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Vinyl Siding and Rodents?

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Posted by wldcard (My Page) on
Fri, Oct 5, 07 at 11:39

I just bought my first home this year and I have a question. I am surrounded my wooded areas and a lot of squirrels and chipmunks around. I have recently noticed very small pieces of broken (or gnawed) Styrofoam at the very corners outside of my house. Just above each of these spots (about 6 to eight inches) is where my Vinyl siding ends. I was wondering if this normal? are rodents getting underneath my siding? What kind of animal could this be?

Should I be worried that they will try and enter the house?
About three weeks ago at about 10 pm my wife heard some scratching coming for inside the wall of the family room. She called me over and I banged on the wall repeatedly but it would not stop. I soon realized that the animal was not in the wall but was in the patio door frame. I banged there as well, it would not stop. I stated to scratch the area and the animal stopped. The next morning I went out back and I noted a small gap ( about 3/4 inch) between my patio door siding and my house. I put a couple of moth balls in there and waited a day. The next day I filled the hole with Patio and window sealant ( this should have been used upon installation). We have not heard any scratching there since. But occasionally my wife hears scratching or running on the roof at night. what can this be?

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RE: Vinyl Siding and Rodents?

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tree rats and other rodents. seal ALL holes 1/4" or larger to keep them out. every fall i put a couple boxes of mothballs out in my attic. before i did we used to get mice in the attic pretty bad.

a mouse can squeeze his whole body thru a 1/4" hole. a rat can go thru a 1/2" hole. if they can get their head thru, the body will actually collapse to pass thru as well.

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RE: Vinyl Siding and Rodents?

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You have all the signs. No it is not normal that you are seeing gnawed Styrofoam. It sounds like you have some visitors in your attic. They can be mice, rats, squirrels, etc. You better check things out.

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RE: Vinyl Siding and Rodents?

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The last time (and only) time I heard scratching in my walls, I awoke to find a dead baby squirrel in my toilet! Yeeeek!!!

I would call an exterminator A.S.A.P.

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RE: Vinyl Siding and Rodents?

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That was a turd, hon. When you get that drunk, sometimes you forget to flush.

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