Houston’s mild winters create the perfect conditions for an intense and lively rodent season. And the holidays?
Celebration can invite infestation.
Don’t let rodents ruin your roast. Or your turkey. Or anything else you might be serving. Don’t let their scratching and skittering bother your guests. Spend this holiday season worrying about getting your lights up, not about whether your guests will get sick because the rats are having their own little party up in your attic.
Can holiday decor attract rodents?
It depends on how you store it.
A lot of Houstonians store their decor in a cardboard box. They stick it in the attic or the garage for 11 months.
As far as rodents are concerned, that box is prime nesting material. If you have rats or mice in your attic or garage and they see that cardboard box? It’s a sure bet they’re chewing on it, crawling inside it, and rooting around in there.
What happens when you bring it inside to unpack the ornaments?
There’s a real good chance you might bring rodents into your living space. Now they’re not just in the attic, they’re running around your living room too, ready to become the worst kind of Christmas surprise.
Plus, they may have done some dangerous damage. So this year:
- If you see, smell, or hear something funny when you go for that cardboard box, call for an inspection. Don’t risk a rat encounter.
- Inspect the wiring on inflatables and light strands before you plug them in.
- Switch to clear plastic bins with locking lids when you put your ornaments away at the end of the season. It’ll remove one more rat-attractant from your garage or attic spaces.
By the way, if you see gnaw marks on any wiring? Time to call us for a free inspection. You definitely have an issue.
Are edible ornaments still okay?
In Houston? The fourth rattiest city in the world?
We don’t recommend them. Putting out popcorn garlands, candy cane strings, and salt-dough ornaments are like putting out a buffet for any rodent near your house.
And rest assured, they won’t care that they’re on the eaves or up a tree. Rats are expert climbers.
It also doesn’t matter if your ornaments smell like peppermint. The idea that rats hate the smell of peppermint is a pervasive myth, but there’s no scientific evidence that it repels any rodent population. Some of them have even come to associate the smell with food, which is the opposite of what you want.
Can outdoor lights cause rat problems?
You’re fine if you use outdoor outlets. But if you run an extension cord through a window or crack the garage door “just a little” so you can run a cord somewhere you can’t normally get power, then you’re inviting trouble.
Mice need gaps the size of a dime. Rats need gaps the size of a quarter. Neither has much trouble sensing the warmth inside your home, or the food smells, or the water smells.
Use outdoor-rated power outlets only, and plan your displays accordingly.
Enjoy the season, but remain vigilant.
If you think you might have a rat or a mouse problem, don’t wait to discover one hanging off one of your Christmas stockings like Tom Cruise in the umpteenth Mission Impossible movie.
Call us for an inspection and exclusion methods that work, then use these tips to keep your home free and clear of rats and mice.