Rodent Control in Four Hills
Four Hills sits in the far southeast corner of the city at the mouth of Tijeras Canyon. The first home in Four Hills Village was finished in 1957 and the golf course in 1958, making it the city's second country club. With the surrounding neighborhood, it covered about 900 acres. The Four Hills Village Shopping Center now stands where the Western Skies Motel once served Route 66 traffic, and Four Hills Mobile Home Park, with about 1,000 spaces, is the largest in the city.
Kirtland Air Force Base, the Tijeras Arroyo and the open slopes toward the Manzanos surround it. That's a lot of native rodent habitat.
Canyon edge, canyon rodents
Homes on the upper streets back onto open hillside with juniper and piñon. Pack rats nest there and in landscaping, and deer mice move into garages in the fall. In homes with pitched roofs, mice that get in at the eaves can settle in the attic. See attic cleanup.
Mobile homes
Manufactured homes have skirting, plumbing chases and belly wrap that give mice easy entry. Gaps in the skirting are the first thing to check. Our article on mice in mobile homes covers the details.
- Skirting gaps and vents
- Water and drain line openings in the floor
- Torn underbelly material
- Door seals and steps
Local questions
Are pack rats common in Four Hills?
Yes, on lots near the open hillside and the arroyo. Look for stick nests under shrubs, decks and in woodpiles.
Mice are under my mobile home. Can they be kept out?
Yes. Sealing skirting, vents and floor penetrations with metal mesh works. Trapping comes first.
Does the city test dead rodents in Four Hills?
The city's testing list names North Albuquerque Acres, neighborhoods east of Tramway, the foothills and the East Mountains. Call 311 to ask about a specific animal.