: shelter and food. We use high-quality poison baits, but they won’t work if the rodent’s primary meal is more convenient. This is what we call eliminating conducive conditions:
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Secure Pet Food: Take pet food inside at night.
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Remove Attractants: This includes things like bird feeders and uncontained chicken feed.
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Clear Debris: Get rid of things like trash piles.
I recall a client story where a mouse was living comfortably inside a couch, feeding on crumbs left by a toddler. The issue was resolved by eliminating the secondary food source (the crumbs) and setting traps. Controlling other food sources is essential to ensure the rodents go after the bait.
2. Block the Obvious Entry Points
You can’t “rodent proof” a house entirely, but you can certainly make it harder for them. Finding and sealing all entry points is the initial step in our service process.
As a homeowner, you should look for and block obvious entry points around the house with abrasive materials. When doing this, you need to use the right gauge and materials:
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Abrasive steel wool
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Hardware cloth of quarter-inch gauge or smaller
3. Call a Professional Immediately
Do not wait until the issue is severe. The best time to call is as soon as you suspect a problem, such as seeing droppings, a physical rodent, smelling something unusual, or hearing noises in the walls.
When homeowners attempt DIY trapping, it can lead to trap shyness. This requires tedious work to reduce the rats’ food sources to only the baited traps, making it much more expensive for the customer. Calling us right away is always the most efficient path to removal.
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