Mice/Rats

It is very common to have mice in a building, as they can squeeze through a hole the size of a dime. Because they are hard to detect, mice can cause significant damage even before they are seen or come into contact with people. Mice like to chew and will gnaw through wood, wiring, and insulation. This constant chewing is necessary to keep their teeth worn down.

Given their rapid reproductive rate, a female mouse can begin breeding at eight weeks old, producing five to ten litters of five to six young per year. A mouse population can quickly get out of control In six months, one pair of mice can eat about four pounds of food and produce some 18,000 droppings.

Attics, walls, kitchens, pantries, storage rooms, and crawl spaces are all warm places where mice like to make nests. Because they burrow, mice in walls/attic can be difficult to locate. A mouse will often use holes made for plumbing or wiring to access walls, attics, and crawl spaces.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

If you see a mouse in the daytime, this is a very good indication of a good-sized population, as mice are mostly nocturnal, meaning mice are most active at night. Look for gaps you can fit a pinky finger in around the inside and outside of your home.

Make sure you look up as well as down as mice are very proficient climbers. Look for droppings, chew marks, and grease. Greasing is caused by the oils in a mouse’s fur mixing with dirt to leave a distinctive dark spot along a wall or hole. If the grease marks smear, it means it is fresh. Look for gaps, a food source close by, and areas they can hide.

MICE / RAT CONTROL

The use of trapping inside the structure, tamper-resistant bait stations around the perimeter of the building, and sealing all potential and active entry points are the only solutions that provide measurable results against existing populations. If entry areas are not identified and mouse-proofed, then other mice will continue to gain entry. A trained mouse exterminator can help identify these issues more thoroughly.