Mice are one of the most common pests found in and around homes. They can reproduce quickly, which could make your pest problem worse. The mice start out in your yard and then move into your house, which causes a lot of problems. To avoid future problems, it’s best to know what attracts mice to your yard ahead of time.
Mice will be driven onto your property and home if you have lots of rubbish, debris, or pieces of wood that create hiding places from the elements and predators. Close to your property, this includes shrubs or overgrown plants. It’s just a matter of time until they find a way inside your home where they will have easy access to fresh water.
Mice can enter through a dime-sized hole, faulty screens, ducts, or holes in your foundation and external walls. If they come across a little hole, they can scrape, chew, and nibble until it is large enough to squeeze through.
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Here are some things in your yard that may be attracting mice to your home:
Bird Feeder: If you are having a bird feeder in your home yard, it could attract more than just attractive birds. Mice love nuts and seeds, which can be found in abundance at the bird feeder. Because the birds attracted by these feeders do not prey on mice, the food supply provides a safe, convenient stop for mice to get a free meal.
Compost: Composting is an excellent method for producing organic fertilizer at home while keeping waste out of landfills. However, mice may be drawn to the compost pile. First and foremost, it gives shelter. Secondly, it can provide a food source that attracts them.
Natural clutter: Mice always look for wonderful hiding spots, so make it as difficult for them to find one in your yard as possible by removing any heaps of wood, thick grass, or fallen leaves. Maintain your yard regularly, cutting the grass and pulling any long weeds that could provide cover for mice, sending them away to locate food.
Trash Bins: Mice can locate food in open trash cans like compost piles or bird feeders. Examine your yard and the perimeter of your property for any exposed or unsealed bins. Replace these with containers with locking lids to keep mice out of your yard.
Exterior Cracks: After inspecting the things in your yard, look outside your home for any exterior gaps or holes that mice could access. It isn’t easy because mice can fit into a tiny hole about the size of a dime.
Check out these top strategies to reduce the risk of mice in your yard:
Clear your yard: Remove any wood and vegetation heaps that could serve as hiding places. If you like to create compost, try to place your food scrapes into a container that is sealed and make sure to locate it away from your home.
Install baited traps: Baited snap traps can be placed where mice are known to gather. Set traps strategically along the perimeter of your property and away from areas where your pets and children could accidentally set them off.
Burrow openings should be covered: Mice and other rodents may dig underground for sleeping or hiding away from predators. Block any holes that you detect in your yard with stones or dirt to prevent rodent burrows from entering and exiting.
Examine your house: After you’ve cleaned up your yard, sealed up any potential food sources, and placed traps, the next step is to keep mice out of your house. Examine the outside of your house for any holes or gaps through which mice can enter, then cover the holes with wire mesh or caulk.
