Tips on how to rodent-proof your property this fall

As we wait for that familiar fall bite to set in as September nears, experts say Manitobans shouldn’t wait to rodent-proof their homes and cars.

“The mice are going to start thinking to come on in,” entomologist Taz Stuart told CTV News Winnipeg.

In order to stop unwanted pests from invading your property, Stuart recommends starting with exclusion, which means finding and plugging cracks and crevices. He said even openings the size of your pinkie finger or a pencil can be all the space a mouse needs to squeeze in uninvited.

Homeowners are reminded to check areas including eavestroughs and soffit fascia.

Also key – installing a program with baits and/or mechanical devices, and not just inside your home.

“It’s very important to get there first and if you’re looking at your cars, putting bait stations on the outside,” he said.

“There are products that are available that will repel them too, so you don’t want them eating your wires over the winter and, of course, causing bigger issues next year when you put away your fancy sports car.”

If rodents do get inside, Stuart recommends baits and traps be set where mice will be looking for water and food, like under the sink, around the fridge and under the stove.

“Make sure there’s a regular monitoring program every 30 days, every 14 days depending on if it’s a brand new client or if it’s an existing client, that you’re getting control of those lovely pests that become very nuisance-creating with all their lovely fecal matter,” he said.

Stuart notes rodents like deer mice can have the ability to transmit several diseases, as can some house mice.

To protect yourself, the entomologist said you should wear a mask - an N95 at the minimum - and gloves when cleaning their droppings.

He also recommends bringing in a professional to make sure you and your property are fully protected.

- With files from CTV’s Maralee Caruso