Invasions of Rodents

We heard stories about squirrels damaging wires on solar panels on the roofs, and mouse setting nests under hood of cars; never thought this type of tales could happen to us.

Squirrel invasion 

A few years ago we saw squirrels on our roofs; did not pay much attention to them; thinking that they would get off and go to their nests in the trees.

One day I heard animals running above ceilings - but did not see them on the roof. When I got to attic I saw a lot animal droppings on the attic floor, as well as tracks on the insulation materials!! I cleaned the attic, applied a lot of squirrel repellent, and placed a sonic rodent repelling device in the attic.

sonic repellent dev

I also saw squirrels jumping from a tree in the front yard onto the roof, and from roof to the tree's branches. One day I saw a group of 6 squirrels get off the tree, and crossed the street into a neighbor's yard - where there  was a much bigger tree. I took actions right then  - cut long tree branches which were approaching the house, applied mole max  - a rodent repellent.

Every time I saw a squirrel on my territory, I would either apply more rodent repellent,   or cut more tree branches!! With these sustained actions, I rarely see squirrels in my yard now.


Mice under Hood

Early January, there had been extended cold spell in north Texas. One day when I got home in the afternoon, I noticed a lot black droppings on the garage floor - knowing that mouses were there the previous night to get a warm shelter - I swept the floor and applied some baits inside the garage. The next day I was pleased to notice that there were few dropping on the floor. The third day afternoon I was surprised to see that floor was covered by black droppings - looking carefully some of the "droppings" were fluffy  - those were chewed up insulation materials!!!  I instantly inferred that mice got into Lily's car. When she got home later in the day, we opened her car's hood, we saw mouse baits all over the places!! We were worried - what if the mice damage the wires in her car, what if they got into the house .....


We checked online to see how to deal with these, we talked to friends and co-workers about the situations, asked what they did,  and formed an action plan:

1) clean up the car, have it checked
2) block entrance  - some small openings near the garage door - to the garage

3) bought traps and poisonous bait  - place the trap and baits outside the garage

Despite the lousy blockage to the openings near the garage door, the mice were stopped almost immediately. 

The baits in the traps were consumed in about a week, not sure if any mice were killed by it or not.

I placed more baits in the traps and moved the traps away from the foundations. Yesterday after overnight rain, I saw a dead mouse in alley! This is consistent with the bait's function - it needs water to kill mouse.

Not professional eradication of rodents, but so far they are kept away from my house.