Mice are very polarizing creatures. On one side, you have the mice-loving set. They adore mice because they look very cute. They also argue that mice are very intelligent creatures with sharp memories; like dogs, mice recognize their owners. Apparently, the late Walt Disney belonged in this group, having built his empire with a mouse. A lot of them keep mice as pets.
Some people buy mice for other purposes; those who own snakes buy mice as pet food.
On the other side, you have the mice bashers. These are people who abhor mice. There is a running joke that says you would know if there are mice in your neighborhood when you hear the shrieks and screams of homeowners in the evening. This may not be an accurate indicator but there is a grain of truth in it too. Mice do elicit shrieks and screams; not everyone finds them cute.
Apex exterminators do not recommend you living with these nasty pests. As much as possible, do everything you can to have them eliminated. There are certainly some DIY’s that will do the trick, but sometimes mice problems can be really overwhelming.
Residents of Apex, NC are now worried about mice in their houses. With the spread of the coronavirus, many are wondering if mice are carriers. Fortunately, they are not transmitters of that disease. This does not mean they can rest easy though. Mice are destructive and deadly with all the nasty diseases they can transmit.
About Apex, North Carolina
Apex is found in Wake County, North Carolina. It is actually recognized as the best place to line in the United States in 2015 by the Time/Money Magazine. The population is estimated at more than 50,000. Apex is currently the 18th largest municipality in North Carolina.
It also appears that mice have found it lovely to live in Apex, to the dismay of its residents.
What Are Mice?
Apex residents are really having problems with mice; but if it is any comfort, the rest of the world has the same problem.
The most common among these mice are the house mice. They have large rounded eyes, have pointed muzzles, have tails that are longer than their bodies, and have four legs. They are gray in color, with cream-colored bellies. Their bodies may be up to 3.75 inches. This does not include their tails.
Mice are nocturnal creatures that crawl inside our homes and into cabinets to steal our food. They leave their droppings in the process. Mice are comfortable crawling beside walls and do not like to be exposed in open spaces.
Mice are said to be very intelligent creatures. They have incredible memories and can easily remember the paths that they took. They are also one of the few creatures that can recognize their owners. They recognize new obstructions in the usual paths they take and they will look for other ways to go back to their nests.
At 5 weeks of age, mice can already reproduce. They can reproduce every 3 weeks and can do so until they reach the age of 2 years. What makes their species successful is that they breed rapidly and can adapt easily to ever-changing conditions.
Social Behaviors
Mice are highly social creatures. They have a nest where they all live together and eat, play, and sleep together. They laugh when they play. They get sad and lonely when they are left alone. When a fellow mouse dies, they mourn and they get depressed. They also like to mate, giving them a steady supply of offspring every few weeks.
Types Of Mice
Mice are not just found in Apex. They can be found all over the world, except in Antarctica. Fortunately, not all of them are in the United States. We have listed here the most common ones we encounter.
House Mouse
The most common type is the house mouse. It is 2 to 4 inches in length, long-tailed, and weighs just .42 to 1.06 oz. They have large, rounded eyes, small heads and feet, and large ears. The house mouse is an inquisitive animal. They avoid any confrontation with humans. They are nocturnal and forage for food and water only at night. They make sure that they crawl beside walls because they are uncomfortable in open spaces. This leaves grease trails on walls instead of the floors. House mice can survive without drinking water because they can get their hydration through the food that they eat.
Deer Mouse
The deer mouse is usually found in the woods. However, if they get near our houses, they would be glad to enter them in search of food and water. Deer mouse destroys wood structures and transmits several types of diseases. A deer mouse is about 5 inches in length, excluding their tails. Their tails are just as long as their bodies and are covered with short hair. They have grayish to reddish-brown bodies with white fur on their bellies.
Field Mice
They prefer to live outdoors, but during the cold months, they enter structures where warmth, fruits, and vegetables can be found. A field mouse is about 80 mm to 100 mm in length. Their tails are around 80 mm long. They feed on seed crops of trees like oak, ash, lime, and sycamore. They also feed on apples and legume seeds.
Signs That You Have Mice
Before you can act on mice infestation in your house, you have to know that they are there. Mice can give you signs of their presence. Paying attention to these signs can save you a great deal from all the headaches, stress, and economic damage. That is aside from avoiding the diseases they transmit.
One sign is the presence of mice droppings. Mice eat a lot, so they poop a lot. Their droppings look like small black pellets. They poop anywhere. Be careful of their poop, because contamination of food and water may happen. This can result in you getting infected with some nasty diseases like leptospirosis and salmonella.
If you have a mice infestation, you may also notice chew marks on boxes, papers, books, cardboards, and walls. They also chew on electric wirings and gas pipes. Mice have incisors that are constantly growing, that is why they always have this need to chew on something. Chewing on something stops the incisors from growing any further.
If you happen to see a single mouse inside your house, you can be sure there are more of them hidden somewhere. Do not be complacent and act on it at once.
High Health Risks
Mice can transmit some very nasty diseases. Their droppings, urine, saliva, and vomit can contaminate the food and water we eat and drink. Eating or drinking contaminated food can cause salmonella, leptospirosis, Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, Lassa Fever, and Rat Bite Fever.
Effects On Business
Business owners should do well in taking care of not being invaded by mice, especially those that are in the food manufacturing and restaurant businesses. The presence of a single mouse can bring down a whole business. Local governments require these kinds of businesses to be totally pest free, for health reasons of course.
Pest Control To Exterminate Mice
Now that we have established how terrible mice are, here are a few tips to get rid of mice at home, from our friendly Apex exterminators, Go-Forth Home Services.
1. Look around your house for holes, cracks, and small openings. Bring with you a pencil. The pencil is for testing these holes; if the pencil can fit into the hole, then a mouse can too. Seal it by caulking to prevent mice from entering through it.
2. Fix leaky faucets and pipes. Mice are attracted to water sources.
3. Put your food inside sealed containers. This will keep your food safe from contamination. Mice would not be able to detect food in your house by doing so too.
4. Remove clutter in the house where they can hide. Boxes and cardboard should be kept away as well.
5. Cover your trash cans using lids. Then regularly dispose of your garbage.
Exterminate Mice Effectively With Go-Forth Home Services
Go-Forth Home Services is helping you get rid of bugs like ants, spiders, rodents, fleas, and more. If you are overwhelmed by the presence of mice, be sure to call them up to assess your problems and offer you solutions.
Go-Forth Home Services is a family-owned commercial service solutions provider of modern pest control services and techniques. Their excellent experience in handling all kinds of pests has proven to be invaluable to all those who seek their help. They specialize in exterminating pests like mice, rats, roaches, mosquitoes, termites, ants, flies, weevils, bed bugs, poisonous spiders. And many other pests. They have highly skilled and well-trained technicians who use only family-friendly and pet-friendly methods of extermination, so you are assured of your family’s safety. No company can beat Go-Forth Pest control!
To request a free quote, or if you have any questions, call Go-Forth Home Services now. Their friendly operators are waiting.