The return of winter means you’ll be spending more time in your home, but you won’t be the only one seeking shelter. As temperatures drop, mice and rats head indoors to search for food, and they might pick YOUR house for their new residence.

“There isn’t a home in this world that doesn’t have mice,” says Jeff Norris, owner of highly rated www.FloridaWildlifeTrapper.com in Tampa, Florida “Everyone has at least a few mice coming in and out, or living there.”

These pesky pests invade your home in a variety of crafty ways. Mice can squeeze through a hole the size of a pencil eraser, while rats can fit through a hole the size of a quarter. “They’ll seek cracks and crevices in the foundation and crawl space, between siding and concrete block and the space where the fascia board meets the decking on the roof,” Norris says.

Rats and mice are both strong swimmers, and have even been known to swim through sewer lines or climb vertically up drain pipes to enter homes.

The two most common rodents in U.S. homes are the house mouse (Mus musculus), roof rat (Rattus rattus) and the Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus). They live in all regions of the country, but rats are more prevalent in urban and rural areas, while mice are more common in suburban areas.

The house mouse is usually brown or gray and can grow up to a few inches in length. Rats vary in color from brown, to reddish-gray to black, and have a long tail. Norway rats on average will grow to about 16 inches in length. They’re both color blind and have poor eyesight. They rely on their sense of smell, taste, sound and touch to find food.

To find out for sure if you have any rodents in your home or area- please call a trusted professional.  You can reach a trusted professional 24/7 at Nuisance Wildlife Removal, Inc. at 1-866-263-WILD or 941- 729-2103.

The good news is you can take back your home, either by plugging holes and setting traps or hiring a professional pest control service.

Pest control experts say you should evaluate the exterior of your home twice a year for new holes or gaps where rodents can enter. You want to look for cracks in the foundation, gaps around doors and windows and where the gutters connect to the fascia board.

“Rodents can chew through anything that isn’t galvanized or copper,” Norris says. He recommends using caulk, galvanized flashing or copper mesh to plug entry points.

Once you’ve secured the exterior of your home, you can start the removal process.

Pest control professionals say bait boxes and traps are effective for removing rodents, but there are several options available, from traditional traps to no-kill methods that allow you to release the rodent back into the wild.

Placing bait boxes along walls and in corners is an effective method for eliminating rodents.

Bait boxes contain a rodenticide that kills the mouse or rat in a few days. The boxes shelter the poisonous rodenticide and keep it out of reach of children and pets. You should place bait boxes in areas where you’ve seen rodent activity, and in their natural walking paths like along walls or in corners.

You should also make an attempt to take away the food supply. Don’t leave food out on the kitchen counter, and make sure all dry goods and grains are stored in sealed, secure containers.

For large infestations, or if rodents simply make you squeamish, consider hiring a professional pest control company. Norris says that his company will inspect your exterior for entry points, make improvements and come up with a removal plan that meets your specific needs.

So if you see any rats, mice or any evidence that they might be in or around your dwelling,  call a professional! You can reach a trusted professional 24/7 at Nuisance Wildlife Removal, Inc. at 1-866-263-WILD or 941- 729-2103.