Even if you don’t have a mouse infestation in your home or office itself, you can often run the risk of developing one in your shed or outbuilding. This risk is increased several times over during the winter months, because the mice are more desperate for shelter and food, especially during harsh Canadian winters. But that need for shelter and food can also inform the steps we can take to help reduce the likelihood of a mouse infestation.
Step 1: Defense
To start, you want to make things less appealing in your shed or outbuilding for the mice. A good way to do this is to first inspect the exterior for any cracks, gaps, or holes that are larger around than your smallest finger. Use weather stripping, caulk, expanding foam, screen material, or similar, as appropriate, to eliminate the routes that mice can take to get inside.
Next, be sure that there are no sources of food or water in your building. Since these little critters need food and water, just like humans, eliminating any sources of food and water will make your shed or outbuilding a less appealing home for the mice to spend the winter.
This can include things like birdseed, grains, plant material, and similar. If you absolutely must keep something like this in your shed or outbuilding, be sure it’s in a fully sealed, airtight container. That will present the smell from being detectible by the mice, and stop them from being attracted to it from the outside.
Step 2: Periodic Inspection
Mice are excellent at climbing and chewing through things. While rats are really the kings at chewing, and can get through almost anything, mice aren’t that far behind.
This is an evolutionary skill, since most of their normal foraging and living habits require them to climb, chew, or both. Their teeth also keep growing, and the gnawing and chewing on things helps to keep them functional.
As a result, mice can chew holes through a lot of common materials – especially if they are trying to get at a source of food, water, or shelter. They don’t need a very big space to get into a building, and often will chew their way in if no other openings present themselves.
So, periodically, you need to check for any new holes that might pop up in your shed or outbuilding’s exterior and interior, and seal them up as soon as you spot them.
So, periodically, you need to check for any new holes that might pop up in your shed or outbuilding’s exterior and interior, and seal them up as soon as you spot them.
Step 3: Don’t Give Them Nesting Material
Of course, sheds, outbuildings, garages, and similar spaces are often where we throw a lot of junk and material. That’s the nature of what they are. But if you are going to store things, be sure to do it right, to avoid giving mice and other pests potential nesting material or other perks that will make them surely want to stick around. We’ve already covered the food and water considerations.
But you’ll want to be sure you also store things like fabric, fibers, newspapers, cushions, foam, and so on in sealed containers that mice can’t get into. Otherwise, they’re likely to chew and rip holes in them, and pull the material out to create nests. And once they set up nests and get comfortable – like an unwanted houseguest – they’re very unlikely to leave voluntarily.
Step 4: Got Mice? Get an Exterminator!
If all of this fails to stop mice from taking up residence in your shed or outbuilding, don’t panic! At the first sign of mice, call a professional exterminator. We are a professional pest control company in the greater Toronto area, with extensive experience exterminating unwanted pests like mice.
Our experts can perform a thorough inspection, assess the situation, and utilize the best solutions to exterminate the mice, and prevent them from returning. Practice good defense, be vigilant, and if you spot any mice – give us a call right away, and we’ll help solve the problem!