DIY guideMice and pests

Spot signs of animals in the roof, attic or under the deck

Listen and look for droppings, chewing, nests and new holes, from the ground and the attic hatch, and leave removal to a wildlife pro.

7 steps

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Listen in the rooms under the attic and near the deck for scratching, thumping or squeaks, most often at dusk and dawn.
Walk round the house and look at the eaves, soffits and vents for holes, chewed edges and torn screens.
Lift the attic hatch and shine a flashlight across the insulation. Look for droppings, nests and tunnels, without climbing in.
Wear a mask and gloves, and never touch or sweep up droppings: they can carry disease.
Look along the deck's skirting and steps for dug-out holes, fresh soil and flattened paths.
Stuff a loose ball of newspaper into a hole you can reach. If it's pushed out in a day or two, something is using it.
Don't block a hole that's in use: an animal shut inside will chew a new way out, or die in there.
Animals in the attic, the walls or under the deck, or any bats: ask Handyman for a wildlife pro. Removal is theirs.
Never handle a bat or a wild animal, alive or dead.

Handyman says: Hands off. I'll find a wildlife pro.

Free for every home. Handyman asks a few questions, then books a pro it trusts.