Learn the habits of mice during mice season.

If you think mice and rats hibernate, you’re in for a big surprise. When the mercury on the thermometer starts to plunge, rats and mice may seek food and shelter indoors. These rodents stay active throughout the winter. And if the conditions in your home are hospitable, they may very well decide to move their activities inside your house.

Do what you can to nip this potential problem in the bud. Learn about rats and mice, what attracts these rodents to your home, and how to help get rid of rats and mice this winter or any time of year.

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Do rodents like mice and rats hibernate?

What time of year are rats and mice most active?

When do mice and rats enter homes?

How to prepare your home for rodent season

Do rodents like mice and rats hibernate?

Both mice and rats do not hibernate, but there is a difference between rats and mice strategies for surviving the winter. First, let’s learn about mice. Mice, which are smaller and less tolerant of cold temperatures, tend to seek out warm, sheltered spaces like homes, garages, or barns during winter. They are highly active throughout the season, foraging for food and creating nests made from soft materials like paper or fabric.

Rats, on the other hand, are larger and more adaptable to a variety of environments. They also remain active during the winter, but their survival strategies differ slightly. Norway rats often burrow into the ground or under structures to build insulated nests, while roof rats prefer to nest in attics or trees. Both species stockpile food to sustain themselves through periods when foraging may be more challenging. Unlike mice, rats are better equipped to handle colder outdoor temperatures, but they will still enter homes or other buildings for warmth, shelter, and food.

What time of year are rats and mice most active?

Mice and rats are active year-round, but there are certain seasons where these rodents are more likely to come into contact with humans.

When are mice most active?

In the spring and summer, while temperatures are warm, mice are very active and will breed and expand their population outdoors. When temperatures get colder in the fall and early winter months mice will look for warmer shelter and reliable food sources to survive. This time period when mice seek indoor shelter is referred to as mice season.

What months are mice season? Mice season can last from August through to November. Mice are less tolerant of cold weather, so their instinct to find shelter drives their increased movement during these months to invade homes, garages, and other buildings.

When are rats most active?

Rats follow a very similar pattern as mice. Rats are also active in the spring and summer, where they reproduce and grow their colonies. In the spring, rats may also seek shelter indoors, in basements, sheds, or attics to raise their young.

Rat activity spikes again in the fall and early winter months as temperature drops and food becomes more scarce, causing rats to seek shelter indoors. Rat season, like mice season, typically lasts from August through early November. Both mice and rats are highly active at night, regardless of the season, but you’re more likely to notice rodents sneaking into your home during the cooler months.

When do mice and rats enter homes?

Rodents are mammals, meaning they need to maintain a warm body temperature to survive. Couple that with the fact that harsh winter months mean there are fewer food sources readily available, and you can see why rats might decide to call your house “home” when it gets cold out for easier access to meals and warm shelter.

There are other factors that can attract rats to your house, too. These include:

  • A messy home, especially if you leave food out or don’t clean up spills immediately after they happen

  • Areas that provide shelter, such as woodpiles, leaf piles, shrubs, or debris

  • Pet food or excrement

  • Easy access to food and water (Rats are opportunistic when it comes to food, meaning they’ll climb into trash cans and compost heaps for meals.)

  • Ways to enter your home through cracks and holes in foundation, vents, attics, and even gutters

Once mice and rats settle into your home, they’re unlikely to leave on their own. While they might initially enter for refuge, the shelter and consistent resources your home provides can make it an ideal environment year-round. Without intervention, rodents may continue to nest, reproduce, and remain active in a home long after winter has passed.

How to prepare your home for rodent season

When you’re trying to figure out how to keep rats away and considering DIY rodent control solutions, it helps first to think of what a rat would need to survive. The best rat deterrent is removing any factors that offer these rodents food or shelter. Here are several ways to help do just that:

  • If you live in a warmer climate, fix leaky outdoor faucets to cut off water supplies.

  • Inspect your home and plug up any holes that are larger than a ¼ inch.

  • Keep tree limbs trimmed and cut back any tree branches that touch or hang over your home so that rats aren’t able to climb inside. Additionally, you’ll want to cut back ivy or other climbing vines from the side of your house.

  • Clean your home regularly, paying special attention to the kitchen. Don’t forget to sweep up your floor and to check easy-to-forget areas, including under the toaster and by the base of your fridge, oven and trash can.

  • Store dry goods and pet food in containers made of metal or glass. And remember not to leave food out. (This goes for bread, too. Put that loaf in the fridge or a breadbox.)

  • Feed your pets inside the house and keep their water bowls indoors. You should also keep litter boxes clean and pick up any pet feces from your yard.

  • Clean exterior bird feeders to eliminate food sources for rodents.

  • Make sure the lids on your trashcans are secured tightly to help prevent rats from accessing the contents.

  • Clear out the remains of your summer or fall garden and pick up any decaying fruit or nuts that may have fallen in your yard. If you compost, you’ll want to invest in a rat-proof compost bin, rather than leaving compost out in the open.

  • Maintain a clean yard that’s free of fallen limbs, leaf piles, or debris.

  • Stack firewood far away from your home, and only keep as much as you need on your property.

While the thought of discovering a rat in your house may be enough to make you want to move, you do have options. The first step is knowing what attracts rats and then figuring out how to keep them away. The second is contacting a company that provides professional rodent control services, like Terminix. A trained technician can inspect your home for these animals and help you set up a customized prevention plan with tailored mice control services and rat control services. Book your free rodent inspection today and evict mice and rats from your home and property.