What Do Mice Look Like?
Mice are small rodents that have long whiskers, a pointed nose, and relatively large ears for their size. Their nails are very sharp and enable them to climb up walls easily! In many cases, it is common knowledge for mice to gnaw through wood, plastic, water pipes, or metal. When you ever see any type of damage from them in your home, take action to eliminate them right away!
They are very common animals in homes across North America. See their typical brown on top with white bellies. Sometimes, they have white stripes on their sides or backs. They also have short tails. Females will weigh an average of one pound, while the males only weigh half a pound.
What Do Mice Eat?
Typically, mice eat things that are high in protein. This includes insects, seeds, nuts, or grains. When they enter your home and find only some bread crumbs to eat, they will happily take them! Since their teeth grow constantly throughout their lives, they always need to chew on what attracts them! When you notice any form of damage in your home, make sure to call a professional service.
Mice also like to gnaw on things because their front teeth always develop. When they do not continuously chew on what they like best, their teeth will become too big for them. This will affect their ability to eat.
What Attracts Mice to My Home?
Learn about three types of things that encourage mice to go to your home:
Shelter
Mice are usually nocturnal, meaning they are most active at night! They love to have shelter for the conditions outside encourage them to come into your home instead. When you have any openings in your walls or anything that has enough space for them to walk through, they will happily take advantage of it!
To prevent this from happening, you need to seal any holes up using steel wool. You can also place metal, strong glue, or cement around them to cover up the areas they are in.
Mice are curious and will enter any hole or crack as small as ¼ inches. They can like what they find inside better than outside the habitat initially. You may have a mouse problem in your hands. These creatures often nest in areas near food sources. Ample supply nearby or even just within 10 feet range of its placement encourages it to move closer.
Food
You will find mice who desire to stay in your home when you have a food source. They tend not to choose what type of food to consume. Eating things like sweets, salty snacks, or any other type that has a nice smell or taste is its preference. You can also attract them when your house is dirty. Mice like to search for food in these types of areas without proper care.
Once they get into your house, make sure you do not leave pet food, crumbs, or even an open bag of chips on the floor. These pests will eat them once given the chance. They also love to look for food in locations where they know you will not find it easily or quickly! Examples are behind stoves, ovens, microwaves, refrigerators, and other appliances.
Nesting Materials
Mice need a place to lay their heads. They look for small nests where a lot of warmth exists. Since they are so small, you will not see them build. The best way to check when mice build around your home is by observing the materials they use to make one.
Food and water sources inside your home will attract them to stay! You can convince mice when you have any type of material that they might use for their nesting beds. This includes small and soft pieces of clothing like socks and even pieces like rags.
They also look for places where they feel safe and secure. For this reason, you will find them in locations near your insulation.
How Do I Know If I Have A Mouse Infestation?
A mouse infestation can get difficult to identify without causing a lot of damage around your home. That is why it is best to find out through signs mice leave behind.
They are very good at putting urine scents behind them. You will have trouble finding these smells most of the time due to how small the amounts are. However, you will detect its presence because of the damage they do. When a mouse does not have access to water sources, it will start using any available one as a substitute.
Water pipes and other areas where you put liquids are at risk for this type of damage. They also leave behind their droppings in areas where you cannot easily clean them up.
Tips to Getting Rid of Mice
Gain new insights about how you can eliminate mice at home and in a commercial place. Below are seven of them:
Get a Cat
When you already have a pet cat, then it is best to use it as the best defense against any type of mice that come into your home! This is one of the ways to get rid of them because they are natural hunters. It will eliminate all of them in your house without harming anyone or anything around you.
Having a mouse infestation and are looking for an “all-natural” approach to getting rid of them, cats may be your answer. Get advice on which type of cat will work best with your needs.
Keeping a cat around can help prevent mice from showing up in two ways. One, the predator will chase after them! When he catches his prey, there is no doubt that they are going to eat it.
Use Essential Oils
One of the best ways to get rid of mice is by using essential oils! Many types of these oils work best for this use. Peppermint oil contains properties that can repel mice even when no signs or smells are coming from them.
It comes from a natural source. This means that you can use it to get rid of these pests without having to worry about any side effects. Those who want an “all-natural” touch in getting rid of mice can have it.
Essential oils are powerful scents that these creatures find overwhelming and unpleasant. Peppermint, citrus, clove, or cedar will keep them out of your home. Irritate their scent systems which they use for navigation in the darkness. These smells can also annoy you with exposure to them without protection measures.
