Eliminating Mischievous Mice From Your Yard

If you noticed field mice scampering through your yard every time you are outdoors, you will want to take action to keep them far away from your house. Since mice are known to carry bacteria that cause disease, it is important to keep them on the exterior side of your house if possible. Here are some precautionary steps you can take to keep mice from becoming a problem inside of your home. 

Take Away All Food And Water Sources

If mice have a spot to grab a meal and drink, they will be more likely to stick around the area. It is important to eliminate food and water sources from easy access both in and out of the home. Inside, take the time to keep floors vacuumed and counters cleaned so crumbs are not ready for the picking. Outdoors, cover all small pools, fountains, or bird baths during nighttime hours so mice do not have a watering hole to grab a drink. If you have an outdoor pet, make sure their food dish and water bowl is brought in at times they are not nearby. Keep your grill covered, or even better, place it in your garage or shed where grease remnants do not attract rodents. Clean your grill often to help take away food odor as well.

Eliminate Spots Where Mice Can Squeeze Inside

If your home has any damage to its exterior, a mouse could easily make its way inside. Mice can squish themselves into spots the size of a dime. Take a look at your siding and reset any panels that have come loose. If your home's exterior is made from wood panels or logs, fill in any cracks you find with a wood caulk. Stuff pieces of steel wool inside bigger holes and cover them with wire mesh or flashing until you can replace the siding with a new piece. Use a door sweep under doorways so mice cannot scoot underneath.

Use Appropriate Trapping Methods To Reduce Numbers

If you still see mice in the area after trying the above steps, you can try trapping them to help control the population in your yard. Humane cube traps can be placed in areas of your yard if you do not wish to kill the mice. Add peanut butter to the inside the traps and leave them in place overnight. The next morning, release any trapped mice to a wooded area far from your home. If you would rather end the mouse problem by killing them, there are many kill trap options available on the market. Be sure to remove carcasses promptly so you do not attract other pests in your yard. A pest control service like ASE Pest & Weed Supplies could also be helpful in eliminating mice if their numbers seem to great to handle on your own.

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