With the colder weather arriving with a bang this year, rat and rodent infestations will be on the rise as they search for a warm place to hide.
As rats don’t hibernate during the winter, they need to find somewhere with adequate shelter and food supply to keep them alive.
Generally, they enter homes in search of these things through open doors and windows, and that is why there is a hike in cases of infestation around this time of year.
READ MORE: Warning as 'ultra-rats the size of rabbits' could invade Irish homes within weeks
Experts at Ultimate Pest Control have a list of four things that everyone can do to stop them from setting up a house in your home.
Get rid of any food debris in your garden
If there is any food debris lying around your garden, including bird feeders or your pet's food bowls, mice and rats will be attracted to the area.
If you want to leave your bird feeder up over the winter months, keep it at the farthest point from your house and you'll need to regularly clean the fallout so seeds and grain don’t attract rodents.
Your pet’s food bowls should never be left outside, and they need to be cleaned as soon as the pet has finished its meal - otherwise, you may have some unwanted visitors wandering into your home.
Keep rubbish bins sealed
Rubbish bins are a major attractor of rodents, according to experts.
So you need to ensure bins are always sealed, so no rubbish is exposed, otherwise, you're asking for an infestation.
Get rid of any potential hiding spaces
Maintaining a neat garden will deter rodents from setting up shop there.
Mice like to nest in dense shrubbery and areas of high vegetation, so they can hide. While rats tend to burrow their way under sheds and decking.
Overgrown gardens are much more likely to have infestations, so if you reduce any hiding places it will make your garden less hospitable.
Keep doors and windows closed
Keeping all external doors and windows closed is essential in keeping rodents out.
Especially in the late evening/night when rodents are most active. If there is an open door in the vicinity they will find it and make themselves at home.
Especially this time of year when they are looking for a warm place to nest for winter.
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