Stuart Little was famous in Hollywood. However, in real life, mice never wear decorative sweaters and they certainly do not have respect for others property.
Eliminate Mice, Rats, and other Pests from Your Backyard Shed
It’s one of those unfortunate facts of life, sheds = pests. There are many types of pests, but with the proper precautions, you will never have to worry about rodents taking over your shed.
In our last installment, Bugs In Storage Shed — Learn How to Keep Them Out, my buddy Mr. Storage Shed regales us with his tale of woe — a fight with the wife, who recoiled in horror at ants in their shed, while he laughed — until he ended up sleeping with the bugs. Guess who’s laughing now?
Well, it’s both of us! As we move on from from ants in your pants, err, sheds, now we’ve got it worse! It’s mice, and rats!
So, how do we get rid of these nasty and annoying furry pests?
Ridding Your Storage Shed of Rats and Mice With Poison or Traps
This is how rats survive in the wild. One man’s leftovers becomes a delicious meal for all. Source: MediaMonarchy.com
Well, you can pay an arm and a leg for an exterminator. While that may be necessary in the end, it’s always best to arm yourself with plenty of knowledge (and artillery) in these cases. Sheds can be magnets for rodents if improperly maintained. An exterminator will get them once and leave, but you’ve got to live there. So, the best bet is to come up with a long-term plan and on-going solution.
Rats and mice are hard to get rid of once you’ve got them. Poison and traps are your best bet. Sure, there are some other natural ways to keep them at bay, but for long-term solution, it’s best to just get in there and kill them quickly.
Mouse traps like this one by D-Con can work very well at getting rid of mice.
Depending on where you’ve got them living, traps may be your better solution. Disposal is the only problem in this case, because who wants to pick up a dead rat? Gross! But it’s easy and usually a one-stop shot, so to speak.
Keep in mind that if you use traps, you’ve got to be creative about moving them into different spots. Also, make sure you switch up the bait regularly. Rats and mice are smarter than you might think. They will remember. So keep moving those traps and setting out new ways to bait them.
If you use poison, depending on where the rodent dies, you may have a smell issue on your hands. It’s also possible that the rodent will eat the poison and then move into a different spot, making it hard to find the body. A dead rat or mouse can stink up your storage shed for weeks on end. So keep this in mind when setting out poison. But if you use poison, you may not have to deal with the dead rat, unless it dies right smack in the middle of the floor.
Humane Rat/Mouse Disposal
If you want to get rid of rodents humanely, try this method.
The Smart Mouse Trap – Humane Rat Trap.
Some people prefer not to kill the rodents, rather relocate them. In this case, sticky traps will trap the animal, but keep it alive.
Electronic rodent repellents are also becoming popular. But a quick Google search and perusal of reviews reveals that these often only work in the short-term. If you’ve never had rodents or have only a few, these might work. But if you’ve got an infestation, don’t count on these working for the long-term. They get used to the sound and then just come back.
Animal Watch Guards
It seems the most logical, if you’ve got rodents in your storage shed, to just get a cat or small dog. Cats will likely keep mice at bay.
Cats like this one are born to hunt down rodents. Just look at this cat’s expression. I’m intimidated just looking at him. Meow with attitude…
But if you’ve got rats, it’s better to get a rat terrier, which are known to be vicious at rat killing. Plus, they’re cuter than rats.
Some suggest getting a snake. But I’m not so sure that this is a great solution, especially if you’ve got other small animals around the yard, or small children.
Natural Rodent Solutions
Aside from bombing them with poisons and traps or having vicious animal attack guards, there are other natural solutions.
Rodents don’t like certain smells and once you’ve eliminated the main problem, putting out these smells nearby can help keep them at bay.
- – Mothballs
- – Fox urine (can be purchased)
- – Peppermint and spearmint oil
- – Cayenne pepper
- – Cloves
- – Ammonia
- – Dryer sheets
- – Citronella
Make Sure They Don’t Come Back
Once you’ve gotten rid of your rodent problem in your shed, make sure they don’t come back by following these tips.
- – Keep your shed well sealed
- – Plug any holes
- – Don’t leave food sources available
- – Don’t leave anything for them to nest in
Follow all these tips and keep a good rotation in place and you’re sure to keep your storage shed rodent free!
Consider a future Shed Liquidators’ Gambrel Shed to keep mice at bay. Our sheds are professionally installed and securely assembled to avoid cracks and openings for rodents. Contact us with any of your shed questions!
