Mice are a common nuisance throughout the world, including in Salinas, CA. But the prevalence of rodent infestations in Salinas Valley, like in many agricultural regions, can vary depending on several factors. These factors include the time of year, weather conditions, agricultural practices, and the presence of suitable habitats for rodents. While agricultural areas often provide food sources and shelter for mice, in the city of Salinas, mice may be making their homes right inside your’s.
How to prevent house mice from infesting your home
If mice are attracted to the area that you live in, it is only a matter of time before they venture inside to see what other food or water sources they can find. Taking away magnets for mice can encourage them to look elsewhere before settling into your home. You can also take precautions to make it difficult for mice to enter your home in the first place. A few prevention tips for Salinas homeowners include:
- Regularly clean out storage areas around your home: If you store boxes and holiday decorations in your attic, basement, or detached outdoor shed, make it a regular practice once or twice a year to clean out that space. Mice will make their nests in your boxes or insulation. If you are routinely cleaning out these areas, you will either find evidence of mice so you can leave out traps or you will be disturbing the area which will make mice not want to live there.
- Mow: Mice love to hide in tall grass because it protects them from predators and gives them a good place to hide. If you let your lawn get out of control, you are inviting mice to get closer and closer to your home. Eventually, one will take a peek inside.
- Keep your food cleaned up and tightly stored: Leaving food out on the countertop or letting food trash like pizza boxes pile up is going to get a mouse’s attention. Sweeping and vacuuming regularly and storing your food in airtight containers will reduce the chances of attracting mice.
Treatment for a mouse infestation
If you discover a mouse in your Salinas home, put out a trap or two in an area you saw evidence of a mouse. Be sure to keep it out of reach of your children or pets. If you capture or kill a mouse, dispose of it, and wait to see if you discover new signs of mice in your house. If you do, it may be time to call a professional mouse control expert to eliminate all of the rodents from your home.
A pest professional will:
- Thoroughly inspect your home for signs of mice, mouse nests, and possibly entry points
- Treat the current infestation, if found, inside your home
- Repair or give directions on how to repair areas that mice may be using to enter your home
- Come back to check traps and remove caught mice and inspect for new evidence of mice in your home
Keep mice out of your Salinas home by calling Target Pest Control today.
