Controlling House Mice Infestations
Tips For Keeping House Mice From The House & Eliminating Existing Infestations
The House Mouse
Size: 6-7" long, with a 3-3.5" tail
Coloration: Light brown, gray, or black, with a lighter underbelly
Diet: Grain products, birdseed, pet food
Behavior: Can run up to 8mph, and is an excellent jumper and swimmer. House mice generally stay within 10-50' of their nests. This is the most common species found in North American homes.
Mice infest a home in search of food, moisture, and shelter. If your home has an opening anywhere along the foundation that's as large as a dime, then mice have an open pathway in.
Once in your home, they will quickly multiply, creating a nuisance and health issue for everyone living there. Professionally addressing this problem early on is key to an effective solution.
Discourage Mice From Your Home
When dealing with a mouse infestation in a home, bear these tips in mind:
- Do not leave pet food available -- remove it as soon as the pets are done eating.
- Seal off all routes of pest entry, including gaps in walls and around pipe penetrations.
- Eliminate food scraps, and store food in mouse-proof containers.
- Bait traps with peanut butter, and set them facing towards the wall.
- Mice are carriers of many diseases. Take care when handling dead mice, and be sure to disinfect the area with bleach.
When it comes to controlling mice, your local NAPCA Specialist has the safe, proven options you need to provide a lasting solution for your home.
To get in contact with your local expert for a mouse control quote, contact us by phone or e-mail today! Your NAPCA professional can schedule a professional inspection at a time that's convenient for you.
Crawl spaces and under-deck areas provide a warm, safe home for mice and rodent populations.
From there, they can grow and multiply unnoticed until damage and signs of the infestation become apparent.
Mice especially like the fiberglass insulation found in between the floor joists in crawl spaces. This soft, warm material is used for their nesting areas.
Do I Have Mice Or Rats?
Pest control experts almost never see the mice themselves when inspecting an infested home. So how do they know whether a home is populated with mice or rats?
Fecal Material: Rats produce scat pellets that are larger, and have rounded ends. Mice produce smaller scat pellets, which have pointed ends.
Activity: While mice and rats generally show nocturnal behavior, both can be active at all times of the day. Mice are much more likely to be active during the day.
Dead Bodies: An experienced professional will look for likely areas that will conceal dead bodies of rodents who have lived in the home.
Controlling Mice
Taking action against a mouse infestation early on is vital to controlling it, as a population of mice can multiply very quickly.
There's no such thing as just one mouse! Mice become sexually mature at the age of 6-12 weeks, and will bear a littler of 6-7 babies approximately 19-21 days after mating. A typical mouse has 6-10 litters per year.
Mice & Your Health
Mice, rats, and other rodents are carriers of many different diseases and parasites. Humans can contract an infection through the following:
- Food and water that has been contaminated by rodent feces
- Being in contact with surface water that has been contaminated by rodent urine
- Rodent bites and wounds
- Breathing in air that has been infested with germs from rodent urine or droppings
- Handling rodents -- dead or alive
When handling rodents, be sure to use rubber gloves, long tongs, and newspaper. Use extreme caution when handling live rodents -- more than 10,000 humans are bitten annually by wild rodents in the United States. Be sure to either bury or burn dead rodent carcasses.
Controlling & Eliminating Mice In Your Home
At NAPCA, the professionals in our network are committed to providing you with the best practices present in the industry for reliable mouse control and prevention. Whether your need is in a residential, industrial, commercial, or municipal setting, we're the professionals you're looking for!
To schedule an on-site pest control quote, contact us by phone or e-mail today! We'll put you in touch with your local NAPCA Professional, who can arrange a professional visitation.
