With October right around the corner, residents of Western Massachusetts and Northern Connecticut in Springfield, Massachusetts, and Hartford, Connecticut may start to see signs of uninvited pest guests in their home. We’ve already covered how to tell if you’ve got a mouse problem and how to prevent them from getting into your home. Let’s take a moment to cover what foods mice like to eat and how to best eliminate these sources of food.
1. Pet Food, Not Pest Food
Most homes with a pet have kibble or dry dog food store in large quantities. Since mice can chew nearly anything, getting through a plastic bag or cardboard container is quite easy. More often than not, pet food is even stored in an easily accessible location, such as a garage or basement. Mice prefer to forage in places with low human traffic, so garages and basements are popular among them. Sealing your pet’s food in an air-tight heavy-duty plastic or glass container has multiple benefits. Not only will it be impossible for mice to gnaw into, but they search for food by scent, so these types of containers are very good at sealing in food odors.
2. Carbo-loading
Rice, grains, seeds, and oats are all favorites of mice. These are especially ripe pickings for mice because they’re typically stored in plastic bags and cardboard boxes or tubes. They can chew a small hole and sneak in and out without leaving an immediately noticeable opening. It’s important to properly store loose grains in safe containers and properly sift these types of pantry items.
3. Fruit By the (Mouse) Foot
Most households have some sort of fruit—bananas, apples, oranges—kept openly on counters or even on top of microwaves. Mice will avoid these during the day but get bolder during the late night. If storing fruit in the fridge is not an option, air-tight containers or Tupperware will keep mice from smelling and accessing stored fruit.
4. They’ll Eat Your Greens If You Don’t
Produce is a staple of a mouse’s diet. Before mice seek refuge in your home, they will forage in your garden. Naturally, this doesn’t stop after your vegetables are harvested and brought inside. Carrots, corn, potatoes, and lettuce are all tempting treats to mice. The same rules apply for vegetables as they do for fruit. Store them in the fridge or in air-tight containers.
5. Don’t Be Trashy
Even if you properly store your pet’s food (and yours) mice will stoop lower than one would expect. It seems obvious but taking out your trash frequently is the best way to keep mice from scavenging through it. Use a trash bin with a locking lid to prevent mice from getting to your trash before you can take it outside. Composting is both good practice for the environment and keeps food waste from spending a long time inside your home.
Following all these tips and still think you’ve got uninvited company? Call us at 413-566-8222 or contact us with any questions or if you are experiencing a pest problem. We have the knowledge and the services necessary to help keep your home pest-free!
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