The following case study details mouse extermination in Richmond Hill. It was May, and mice had been invading this home for quite some time. To treat the issue, a member of the Mouse Control team set up bait stations and monitored the mouse activity closely. If you are dealing with a mouse problem and need help, call us and a technician will come to inspect. Our mouse control services are guaranteed and come with a 2-year warranty.
Initial Inspection
The customers in this case called Mouse Control after struggling to get rid of a mouse problem for years. They had seen mice running around the house at night and would find droppings along the walls of the main floor. Mice are common in Richmond Hill and can be difficult to get rid of without professional tools. They will sneak into the house through the tiniest of openings and breed fast enough that it is impossible to keep up. A technician soon went to investigate the problem.
Upon arrival, the technician examined the exterior of the home for entry points. This would determine where the mice were coming from and what we could do to stop them. Mice can fit through openings merely 6 or 7mm wide. Here, the technician found some wall vents that were near the ground. Mice can climb up the wall and squeeze their way through these vents and into the walls of the home. A crack in the foundation was also wide enough to fit a mouse.
Following the exterior inspection, the technician took a look inside. Mice tend to hide in wall voids, floor voids, appliances, and other dark, enclosed areas near food and water. Droppings were found throughout the first floor of the home. To exterminate the mice and keep them out, the technician recommended having bait stations installed on the main floor of the house and excluding the wall vents outside. The homeowner agreed to go ahead with the plan and the technician got to work.
Treatment and Exclusion
Immediately after the inspection, the technician placed 8 bait stations in suspected areas of mouse activity. These stations consist of tamper-proof, plastic containers of rodenticide. The containers have very small openings on their side, allowing mice to enter and consume the rodenticide without the risk of harming pets or small children. The rodenticide is also specially formulated to appeal to mice. After a few doses, the mice would retreat into their nests to perish. The mouse activity on this property was expected to slow down after 2 to 4 weeks.
The technician then blocked the wall vents with a mouse-proof mesh. The mesh that we use is made of galvanized steel mesh, which is flexible and weather-proof so that it lasts a long time. Capping the vent with mesh would continue to let air flow while keeping pests out. The gaps surrounding the utility lines were sealed with caulking.
Follow-up
About a week later, a member of the Mouse Control team came to check up on the bait stations. Only our technicians can open these up to ensure that our customers stay safe. At this time, there was no indication that the mice were feeding on the poison. However, one of the homeowners said they had caught a few mice in their snap traps. The mice appeared large, with white bellies and brown backs. This meant that the species invading this property was likely the deer mouse, which is less common indoors. Therefore, the mice may have already left the house. To be sure, the stations were left, and the technician would come back to check again later.
Another week later, in July, the technician noted that only the bait stations under the sink showed signs of feeding. This is a common area of infestation. To target the mice more efficiently, the technician then moved the other bait stations to this cabinet.
At this time, the homeowners had been hearing scratching sounds in the ceiling of the basement. This could have meant that mice were nesting in the voids of the ceiling. The technician then took a closer look around the home. A very small gap was found under the backyard deck, and it was surrounded by mouse feces. The technician sealed it immediately.
Conclusion
By September, the homeowners were no longer seeing signs of mouse activity. This case demonstrates the importance of hiring a pest control team that doesn’t stop until the job is done. Our technicians came back to visit this property multiple times. We will seal every point of entry and check up on our bait stations regularly to ensure that our program is working and that mice cannot get inside. For mouse control, you can count on, call Mouse Control. We will return and follow up until we have solved the problem for good.
