Jason is a pest technician for CAD Pest Control. He says he has had more calls from customers, this year, as a result of the ongoing drought.
"There's no water out there for them to drink, when it's dry," Peters said. "So, they're trying to move in. There's moisture underneath houses, sometimes."
There is also water in many people's yards. Sprinkler systems and ponds could attract mice for the water, but as the temperatures cool off, Peters expects another increase in service calls.
"They're going to pick up a little bit because they're going to try to get warmer," Peters said "They're going to try to move inside. They don't like the cold, like we don't."
Mice can squeeze through small holes or cracks, the size of a dime. Once they get into the crawl space, they can easily get into the house. That is what Laurie Alden is dealing with.
"I can hear them at night, and I don't have a bad problem," Alden said. "I can just hear some rustling under the sink and then I know to call them."
Alden owns Zephyr Farms, in Washoe Valley. Having horses and a large amount of property and buildings means rodents come with the territory. That is why she keeps her horse feed stored, properly.
"You have to keep them in airtight containers, garbage cans that are metal because they'll actually chew through the plastic," Alden said.
It is also important to properly store food, inside the house. Pet food commonly attracts mice inside people's garages and homes.
"They're not the cleanest of rodents," Peters said. "So we try to keep them out of people's food, especially their pantries and stuff like that. You don't want them in your walls. Make sure you don't have food all over the place. Keep things in storage, hard containers, not just plastic bags."
Some people have mice in their homes and don't even know it. The most obvious tell-tale sign is mouse droppings. When you see those, Alden says it is time to call an exterminator, or get a cat.
"I have feral cats in the barn that are great mousers, and they'll even get an occasional pigeon," Alden said.
Alden says rodents are common in rural areas, especially ranches, but Peters says he gets just as many calls in town as he does on the outskirts. Along with storing food, he says people should check their doors and garages to make sure the house is sealed off, to prevent a mouse infestation.
