Expert shares advice on mice with CKOM’s Mark Loshack

As fall approaches, mice are in look of shelter to protect themselves from predators.

Shawn Sherwood with Poulin’s Pest Control told CKOM Morning Show host Mark Loshack some of the steps people can take to prevent mice from taking shelter in their homes.

The pest-control expert said it’s important to clear all items that could be used as shelter for mice away from the foundation of your house.

“Mice are at the bottom of the food chain, and they know that,” said Sherwood.

“If there’s no cover there for them, they aren’t going to hang out there, because something bigger than them is going to eat them.”

Sherwood said that poison for mice is now mostly single-feeding bait, which only kills the rodent that eats it. That means if a pet chews on a mouse that has died from poison, it will not be harmed.

“After eating the bait, the rodent will die within three to five days,” said Sherwood.

“If one or two of them die in your yard and the dog decides to munch them down, there really isn’t much danger at all.”

If you set a mouse trap and catch a mouse, Sherwood recommended replacing the trap in the same spot.

“Say you set up a trap and caught a mouse behind the fridge and you are worried that you might have another mouse, set the trap back up behind the fridge,” said Sherwood.

“The next mouse that comes in will follow that exact same scent trail that the other mouse left behind, and you’re going to catch him in exactly the same spot.”

According to Sherwood, mice are always looking for little holes and openings that they can get into, and they can actually fit into a hole the size of a person’s little finger.

Mice aren’t looking for shelter because of the winter weather that’s approaching, however.

“A mouse isn’t looking to get into your house because it’s winter. They have a fur coat; they don’t care about the weather,” said Sherwood.

“The reason he wants into your house is because leaves have fallen off the trees, the farmers have cut down all their crops, grass is dying and he’s got no coverage and he can’t hide from the predators.”

Once a mouse gets into an opening, Sherwood said it often gets curious to see how far it can go.