Don’t find yourself, hosting a buffet for unwanted furry guests like rats, mice and wildlife. Pet and bird food are a terrific food source for rodents, wildlife and pests like beetles and moths. Since rodents and wildlife can easily chew through anything, they can easily access feed and thrive on it. Pet and bird food encourages rodents and wildlife to stay close by, live in/around your structure/property and multiply creating an even larger problem. Food pests can infest pet and bird food creating a infestation of beetles or moths. Below are some suggestions for storing and maintaining pet and bird food to prevent pests from visiting you.

• Store pet food and bird seed in metal cans or glass with tightly sealed lids. Unfortunately, rats and wildlife can chew their way through plastic containers and plastic/paper bags.
• Do not let pets eat at their leisure; only provide your pet the amount of food needed at that time. Leaving food behind in your dog or cats dish is an open invitation for rats, mice or other wildlife to join. This applies to both indoor and outdoor feeding locations.
• Placed bird feeders out of the reach of rodents, squirrels and other wildlife by placing on poles and areas where these pests cannot access them.
• Although it is enviable that bird seed will get spilled – whatever can be done to avoid bird seed from spilling is helpful. This will avoid attracting and maintaining rodent or wildlife populations around your property and structure

Many Capital Region homeowners enjoy seeing the birds come visit their bird feeders and watch the squirrels go nuts looking for left bird seeder. Unfortunately, bird seed can attract rodents inside your home! When rodents make their way inside, they can be difficult to control when there is a competing food source (bird food or pet food). Have you ever bought pet mice/rat or gerbil food? It looks like bird food! When rodents have moved inside your Clifton Park or surrounding area home, it is best to get rid of rodents with a pest control company who specializes in rodent removal. Rodents and wildlife are very smart and when life is treating them well, they can become difficult to get rid of.