During the warmer months, you may not need to worry much about mice moving into your home. But as the temperatures drop, it’s good to be mindful of how rodents weather the winter elements. Mice don’t hibernate in the cold months; instead, they seek out warm places to shelter and safe spaces to store food. During the winter, your home may become that safe house, providing easy access to food and ideal nesting spaces. Here’s what you need to know.
Shelter from the cold
Ideal nesting spaces for mice are warm and undisturbed by human activity. If they have to live in the great outdoors, they’ll create a nest in places such as dense vegetation, log piles, and abandoned nests from other animals. Snow cover also provides a layer of insulation against frigid temperatures. However, they’ll seek access to warm, secure places like your home or office building when they can find an entry.
Food storage
Mice don’t limit their foraging to your kitchen. Like squirrels, they build up caches of nuts, seeds, organic garbage, and pet kibble. They may stockpile food in safe hiding spaces like your attic and crawlspaces, the gaps between your walls, in closets, under furniture, or the area under your doorstep.
These “pantry” spaces don’t have to be warm, as long the mice can come and go freely. Their little warehouses need only be secure from other animals that might take their food.
Safe nesting
Mice look for more than just a cozy spot to live in. They’re looking for a spot to make nests they can give birth in and care for their babies. They forage for nesting material, which may be scraps of paper and fabric, insulation, or even wood chips. Human spaces are treasure troves of raw materials mice can use to build their nests.
When mice move into human spaces, they bring diseases, parasites, and contaminants that can exacerbate human respiratory illnesses. They also cause property damage, chewing on woodwork, wiring, and insulation. If you see any traces of nesting material, droppings, or food stockpiling in or near your home, call in a pest management professional without delay.
Rodent control experts in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba
Don’t wait until the cold of winter to discover you’ve got a mouse problem on your hands. If you’re in Alberta, Saskatchewan or Manitoba, Poulin’s Pest Control can inspect your property for vulnerabilities and eliminate your mouse problem before it gets out of hand. We serve residential and commercial clients, so no property is too big or too small. Contact us today to schedule a site visit.