Set Traps
Many people do not like the idea of killing mice. They see it as cruel, heartless, and best left to natural will. However, there are times when this is your best option!
Place traps where you suspect mice are hiding out. Using bait like peanut butter or chocolate makes them more likely to go inside. Once they do, you can close the traps to get rid of them.
The best thing about trapping is that it will only catch one mouse at a time! Once you catch one, release it outside where it came from. No more mice will show up so long as you do this regularly.
You need more than just a few mouse traps to stop an invasion! But the most effective way is placing one trap every 2 or 3 feet along walls where you saw signs. In higher traffic areas, set them up in pairs so close together that they cannot get past each other’s boundaries.
Put Steel Wool on Spaces
Know that you have mice when they are gnawing on your wires or cables. They use this for their nests and will keep doing it. That is until they find a better spot. However, steel wool can put an end to this habit.
When you place it around the boundaries of holes, it will make the openings too small for them. They can slip past it but cannot chew through it. You can use steel wool as one of the best ways to get rid of mice! Observe them trying to chew on the insulation of your cables.
Eliminate Entry Points
Look for the entry points of mice. When you do not seal them off, they will keep coming back. Placing steel wool around holes or gaps is the best way to stop them from entering your home.
Seal off holes in furniture, plasterboard walls, wooden beams, and upholsteries of sofas and chairs upon seeing them. Use wood or masonry filler to fill up any holes on furniture. For larger gaps, you may need more than just one product of steel wool to cover it up.
The best way to get rid of mice is by sealing off any holes or gaps that you find in your home. This will make it impossible for them to enter and hide out in the first place!
Good Sanitation
Give mice a reason to leave by keeping good sanitation. This includes making sure that there is no food lying around. Remove any leftover food from your cabinets and put it in containers made of metal or glass.
Put pet food up at night unless you know you will use it soon. Bags of birdseed can attract them as well! Take those away from your home.
Keep garbage cans tightly sealed so they cannot get to the food inside. You can get rid of mice by making sure there is no food lying around in the first place. This will not only prevent them from showing up in your house. But it will also help you maintain good health in general.
Get Rid of Nesting Materials
Mice love to use materials that are soft and will build their nests. Things like the inside of your cabinets, clothing, cushions, upholstery fabrics, and furniture stuffing provide excellent insulation for them.
You will need to get rid of all these nesting materials when you want them to leave your home. This means either throwing them away or bringing them to a place outside where you can burn them. The best way to make mice disappear is to eliminate their hiding places!
Mice love to nest! A typical mouse nest is a small mound made up of whatever soft items females can find. Examples are pillows or furniture stuffings, carpet fibers, and feathers. However, they often use plastic bits from your kitchen trash can.
Best Bait for Mice Traps
When setting up mouse traps in your home, you need the best bait for mice! This will increase the chances of catching them and will make it easier to get rid of them.
Here are two best baits for mouse traps:
Peanut Butter – Like humans, mice love peanut butter! They simply cannot resist this treat. It is best to smear it along the inside of a trap where they have to pass through.
Cheese – Just like peanut butter, mice cannot resist cheese! Make sure that the type of cheese you use is not one with strong odors. Examples are parmesan and cheddar. Remember about pizza as their favorite.
Why Call a Mice Exterminator for Severe Infestation
The mice population can increase rapidly! Once a small group of them move in, you will have hundreds within a few months. They live in colonies and feed on anything you have lying around the house – from food to wood. When dealing with mice infestation, you should call professional exterminators.
Mice are pests because they eat crops and damage your property. However, they can also carry diseases. This is why hiring a professional mice exterminator is best when you have a severe infestation! They have access to the best bait for mouse traps, which will help ensure that your extermination goes well.
Diseases Spread by Mice
These tiny pests are carriers of diseases. The best bait for mice traps is an example! They also spread the plague, which has caused thousands of human deaths in history.
The best way to stop them from spreading disease is by getting rid of their nests and food sources when you find them in your home. This will make it impossible for them to survive. To do this, you will need to call a professional exterminator.
Mice die off very quickly when exposed to extreme conditions like cold weather and dehydration! This means the winter months when they lose all of their food supplies.
Prevent Future Infestation
The best bait for mouse traps will not help you once mice infest your home. You need to get rid of their food sources and nesting materials so they cannot come back.
