Let's face it....we are surrounded by them everywhere you look. Highland Park is surrounded by woodlands where the wild things live. Mice, rat's, squirrel's, raccoon, moles, deer, bear and perhaps carnivore's of various types.
Just for the sake of home issue's I'll contain my comments to rodents, especially mice and rats. I had a problem several years ago with mice in the crawl space that expanded to the garage, walls and then the attic. This happened fast as once they have a foot hold and a litter or two things get going very quickly. I will tell you all that I know and what I do and look forward to your comments to learn more from you.
To find out if you have them, looking for the signs of them is the first step. Those little dark specks [tapered] on the floor are signs of mice and rats. Things that are chewed can be both food and other semi-soft material [wood/plastics/foams]. The soft stuff is chewed as they find nest material for their litters. They bear litters all the time and thus are quite prolific. More the reason to get on this problem if you have it and then maintain control all year long. The truth of the matter is there is a war with them and the cat's can't [or won't] keep up.
I would get some traps and set some in the garage and some in the attic. I used regular traps with peanut butter with lethal results. Other types are fine but you figure out what to do with a "ticked off rodent" when you get one. Maybe drive them over to Kalhanie for release? [sorry]... If you get positive results then set more traps and stay on this until you get no results. Then I deposit Decon type bait in my crawl space. If you never go down into your crawl and/or it's too small to actually crawl around in, then just put a 2 ft. x 2 ft. piece of plywood down there and throw the Decon on that from the access. Put some down every year as it's an on-going process. This seems to do the job.
I had a Pest Control service out once and learned that Garage doors that don't completely close are common entry points for rodents. A little lubrication on the roller wheels and a adjustment on the motor stops should correct that problem.
Trim trees away from the house as squirrels, rat's and others will use these as a way to enter your attic through the roof line. These are not holes in your roof but rather some natural gaps that the roof line and up-right walls can't close.
Check the screens on your foundation vents around your house. If they are damaged and holes exist then cover them with another screen to keep the varmits out of your crawl space.
Enough from me let's hear from you...
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I just read an article in The Sammamish Reporter [April 4th, 2009 edition], the rag left in our mailboxes. The story is about Living with Nature and the Wild Life corridors and habitat. We have a couple of those that surround Highland Park. The first run's behind lot's 1-13 and the big one, of course borders lot 21-41. I think the creek drainage is is "Laughing Jacobs Creek"? Some one could correct me on that hopefully but I think that's right. That is where the "Wild Things" live for sure. I have seen bear, deer and a Fox pair some years ago. The neighborhood was treated to a picture of a Bobcat some years ago, picture taken as it was eating a just caught squirrel. If you have that picture still send it to me and I'll see about posting it. Living next to these areas don't endanger us but instead enrich us. The house cat and small "wandering" dog can meet their fate here but for the most part you are in no danger. If you see one, it goes without saying but I'll say it...don't approach it. Some situations, especially with Sow Bears and cubs, you could cause a exciting moment.
ReplyDeleteTo see where these corridor's are go to the City of Sammamish website and find MAPS on the header and scroll to the Water, Wildlife and Overlays map.
You breathed the spirit into the post, Camoduk. We the people are the intruders. I cringe a bit every time I see an email that seems to put the critters in the crosshairs. They do indeed enrich our lives. These "sighting" notices create a sense of fear and anxiety instead of celebration.
ReplyDeleteI was delighted to see a segment by Bill Geist this morning on Sunday Morning [CBS]. He presented the reaction we have to wildlife and their impact on our lives and properties.
ReplyDeleteWithout judgment I'll tell you of a situation at my house and how I think my wife and I are going to handle it.
A squirrel has taken up residence in our attic. Being the spring of the year I'm assuming that she [assuming again] has a litter up there. OK, if I chase her out now or exterminate her, what do I do with the 4-6 dead bodies squirreled away in an UN-reachable area of my attic rafter's? That will result in a stink bomb that will be forever! So instead we are tolerating the situation, hoping they don't take a liking to crewing on wires and such. Once they are out and frolicking in the wilds of Highland Park then I will plan on hiring a crew to seal off the area's that they use to gain access to the attic.
Lot # 7 - Response to the first comment: I agree that the wildlife we have in this area is a treat and not to be feared. On May 12, 2010, while working in my den that looks East into Common Area Track B behind Lots 1-13, two Bobcats wandered across my backyard. Appeared to be a male and female. I scrambled to get my camera for a picture and got a couple. They won't win a prize but are certainly good enough to tell they are Bobcats. Cool looking cats!!
ReplyDeleteResponse to the original posting, specifically the part about rats & mice: first, they are NOT part of the wildlife I consider a treat! The general approach of traps until you get no more hits then Decon thereafter also worked for me. I have not had a sign of mice or rats for almost two years except that a little Decon is missing every few months.
What is most important for controlling rodents? There have lots of factors which are strongly responsible for attracting rodents in our houses. Prevention is better than cure. If we can properly manage those sources of attraction then they will be discourage strongly. Various types of baits are equally effective for controlling those devils.
ReplyDeletetermite treatment