Bird seed attracts mice in Rumson, NJ attic.

Challenge

I was called to a home in Rumon, NJ after the homeowner had contacted Cowleys because of noises the family was hearing in the attic. Based on the level of noise and when they were hearing it, I suspected it was a mouse infestation and did not involve large wildlife. Also, a cursory inspection of the roof did not show any entry holes for squirrels or raccoons. 

Solution

I immediately went into the attic to look for signs of a rodent infestation. It id not take long for me to find tell-tale mouse droppings that lead straight to, of all things, a bird cage that was filled with everything except a bird! The homeowner’s pet bird had recently died and he brought its cage up into the attic. Unfortunately, he forgot to empty thedcontents of the cage I saw that there was left-over bird feed and the remains of a granola stick treat. Mice will devour pretty much anything, and in their foraging, they managed to find these seeds and other attractants. Once mice gain entry inside a home, they often make their way to the attic through wall voids because it is a warm, private area of the home that is filled with plenty of insulation and other nesting materials.

I emptied the contents of the cage to remove their food source. Since the attic offered plenty of hidden harborage areas, I set up interior rodent bait stations throughout. During my inspection, I found a nest of chewed paper, leaves, and insulation that was piled in a corner of the attic and removed that as well. With their food source eliminated and the bait stations in place, any remaining mice hiding in the attic was soon be gone along with all of the noises keeping this nice family up at night!