Rodent, go!

Domestic mice and rats make fun pets, but their feral relatives are common household pests. While both mice and rats can survive outside in garbage or wood piles, drains and even under the ground, they often move inside seeking shelter in the cold winter months.

Notorious for their ability to transmit disease, rodents can also pose a substantial threat to household electrical wiring. Rats have constantly growing teeth, and as a result will gnaw on hard substances to grind them back; if a rat or mouse has taken residence within your walls there’s a chance they could chew through the insulation on an electrical wire, which could cut the power supply or even result in a fire.

Apart from hearing the scratching and scurrying or catching the odd glimpse of a fleeting fur-ball, some tell-tale signs that mice or rats have moved into your home include chewed food packets, gnaw marks on food, and droppings.

Rodents like to hide and nest in protected places such as homes, sheds, garages and gardens, especially behind appliances, in walls, boxes, rubbish heaps or thick vegetation. To deter them, maintain a clean house and sheds, store rubbish outside in bins with heavy lids, keep grass short and wood stacked off the ground, and ensure that all food is stored in tough containers.

There are products available to eradicate rats and mice, including baits and traps. Care should be taken, however, to ensure that the poisoned rodent does not end up a meal for birds such as owls, who will also become ill and die as a consequence.

There are humane alternatives that do not harm the rodents, however with a large infestation you might need the help of a professional to tackle the issue.