Are Rodents Active in the Winter?

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Are Rodents Active in the Winter?

Many animals hibernate during the cold winter months and don’t come back out until the winter months. Not all animals hibernate in the same way through and rodents are one of them. During the wintertime, you might find that rodents are more active because they are trying to escape the cold temperatures. They are also seeking water and food which may lead them to be more active and come inside the house.

What Kind of Rodents Come Out During Winter?

Roof rats, Norway rats, and house mice are some of the most common area rodents that you might see more action in the wintertime. Some people think rodents would be less active in the winter because they might hibernate and stay away from your home.

Rats are more likely to be around your home, in the garage, and the driveway during the wintertime because they want to be closer to warmth and a source of food. If you see a rodent in your home though during the wintertime, don’t worry. There are some steps you can take to make sure your home stays rodent-free.

How to Keep Rodents Out of Your House

There are many areas and ways for rodents to enter your home. Most come through the garage door or gaps around the house where they can easily slip in without being noticed. Make sure to check all the doors and cracks of your attic to make sure a rodent or mouse is not big enough to fit through it.

If there are some gaps, you might want to set up traps in case they happen to get inside. Even though mice and rats are large, they only need a pin-sized hole to slip into the house through. This means you need to seal up any holes as soon as possible.

Some common places you might find rodents in your home include:

● Attics 

● Walls 

● Basements 

● Crawl spaces 

● Insulation 

● Inside storage spaces 

The best time to get rid of rodents is before they get into the house. If you see any signs of an infestation, you will need to treat them right away. Contact preventative pest control companies right away if you see rodent droppings or any signs of mice and rats in your house.

Just two mice can make a whole litter of mice which is about 60 in one year. This can mean you have an infestation extremely quickly. You will know if you have rodents in your home if you see rodents running around or if you see droppings from them around the house.

Conclusion

Although wintertime seems like a strange time for rodents and other pests, they can be pretty common in the wintertime. You might see them in your garage or attic. Once you see even one, you need to contact a pest control company. Just one rodent is enough to cause an infestation.