Mice may seem like harmless creatures because of the way they appear in cartoons and books, but this could not be further from the truth. They are one of the most common rodents that can be found all over the country, including in your Waco, TX home. They breed fast and adapt quickly to changing environments, so before you know it they could be taking over. Learn how to spot their presence, some of the common signs of mice, and how to take care of them when they have already invaded
Understanding House Mice
House mice are small, only 2 ½ to 3 ¾ inches long, but what they lack in size, they make up in number. They have a cream-colored stomach, but this is often hidden behind their dusty gray fur, which can sometimes look more like brown. Their tails are about the same length as their bodies, but they can often be hard to see, hidden under the mouse’s body.
Mice can live outdoors and eat seeds and insects, but they are more commonly found in structures populated by humans. Here they can have warmth living in the dark and secluded areas of your home, building nests out of paper, cotton, insulation, and fabric. When they are in your home, they will find your food and sustain themselves on:
- Cereals
- Grain-based products
- Seeds
- Nuts
- Fruits
- Insects caught in traps
Without your home and your food, the mice would go somewhere else. They are dependent on humans to live, so you need to prevent them in the first place from coming in, or you need to take alternative measures to get rid of them.
Mice And Their Potential Dangers
You want to get rid of mice in your home because they pose a wide variety of health threats. Some of the diseases mice carry include leptospirosis, lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCM), as well as salmonellosis. The way these diseases mice carry are transferred is through the mouse feces which can contaminate your stored food if the mice are getting into it.
Another way they can spread disease is through their dead bodies. Mice have varied life expectancies, and because of the inconsistent conditions in your home, it can be common for them to die and contaminate your food.
One of the most frightening elements of a mouse’s presence is not the mouse, though; it is the other pests that they can carry. They can bring fleas, lice, ticks, and mites into your home, and instead of just having a rodent infestation, you now have a full-blown invasion.
Preventing Mice From Getting In Your Home
What you can do to prevent mice from getting in your home in the first place is make sure any holes and gaps in your home are sealed with a silicone-based caulk, steel wool, or other kinds of construction material. Keep food off of the floor and store food on shelves, and additionally, keep food in sealed glass or metal containers so that the mice cannot get in or even smell the food.
Regular inspections are also recommended, looking for different signs of mice in your home such as:
- Gnaw marks
- Droppings
- Tracks
- Rub marks
- Damaged goods
These signs can indicate that there is a mouse in your home, but a lot of the time, if you are seeing any of these signs, then there is not just one mouse but a full-blown mouse infestation. At this point, the best and most effective thing that you can do is to get help from professionals.
Call The Professionals
Pest professionals are experienced in dealing with rodents of all kinds and know what to look for, and if they do find a mouse infestation, they know what to do. Here at EnviroGuard Pest Control, we are able to do thorough inspections, and we have a variety of rodent control treatment options to best target the specific way the mice are getting into your home.
We are capable of doing exclusion work where we repair minor damage and entry points with carpenter cloth and other materials, but we also can employ trap and bait boxes to get the pests out of your home. EnviroGuard Pest Control also offers an exclusion warranty so if mice are still getting into your home, we can help you take care of the problem.