There is a mouse in my house
Sitting quietly and relaxing in the evening suddenly it sounds as if there is somebody in your roof, you hear a scrabbling sound in the walls.ย Donโt worry there is nobody trying to get in it could very well be that you have a mouse the house.
many mice. As mice rarely stay single, and one female mouse can produce as many as 10 litters in a year. Mice are born about 20 days after mating and are capable of reproduction within two months. Because of this procreation proliferation, mice infestations can rapidly escalate beyond a homeownerโs control, posing a hazard to food stocks, electrical wiring, and even your health, because mouse droppings carry harmful bacteria, diseases, and viruses.
Even if there are only one or two mice it is to be taken seriously as it can cause large problems and very quickly lead to an infestation.
Read on for a few tell-tale signs of a mouse problem:
- Going bump in the night
Another sign of mice is if you are hearing scrabbling or scratching in the walls or in your roof.ย You will most probably only hear the noise at night as mice are mostly nocturnal.
Mice can fit into openings that are much smaller than their bodies so can use small spaces to move from one part of the house to another.
- Droppings
Mouse droppings will generally be found in the areas that the mice are most active such as their breeding, nesting, and feeding area.
Mouse droppings can often be confused with cockroach droppings and are similar to small grains of rice.ย They are black, approximately ยผ inches in length and cylindrical in shape.
It is important to always wear protective gloves as well as a mask when cleaning up mouse droppings. Do not sweep or vacuum them up as this could release virus and bacteria particles.ย Make sure the droppings are disposed of in sealed plastic bags.
- Rodent Path
Mice are creatures of habit ad will tend to follow the same route every night when running along the walls. Over a period of time the dirt from their feet and fur will create a trace of smudging or streaking along their regular path.ย It is also possible to find droppings or urine along the path.
- Holes in material
Mice build their nests in dark corners, drawers, cabinets, storage boxes, behind fridges and other large, appliances.ย They often chew small holes in wooden furniture as well.ย They build their nests using shredded materials such as bedding, clothing, and insulation.
If you keep finding holes in these materials, there is a pretty good chance you have mice.
- Nests
Mice use, dried plants, shredded paper, and fabric as well as other soft materials to make their nests.
You could find scraps of the above materials littered in your home. This means the mice are making nests. If you suspect you might have mice, check under floorboards, under stoves, in cavity walls and suspended ceilings for nests.
If you are finding small holes in your wooden furniture it is also a definite sign that the mice are making their nests in the furniture.
- Teeth Marks
If you are finding tiny teeth marks in your furniture and cabling, you need to be careful.ย Mice have teeth that grow continuously, so they need to gnaw on hard, inedible materials, including wood, plastic, cables, and electrical wiring, to wear them down.
This makes mice a serious fire hazard, as they can chew through shielding and wiring, which can cause shorts, power outages, equipment damage, or fire.
- Foul Smells
Mice have a distinctive, musky ammonia smell that smells like stale urine which helps them to mark their territory.
You will notice this smell in enclosed areas, such as pantries, cabinets, or drawers. The smell may also be evident along baseboards and walls where the mice are travelling up and down.
- Dead or alive.
Even seeing one mouse dead or alive in your home could be a sign of an infestation.
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The bait used by Sydneyโs Best Pest Control will get the mouse to go out searching for water once eaten and they will hopefully do that outside of your home.
Our friendly and experienced technicians will advise you on closing the holes once the mice have left to prevent more coming back through the same entrance.
Our bait is put in areas where children cannot reach it and lockable rodent bait stations can be provided if you have pets.
If you have spotted any of the signs above then call us on 1800 819 189 or email us using our easyย contact us form.
