To commemorate the annual releasing of yet another gratuitous Star Wars movie, here is some trivia for you. Did you know that Yoda used a mouse in his Jedi training? (Source: Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back: So You Want to Be a Jedi?, Ch. 17, this is an actual reference by the way, and not fake at all….I’m serious).
However, Jedi are probably not a person’s first thought regarding Boise area pest control. A person with mice in their house is more likely wondering why they are having problems getting rid of the mice. One simplistic answer is that you’re likely providing the mouse with one or more of its survival needs. Like any other mammal, a mouse needs three things to survive: food, water and harborage. Identifying which of these you are providing and removing the supply is vital to controlling these pests.
For example, I recently observed an individual that kept their dog’s house on the back patio right up against their house. This placement created a warm, safe space between the doghouse and the house that was ideal for building a nest. Mice seek places that can be protected from the weather and predators. Sure enough, some Mice found the space and built a nest there. They were protected from the cold and could regulate their body temperature. By moving the doghouse away from the house just a little bit, the ideal nesting area was removed and with it went the mice problem.
Inside another house, children had spilled a large amount of popcorn upstairs and swept it under their beds (when does this ever happen?). This created a perfect food source for mice. When we got there, I placed several traps, which are very effective at controlling rodent problems. However, the popcorn needed to be cleaned up first. The mice had grown accustomed to the food available to them and our traps baited with peanut butter were new and unfamiliar. After their food supply was removed, the only option became the peanut butter on our traps.
Therefore, in order to control any mice problem, it is vital to remove all food or water sources. Without these sources, the mice will need to go elsewhere to survive. These are very simple tools to aid in all pest control, not just Mice control. It’s so simple that you don’t even need to use the force!
About the author: Ozzy is a pest control technician at Barrier Pest Control.
CC Image by Moise Nicu at Flickr
