Increased demand for exterminators as rodents make their way indoors

CTV Calgary: Unwanted visitors in Calgary homes Exterminators are experiencing an increase in mice calls. Chris Epp reports.

Calgary’s mouse population has become a year-round problem for homeowners in our city but the winter months bring an increase in calls to extermination companies as the critters attempt to make their way indoors and away from the harsh elements.

For Erik Shuster, an experienced exterminator with Abell Pest Control, mice calls are a common occurrence and he’s constantly amazed by the lengths the animals will go to enter a home, often finding an entrance through the smallest of spaces.

“Conduits, dryer vents, chipped away parings, a missing brick, door sweeps if you have an older wooden home with wooden siding, maybe some of that has eroded so they have access that way,” explains Shuster.

While removing mice from a home often requires the assistance of a professional, Shuster says there are proactive steps a homeowner can take to avoid an infestation.

“Make sure the outside perimeter of your building is secure, that's your first line of defense,” explains Shuster. “If you have other things that are drawing them, if you have a garbage dumpster out back or if you have your garbage bags from inside that you keep outside your back door, things you can do to keep them from being interested in the first place is always your first and best line of defense.”

With files from CTV's Chris Epp