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The taming of the shrew and how to get rid of shrews

Shrews eat insects and worms but they also eat small rodents like mice and can follow them into your home. A common concern for people is how to get rid of shrews.

Some interesting shrew facts

Most people don’t know that shrews have an incredibly high metabolism. They need to eat around 3 times their body weight each day. They also need to eat as frequent as every 3 to 4 hours. Compared to mice, shrews have 5 toes instead of 4 and are much smaller in size. Shrews also have elongated noses and appear to look like a cross between a mouse and a mole.

Shrews don’t create their own tunnels underground like moles or voles, but they use existing tunnels to their advantage. When they get in your home they cause a terrible smell. Most can’t survive very long without food or water. If they do find a sufficient food source, they can cause a large issue very quickly.

Unlike mice and other rodents, shrews are very aggressive and have been known to bite humans. They are also very shy and tend to stay hidden and are hard to trap. Since traditional trapping means don’t work well for shrews hiring a professional is usually the best way of getting rid of shrews.

You need to be careful around shrews, they have the potential for spreading disease to pets and humans.

A few tips on how to get rid of shrews

Exclusion or sealing cracks and holes around your home should be the first step for getting rid of shrews as it will affect them directly as well as keep their food sources from leading them into your home. Keeping your grass mowed short will also help to eliminate habitat for shrews. You can also strive to eliminate water sources as well. Since shrews have such a high metabolism they also need to consume water often as well as food to prevent dehydration. Not only is excess moisture a key for insect habitat, which are their major food source, it also satisfies shrews need for water as well.

Prevention of shew infestations should be your first priority since they are very hard to trap and get rid of without the help of a professional pest control service. Traditional traps don’t work as well with shrews because of their leeriness and tiny size, however glue traps seem to be the most effective. Overall we recommend seeking the help of a pest control professional when dealing with shrew removal since they are hard to catch and can be dangerous if mishandled during removal.

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