Mice, rat calls up 50% as temperatures plummet, says Orkin

The recent drop in temperature is causing rodents to suddenly seek shelter.

Orkin Canada says calls to get rid of mice and rats have increased 50 per cent.

"It really seems to be because of the change in the weather. When the weather was nice out, up until about a month ago, and then there was a dramatic drop in the temperature, which forced the rodents to come inside and look for a warmer place to live," said Chris Ortner, manager of the Windsor branch of the pest removal company.

Ortner has a few tips for those wanting to avoid unwanted visitors.

"Take a look around the exterior of your house to see if there is any visible hole where the rodents could be entering into the house, remembering that its about the size of your pinky finger for mice and about probably the size of your thumb or a little bit bigger for rats," he said.

Ornter says if you live close to the river or another body of water, you'll have an increase chance of spotting a rat on your property because rats need a drink of water at least once a day.