It is still pretty chilly here in New England and mice are continuously looking for a warm home. Mice can and will build nests and can cause serious damage to your home as well as spread disease. Once you have them, it can be hard to get rid of them if you don’t know where they are coming from. There are many DIY options to mouse and rodent removal, however some of those options can pose a poisoning risk to children and pets and others can cause additional pests to enter your home. If not dealt with properly, the mouse population in your home can rapidly increase.
How do you know if you have mice? Mice are nocturnal creatures, so they are most active between dusk and dawn, so it may be hard to know 100% for sure. Although, the most obvious sign is seeing live or dead mice in your house, there are plenty of other signs that can tell you that a mouse infestation may be building. These include:
- Gnawed holes in stored foods, piled papers, insulation, etc.
- Food scraps or wrappings left behind, especially in strange places such as inside shoes or in the corners of closets.
- Droppings or tiny hairs.
- Narrow pathways where dust and dirt have been swept clean or noticeable grease marks.
- Nests or piled nesting materials.
- Skittering or scratching sounds coming from wall, ceiling, or under floors.
Adult mice are about 7 1/2 inches in length and can fit through openings the size of a dime. If an opening is not big enough for them to fit, they will gnaw at it until they can squeeze through. Mice can also jump 12-13 inches and will run along wires and cables to access other areas in your home.
Once a mouse has found its way into your home, they could live for up to three years with the protection of your house. One female mouse can breed up to ten litters of five to six young in a single year. That is approximately 60 offspring that can start to reproduce themselves in as little as six weeks. If not dealt with properly and swiftly, you could have a huge mouse population living with you and your family.
If you think you may have a mouse infestation, contact NW Pest Control to perform and free home inspection and offer a solution to your pest control issues.