Pet mice can be adorable, they are tiny, furry, and fun to watch (when they are behind glass and contained, that is.) Ever stopped to wonder why we keep pet mice in glass habitats? Why don’t we let them roam free about our homes like cats or dogs? Well, there are quite a few reasons. When mice are allowed to roam free, especially wild mice, they have a tendency to cause quite a bit of trouble.
Mice On The Loose
When mice are allowed to roam free, trouble is never too far behind. Apart from the occasional fright a small mouse can cause, mice pose a variety of threats to your home and health. First, mice are filthy creatures who carry a variety of diseases and parasites. This could mean sickness for you and your family, even if a single contaminated mouse goes swimming in your cereal box. Besides diseases, mice pose a threat to the interworking of your home, specifically with your wires. If a mouse is navigating his way through a wall and comes to a roadblock of wiring, he may simply chew through them to get to where he is going. Also, mice are prolific breeders, considering a female mouse can become pregnant and, 19-21 days later, have a litter with upwards of 12 pups. If this is left unchecked, generations of mice could spring up in a matter of months… literally.
From the Wild to Our Homes
Our homes provide mice with their basic needs, food, water, and shelter and, as fall approaches, one other major need, warmth. Here are a few common mistakes you may be making that are inadvertently inviting mice into your home.
- Leaving cracks and holes in your foundation unsealed. (Mice can fit through a hole the size of a nickel. If their head can fit through, so can the rest of their body.
- Keeping unpackaged food stored on counters, rather than in airtight containers or in the refrigerator.
- Leaving water sources around the foundation of the home, instead of installing proper drainage to direct water away from your exterior walls.
- Leaving areas of the house cluttered. (Mice love to hide in clutter.)
Getting Mice Out and Keeping Them Out
Sometimes non-pet mice can be an overwhelming problem. Here at American Pest Solutions, we understand your struggle and are here to help, not only with the removal of mice already wreaking havoc on your home and well-being but with the exclusion of any and all future mice. With our integrated Pest Guard program, your home could be more than mouse-free, it could be free of a variety of other pests as well, including spiders, sow bugs, centipedes, millipedes, carpenter ants, wasps as well as protected against termites. To hear more, or to schedule an appointment, give American a call today!