When homeowners spot mice inside their homes, they tend to feel shame; they probably think they must have done something wrong and have not been able to practice good housekeeping. After all, articles saying homeowners should clean the house regularly to prevent mice from coming are all over the internet.
If you are one of these homeowners and you have mice invading your house right now, it does not mean you have been remiss in taking care of your house. As scavengers, it is in the nature of mice to explore what is around them. Wherever and whenever they can, they will try to find a place where food, water, and shelter can be available to them. So if they sense that you have food and water, your house will always look attractive to them.
So remember, it is not about you; if you have mice, it only means they are investigating your house if there are food and water to be had. If they do not find any, they would have no choice but to leave. Go-Forth Home Services, the pest exterminators who are helping Raleigh residents get rid of unwanted bugs, is also the leading mice control expert. In this article, Go-Forth Home Services would like to help you know more about mice as pests.
Overview Of Mice
Mice are small rodents that come in light brown to grayish in color. They have a similar appearance to their cousins, the rats, only smaller. Mice weigh about ½ ounce, they have long tails that are as long as their bodies, and they have small black eyes. They live up to 1 year to 3 years. Mice can be found anywhere there are humans because unconsciously we feed them with food and water.
Mice are highly intelligent creatures. They are inquisitive and always out investigating, yet they are wary and avoid confrontation. Mice are nocturnal creatures, meaning they normally go out to forage for food at night. They simply sneak in while we sleep. And when they do go out, they never let their guard down; they crawl near walls and are uncomfortable being exposed out in the open. They can survive without water for 20 days, getting hydration from the food they eat.
Social Creatures
Mice are highly social creatures. They all live in a nest where they eat together, play together, and sleep cuddled next to each other. Scientists have observed that when they play, they laugh. When they are left alone they get lonely, and when one of them dies they get depressed.
Aside from eating and playing, another thing that mice love to do is mating. They mate now and then. A female mouse can already reproduce by the age of 5 weeks and will continue to be productive for two years. This is one reason why mice have been so successful; the world will never run out of them.
What Attracts Mice To Your House?
There are three things that can attract mice to your house: food, water, and shelter. Your house can be squeaky clean, but as long as you have what they want, then your house would be highly coveted. Of course, it would be more attractive to them if you have food wastes on your floors and other surfaces.
Mice would need shelter, especially during the cold season. They would also need a place to stay if they are going to raise their young. A home that could provide for the heat and with plenty of hiding places would be perfect for them. They can squeeze their way in holes that are the size of nickel due to their very flexible bodies. If their head can fit into it, then the rest of their bodies certainly will.
Types of Mice
Mice are not just found in Raleigh, but they can also be found all over the world, except in Antarctica. Fortunately, not all of them are in the United States. Here are the most common types of mice in the United States.
- House mouse - The house mouse is the most common type of mouse pests. It grows up to 4 inches in length, with a long tail, and weighs just .42 to 1.06 oz. They have large, rounded eyes, small heads and feet, and large ears. The house mouse likes to investigate but they avoid any confrontation with humans. They are nocturnal creatures, and if you see them out during the day, it could mean that the infestation is heavy. Whenever they go out of their nests, 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 and these grease stains are a good sign that you have mice in your house. House mice can survive without drinking water because they can get their hydration through the food that they eat. Once inside the house, they are capable of destroying items that are of value to you. They will chew on boxes, books, documents, papers, walls, gas pipes, and electric cables. They have this constant need to chew because their incisors are always growing. Chewing makes the growing stop.
- Deer mouse - This type of mouse is usually found in the woods. However, if they get near human dwellings, they would be glad to enter them to look for food and water. Deer mouse destroys wood structures and transmits several types of diseases. A deer mouse can grow to 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 - Field mice prefer to live outdoors but will transfer inside structures during the cold months where they can find warmth, fruits, and vegetables. A field mouse can grow to 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.
Why They Are Pests
Mice are truly troublesome pests. Not only are they a nuisance, but they also destroy property. Mice are always looking for something to chew on, and inside the house that would be books, cardboards, boxes, papers, electric cables, and gas pipes. They have incisors that are constantly growing, and chewing on anything would prevent them from growing any longer. They are also real fire hazards whenever they chew on gas tubes and electric wirings.
Mice are also transmitters of nasty diseases. deadly diseases. Some of the diseases that they transmit are leptospirosis, rat-bite fever, salmonella, Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, and murine typhus. These diseases, if not treated, could be fatal. Transmission occurs when our food or water gets contaminated with mice droppings, urine, vomit, or saliva, and then we ingest the same.
Signs Of Mice Infestation
Since mice are nocturnal, you may not see them during your waking hour. This makes it difficult for us to detect them. However, mice tend to leave clues for us to find them, which is a good thing. Here are some signs that you may have mice infestation at home.
- Presence of rat droppings. Mice droppings look like little black pellets. If there are mice in your home, you will easily spot these all over the place. The characteristics of their droppings are unique to them, so these are sure signs already.
- Gnaw marks on boxes, cardboards, papers, books, electric wirings, and gas pipes.
- An acetamide smell is a characteristic of house mice.
- Greasy marks on walls coming from mice.
- Squeaking sounds.
- Tapping noise on the ceilings.
Control
Here are things you can do to manage the population of mice:
- Seal holes and cracks. These can be used as entry points by mice.
- Place your food inside sealed containers
- Fix leaky pipes and faucets.
- Place a lid on your trash can and dispose of your garbage regularly.
If you have these unwanted pests in your house, be sure to contact the best pest control management in the Carolinas, Go-Forth Home Services.
Why Go-Forth Home Services?
No home or pest is the same, so there is no one size fits all solution. At Go-Forth Home Services, we have professional technicians who will examine your home and your lawn to evaluate your individual necessity. We will identify points of entry and make treatments as necessary. We only use state of the art equipment to keep up with these ever-evolving pests.
Our expert experience in exterminating pests like cockroaches, wasps, weevils, mosquitoes, mice, flies, termites, ants, bed bugs, and poisonous spiders can really make you say goodbye to these pests in your home. You may check us on Facebook or Google us to see what our satisfied customers have to say about us.
For more information, or to set an appointment, just dial (877) 274-1475. Our friendly operators are standing by.