Living next to a big park
Sloan Lake Park covers a large stretch of open water, lawn and trees between West 17th and West 26th Avenues, with Edgewater on its west shore. Water, mature cottonwoods and picnic leftovers support a steady population of raccoons, fox squirrels, mice, rats, pigeons and starlings, plus the occasional skunk or fox moving along the shoreline.
The houses around the park range from 1920s brick bungalows and Tudors to postwar ranches and dense new townhomes on former institutional sites. Older homes have crawl spaces, unscreened attic vents and chimneys that animals use as dens; newer homes have tighter envelopes but plenty of roof-line gaps, dryer vents and bath fan caps that birds and rodents find.
When an animal dies inside a structure, the smell usually shows up days later in the room nearest the body. Knowing which animals are active nearby, and which parts of these houses they favor, makes the search shorter.
Common animals and where they turn up
- Animal
- House mice and deer mice
- Typical indoor spot
- Wall cavities, under cabinets, behind appliances
- Season
- Fall and early winter
- Animal
- Norway rats
- Typical indoor spot
- Crawl spaces, garages, under decks
- Season
- Year-round
- Animal
- Fox squirrels
- Typical indoor spot
- Attics, soffits, chimney tops
- Season
- Late winter to early summer
- Animal
- Raccoons
- Typical indoor spot
- Crawl spaces, attics, chimneys, under porches
- Season
- Spring denning season
- Animal
- Starlings and sparrows
- Typical indoor spot
- Dryer vents, bath fan ducts, gutters
- Season
- Spring nesting
- Animal
- Pigeons
- Typical indoor spot
- Roof edges, vents, balconies
- Season
- Year-round
Local points worth knowing
- City lines
- The park sits in Denver; the west shore and the blocks beyond it are the City of Edgewater, with its own code and animal services.
- Wildlife questions
- Colorado Parks and Wildlife regulates handling of live wildlife; Denver Animal Protection handles many city animal calls.
- Housing age
- Many homes predate modern vent screens and chimney caps, which is why entry points are so common.
- Dry air
- Denver's low humidity helps small carcasses dry out faster than in humid climates, which shortens some odor events.
A short prevention list for lake-area homes
Common questions
Is living near the lake the reason I keep getting mice?
Proximity to a large park helps, but most rodent problems come down to gaps in the house itself. Sealing entry points matters more than the address.
General information for Sloan's Lake, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.