You can do this by sealing up every hole and crack in the outside walls of your house. Make sure that window screens fit tightly and cannot have tampering. Keep trash bins closed tightly so that mice cannot get in. Clear away any debris lying around the house. You should also keep indoor floors clean to discourage them from lingering indoors.
How Do Exterminators Get Rid Of Mice?
Professional pest control companies use the best bait for mice traps and other lethal measures to get rid of them.
They will first find their nests and remove all the items that you do not need, such as wood or clothing. This reduces their food sources and nesting materials, which means they cannot survive in your home anymore. They also trap and kill off any mice they find in your house.
Once they complete this, you should seal up any holes leading to the outside. Remove any debris near the foundation of your home. This will help keep them from returning!
How Do I Keep Mice Out Of My House?
Mice can easily get into your home and cause damage. This is why it is best to stop them from invading in the first place. Follow these seven tips:
Use a mouse-proof barrier
The rodent expanding foam barrier is the most effective way to keep mice out! You can use this pesticide-free foam in any area that needs an extra layer of protection. Examples include your garage or basement where they may chew through materials looking for food. Its special formulation lasts long and provides a tight seal.
Mice will not have access inside your home with its safe construction. This is even when conditions change outside without you noticing. Expanding polyurethane barriers from this foam eliminates gaps. Likewise, it fills cracks effectively keeping critters away!
Mind your weather stripping
Rodents can use gaps as wide as two inches to get inside your house. Exterminators recommend you improve the condition of weather stripping around doors and windows.
Gaps like this allow mice entry into your home. You should also check that screens fit well and do not have any holes or missing pieces. When they do, request repairs right away!
The door sweep is a component of the building system that separates airtight using combining with horizontal surfaces on home or business doors. Some people use them to prevent pests. Others rely upon their purposeful design for weather-proofing purposes. You can find these devices in both public spaces like hospitals.
Add screens
Screens on doors prevent animals from crawling under the threshold. Make sure that you have them on all your exterior doors. This is best when they consist of solid material with small openings. Exterior doors with screens on them will prevent mice from entering.
Mesh screens can provide a simple yet highly effective solution for keeping mice out of your home, yard, or garden. You can use them as coverings on:
- foundation vents
- air vents
- floor drains
- gutter guards
- soffit screen
- fan guard
- exposed pipes
Keep these creatures from getting inside.
It is also an excellent choice when the time comes to fence off areas around the outside! A great way to prevent accidental intrusion into sensitive plants that you may have grown there!
Place a dehumidifier
Mice may look for dry areas to create a home within. You can prevent this from happening by getting a dehumidifier. They come in handy when you want to keep your home free from moisture where they can dwell.
When you add a dehumidifier to the space, mice will have less space and fewer places to hide. Putting it in your home will eliminate pest activity. This is especially with an unoccupied basement. Moisture-filled environments are difficult for creeping mice to survive in. The dryer air from these appliances makes them more susceptible to die off or move out.
Keep exterior doors closed
Mice will look for food in all your cupboards. One place you must always remember is the pantry. These pests are looking for particles of spilled foods in crevices around cabinets where you cannot see them.
The mouse is one of the most common pests in homes. But they typically go about their business unnoticed. Doors can become entry points for these unwanted creatures when not sealed properly. Weatherstripping or door sweeps come into play.
For garage doors specifically, installing vinyl threshold kits will eliminate gaps at the bottom. Likewise, prevent dirt buildup due to exposure so often when cars drive over them.
Be mindful of what you bring in
Keep your home free from clutter. This helps when it comes to rodent control and does so on both the outside and inside. Keep things off the floor by elevating them with cabinets or plastic storage cubes. These can serve as a temporary high ground for pests looking to find food within.
Keep your landscaping neat
A well-maintained area will deter mice from entering your home. Maintain cleanliness within and around your house at all times. This limits food sources and makes it difficult for pests to find a place to lay their eggs. These areas produce insects and mice, which attract more of these creatures!
Are Mice Taking Over Your Tri-state Area Home? We’re Here To Help!
Experience the love of a locally owned business Biotech Termite and Pest Control in Staten Island, NYC, Long Island, Connecticut, and New Jersey! Ensure your home is free of pests! Feel free to talk any time about your mice infestation. You have an assurance of full attention for them and treatment.