Is there a Mouse in my House?

A shocking fact: A family of 6 mice could potentially multiply into a family of 60 in just a few months time. If you couple that fact with another fact: Mice are searching for a warm place to call home during the cold winter months…

We arrive at the probability that a mouse problem in a dwelling without preventative measures is pretty likely!

Being that mice can be destructive and can also spread disease, it’s important to learn identification facts to safeguard your home or business. Mice are nocturnal creatures; therefore you may need to search for signs to confirm their presence in your home or business.

Identify Droppings- Typically droppings are the most obvious sign of a mouse infestation. Droppings tend to be tiny (about ¼ inch), black and numerous. Mice are not picky about where they lay their droppings. If you find waste matter around nesting sites, on shelving, floors or counters, it is a good indicator that you have a mouse infestation.

If you’re looking for additional waste clues, mouse urine will show up under ultraviolet light.

Recognize Routes- Mice tend to use the same routes and travel against walls when navigating; this leaves dirty grease smudges on walls, floors and baseboards. You may also notice urine spots on those same routes.

Sense a Scent-Open a cupboard and get a whiff of a distinctive smell? A strong ammonia odor (the scent of urine) may be obvious, especially in enclosed areas. Mice mark their territory and also mark their regularly used paths.

Locate Damage-Mice have teeth that continuously grow and so they like to gnaw to keep their teeth shorter. Gnaw marks and holes can be found on plastic and wood and most dangerously, on electrical wires which can be a fire hazard.

Food storage sites can also be areas in which to see gnaw marks. Mice will chew up boxes and contaminate stored food items.

Noticing Nests- Mice shred paper and other soft materials for nesting sites. Good hiding places for nests include: cabinets, in dishwashers, behind refrigerators, ceilings, wall voids and other storage areas. Usually young mice will be present within the nesting site.

Hearing Sounds-Noticing any scratching sounds? Listen for scurrying noises in walls and ceilings, especially at night when mice are most active.

Lastly, you may spot dead mice around your home. If you’re seeing live mice during the daytime, this can be an indication of a large infestation.

Mice are unsanitary creatures and can spread disease, so the best course of action is to let a professional pest management company handle a mouse infestation.

Image by: NPMA