Many people love being on the water in South Florida, but no one wants to have a pest problem onboard while they try to enjoy time with family and friends. Unfortunately, there are several ways to answer the question, “How do mice get in boats?”. They particularly focus on boat access, temperature differentials, and access to food or other appealing materials.
How Do Mice Get In Boats? What Can I Do About It?
Whether you store your boat at a marina during the sunny season, a private dock on your property, or a trailer, you won’t be using it every day. The biggest threat boat owners face is when the boat is in use, you may forget and leave trash or food crumbs from your adventures inside life jackets or blankets that could be used to make a nest. Or you may simply tie a mooring or cleat hitch when you’re done for the day and not think much more of it. This shore line would make a perfect rope bridge for a pest in search of food.
Unfortunately, these three elements play a large role in the probability of a mouse or other rodent getting in your boat. Much like a criminal, they need:
- Access—Whether your boat is on a trailer, at a dock, or even in storage, mice need to be able to access it. It doesn’t take much, a hole less than a half-inch in diameter can let in a rat. Further, if you use mooring lines, they can tip-toe their way across the rope to get into your boat.
- Motive—Mice and rats love quiet areas, especially when there are already food options available. Even if there isn’t, their teeth never stop growing, so even things you might not think are appetizing, like wire sheathing or ropes, can appeal to rodents.
- Opportunity—Rodents of all kinds generally don’t like to be bothered, so you’re unlikely to face a massive infestation if you’re going out on the water every day. However, as soon as the weather shifts, any place that provides a respite for mice and rats that is quiet enough for them to enjoy becomes quite appealing.
Preventing and Treating the Issue When Mice Get in Boats
There are ways to mitigate each of the issues above:
- Cleaning out your boat after every trip when possible is the best way to avoid leaving food scraps and other materials that mice and rats find appetizing.
- Install guards on your mooring lines and invest in sonic repellents to keep them from wanting to journey aboard your vessel with you.
Unfortunately, for many people, the problem with asking, “How do mice get in boats?” is that it has become a rhetorical question. If you think you have an infestation, you’ll need to try using traps and other means to remove the pests from your boat. After treatment, you’ll still want to use the preventive measures above to ensure the issue doesn’t happen again.
Using Professional Pest Control
Rodents can fit through extremely small gaps and cause damage to your boat, which can quickly become a very large problem. Setting a few mousetraps is one thing, but if you face a significant number of pests, who can carry dangerous diseases, that may not be possible. It’s also likely that if your boat is dealing with one pest, it might be vulnerable to many others.
In that case, working with a pest control service can help you protect your investment from mice, rats, and even marine termite protection is critical as they are so common and prone to cause very expensive damage.
At Nozzle Nolen, our experienced marine pest control technicians can provide all levels of services, from spot treatments to full-vessel “white glove” fumigations that come with a certification of pest removal. We recognize that your boat or yacht is a significant investment and provide the exact services you need to be able to use and enjoy it whenever you want.
Critter-Proofing Your Boat in South Florida with Nozzle Nolen
Whether your boat is moored at a dock, on your property, at a marina, or in storage, we’re ready to evaluate your pest control needs and provide a long-lasting solution, whether it’s for a weekend stop or year-round maintenance.
Call Nozzle Nolen today at 800-226-6536 for more information regarding how mice get in boats or Contact us for a free evaluation of your vessel and a comprehensive plan on how to treat your marine pest control issue using environmentally-friendly techniques. We look forward to serving you and ensuring your vessel is seaworthy.
