Rodents: Cold Weather

Rodents: Rats, Mice & Squirrels in Cold Weather

Rodents, which include: Rats, mice and squirrels will all behave differently in cold weather. All three will take risks in cold weather. They will be bolder and in the case of rats and mice will act in ‘unnatural ways’. An example of this is feeding from bird tables in daylight hours as opposed to the natural feeding time of darkness. The reason for this is that they are in danger of predators at all times but much more so in the daylight. It is this ability to adapt that makes these rodents (rats and mice) very successful in fact more so than the less adaptable grey squirrel. This rodent (The grey squirrel) is still adaptable and will change its behaviour more so than other wild animals (such as weasels or stoats) and the main way that cold weather effects this rodent is that it will inhabit loft spaces more readily in the cold, but it can still enter loft spaces in warm weather as well. They will also feed on bird feed as well.

Mice feeding in a kitchen

Treatment:
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Rats: At PEST UK we take a 3 pronged approach, first we identify the food source then the entry points (if inside) and finally we lay poison baits to deal with the problem and return a couple of weeks later to check everything has worked. It is not always possible to identify the entry points and some times we recommend getting a builder to access certain parts of the building. In some cases it may be a sewer breach or an underground entry point.
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Squirrels: These pests are dealt with in a different way. The food source is not as important although it is a good idea to stop bird feeding. Any proofing of holes must only be done after the infestation has been eliminated. At PEST UK we use a combination of traps and poisons although getting squirrels to take poison can be difficult. PEST UK offers a guaranteed treatment (unlike a lot of companies who charge per visit).
Squirrel-Control

Mice: Same as rats but proofing can be difficult as they can get through a 1 cm gap and eliminating food sources can be difficult due to the tiny amount of food they require. PEST UK offer a guaranteed treatment.
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