Rodent Control in Mesa del Sol
Mesa del Sol is a master-planned community about six miles southeast of downtown, bordered by the Sunport, Kirtland Air Force Base, the Isleta Reservation and I-25. Planning started in the 1980s with the state, the city and UNM. Construction started in 2005, the Aperture Center opened in 2008 and the first phase of homes started in 2011. The master plan sets aside about 3,200 acres for parks and open space. The film studio complex there is now Netflix's Albuquerque production hub.
New homes on raw mesa get native rodents from day one.
New houses, open land
Every street on the edge of development faces grassland and sandy mesa. Deer mice and pack rats live in it, and construction nearby stirs them up. New homes have fewer gaps than old ones, but mice still find utility entries, dryer vents and the space under a garage door that wasn't adjusted right.
- Garage door seals and corners
- Weep screed where stucco meets the slab
- Gas, water and cable entries
- Dryer and bath fan vents
Builder warranty or pest control?
If your home is new, check whether your builder's warranty covers gaps in the exterior. Either way, trapping the mice inside and sealing what's open is the fix. Start with an inspection.
Local questions
My house is brand new. How did mice get in?
Through small gaps at utility entries, vents or the garage door. A quarter inch is enough.
Will rodents settle down once the area is built out?
Fewer as open land shrinks, but homes on the edge will keep seeing them.
Is there hantavirus risk here?
Deer mice live on open mesa like this. Treat all droppings with the soak-and-wipe method. See hantavirus-safe cleanup.