Where Do Rodents Hide In New Mexico Homes?

As a homeowner, you take pride in your property and strive to keep it, clean, comfortable, and free of health and safety risks. Unfortunately, sometimes unwelcome guests make their way into New Mexico homes jeopardizing people and property. Two of the most common culprits are mice and rats. These rodents can be sneaky and elusive, making it essential to understand their hideouts in your home. In this post, we'll explore where mice and rats are likely to hide when they infest homes, how to identify and address rodent problems.  

7 common hiding spots for mice & rats

• Attics
  Attics are prime hiding spots for rodents because they’re secluding and offer protection for the elements. What’s more, attics are easy to access; all they need is a small opening or gap in the roof, eaves, or vents. If you suspect rodents have infested your attic, listen for noises at night and keep an eye out for droppings, gnawed wires, and shredded insulation. You might also notice damage to your stored belongings.
• Wall voids
  Mice and rats can squeeze through surprisingly small openings, allowing them to enter wall voids. They'll travel through these hidden pathways, making it challenging to detect them. To confirm rodents are using your wall voids as a super highway, listen for scratching or rustling sounds (primarily at night).
• Kitchens
  Rodents are drawn to food sources, making kitchen and pantries attractive hideouts. Check for gnawed through food packaging, droppings, and small footprints through dust on the floor or even spills, such as flour or sugar.
• Closets & cabinets
  Mice and rats may seek refuge in closets and cabinets, often making nests from clothing, linens, cardboard, anything else they can find. Keep an eye out for chewed items, urine stains, and feces. You might also hear noises coming from those areas after dark.  
• Garages
  Garages are common hiding spots for mice and rats due to their typically less secure construction. If you’ve got gaps around doors and windows, store pet food and bird seed, or tend to have a lot of clutter, your garage could be highly attractive to rodents. Signs of a rodents in garages include droppings, chew marks, and other damage. You may also observe rub marks or grease marks on walls and other surfaces their oily fur touches.
• Furniture
  Rodents will nest inside furniture and upholstery, especially if they are rarely used. Look for shredded fabric or insulation.
• Basements and crawl spaces
  Although most homes in Albuquerque and across New Mexico do not have basements or crawl spaces, there are a few and so we’ve included them on our list of hiding spaces. If you have a basement that is dark, and secluded and there are holes or gaps on the outside of the home that would allow rodents to slip inside, you could unknowingly host these destructive pests. Keep a watch out for urine and droppings, chew marks, rub marks, nests, and damage.

Even if your home is rodent-free, your property might not be

In addition to seeking refuge inside homes, rodents often hideout in woodpiles, clutter in the yard, and outbuildings. Be sure to look for the signs of mice and rats we mentioned above when inspecting your property.

How to stop mice & rats from infesting

Rather than battle rodents after they’ve infested your home or business, why not take steps to prevent them from gaining access in the first place? To that end, our local pest exterminators have put together a few rodent prevention tips:

• Seal all entry points, such as cracks, gaps, and holes in your home's exterior
• Keep your home clean, ensuring no crumbs or food scraps are accessible to rodents
• Store food in airtight containers
• Empty trash cans regularly
• Do not leave dirty dishes in the sink
• Fix leaking pipes and other plumbing issues
• Haul away yard debris and keep your property maintained

What to do if you detect rodent activity in your home

Mice and rats can be challenging to deal with once they've found a cozy hiding spot inside your home. By understanding their likely hideouts and taking preventive measures, you can minimize the risk of infestations, however if you develop a rodent infestation, contact Greenway Pest Solutions right at the first sign of a problem!

Effective pest control in Albuquerque, NM

At Greenway Pest Solutions, we offer ongoing home pest control services in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and Belen, as well as throughout our service area that not only targets common house-infesting insects, but also rodents! When you contact us for help getting rid of mice and/or rats, here’s what we’ll do:

• Perform an initial inspection to identify all pest activity
• Provide an interior and exterior service that includes treatment specifically for rodents and installation of exterior rodent stations
• Return every quarter to service your property to ensure insects and rodents don’t have the opportunity to re-infest

For more information about our rodent control solutions for home or business, reach out to Greenway Pest Solutions today!