Everything But The Weed

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Linda Maze, a Wedding photography Gainesville FL in Gainesville Florida

Mouse Control

With colder months right around the corner – mice may enter your home for food or shelter!  Seal up holes or gaps in your home, trap any existing rodents, and clean up any sources of food or water and items that might provide shelter for them .

As a result of dropping temperatures, infestations usually start to begin in fall .  After a colony enters a structure and finds it to be safe and warm, they rarely venture outside again.  Mice breed quickly and populations may exceed 200 specimens within a matter of months.

Mice and rats are creepy critters that can gain entry to your home through small holes or gaps.  Mice can squeeze through a hole the size of a nickel, and rats can squeeze through a hole the size of a half quarter!

Worldwide, rats and mice are the cause of over 35 diseases!   In the U.S. , rodents can spread diseases like hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, rat-bite fever, leptospirosis, and lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, a virus that poses a particular risk for pregnant women.  If rodents invade your home this fall or winter, here are a few steps to protect yourself and your family.

House Mice are the most common type of mice to invade Minnesota homes and businesses.  They can cause serious damage, and can be difficult for a homeowner to get rid of. Next to humans, the common house mouse is the most prevalent mammalian species in the world.

House Mice are very small and grayish brown.  They weigh only about ½ ounce, making them able to squeeze through very small openings undetected.  House Mice cause the most damage by feeding on stored human and pet foods.  They will contaminate any food they come in touch with through their feces and hair, making the foods unfit for human or pet consumption because of possible salmonella contamination.  House Mice will eat through many types of packaging, making the best way to deal with them in your home or business is to get rid of them altogether.

How Do I Know If I Have Mice?

Since it is hard to tell the difference between the droppings of mice and the droppings of some other larger insect pests, it is best to call a professional to come to your home or business to determine what pest you are dealing with, and how to get rid of it as quickly as possible.

That said, there are several ways to determine if mice might be your problem .  Mice droppings are about ¼ inch long and may be found in well-travelled mice areas, such as hallways or in feeding areas.  You may also see tracks in dust or dirt which would include footprints and the impression of a tail being dragged.  You may also see damage which has occurred from gnawing at your wooden doors or in corners in your walls.  Most likely, you will first see signs of a mouse in your pantry or where you store food.  Any grain boxes, such as cereal or pet food, would have small holes in them from being gnawed through.

Mouse Control

Effective mouse control involves three components — good sanitation, mouse-proof construction and population reduction. The first two are useful as preventive measures. When a mouse infestation already exists, some form of population reduction is almost always necessary. Reduction techniques include trapping, poisoning and fumigation.

Sanitation

Because mice can live in very small areas with limited amounts of food and shelter, it is almost impossible to completely eliminate populations, especially on farms. Most buildings in which food is stored, handled or used will support mice if they are not mouse-proof, no matter how good the sanitation. Although good sanitation will rarely eliminate mice, poor sanitation is sure to attract them and will permit them to thrive in greater abundance. Concentrate on eliminating places where mice find shelter. If they have only a few places to rest, hide, or build nests and rear young, they cannot survive in large numbers.

Mouse-proof Your Home

House Mice cause significant damage in homes or businesses in addition to raiding your pantry. House Mice have been known to eat through insulation in search of a place to nest.  They will also eat through wiring, posing a serious fire risk.  Mice can also eat their way into large electrical appliances causing costly repairs.  If mice make their way into your attic, storage space or basement, especially if it is not a well-travelled place in your home or business, they can cause significant damage to files, paperwork, pictures, heirlooms, paintings or books that cannot be replaced .

“Building them out” by eliminating all openings through which they can enter a structure is the most successful and permanent form of mouse control .  Any areas that food is stored, processed or used should be made mouse-proof.

Seal any openings larger than 1/4 inch to exclude mice.  Steel wool makes a good temporary plug.  Tightly seal cracks and openings in building foundations and openings for water pipes, vents and utilities with metal or concrete. Doors, windows and screens should fit tightly.  It may be necessary to cover the edges with metal to prevent gnawing.  Plastic sheeting or screen, wood, rubber or other gnawable materials are unsuitable for plugging holes used by mice.

Getting advice from a professional wild animal management expert is your best course of action in getting rid of these rodents once and for all . They have well established techniques and are well experienced in dealing with these pests. Not only will they control the animals population in your home, they will also ensure they will not come back through proper sealing and guarding of entry points.