Mouse Removal
Mouse control is pretty much exactly the same as rat control, except
the rodents are smaller and easier to catch. But the entry holes
into the house are also smaller, like the size of a dime believe it
or not, so finding and sealing all the entry areas shut can be very
difficult.
Some people think mice are somehow less of a problem than
rats, like they are better animnals. But the two types of
rodents are very similar, and there is no major common bearing
on cleanliness, disease, or any other factor between the two.
Mice will do an amazing amount of damage to your home if the
situation is not taken care of right away. Mice can gain entry
into your home by a hole that is smaller than the size of a
quarter and if they cannot find an entrance, they can make one
by chewing their way through walls. The most dangerous thing
about having mice around is that they build nests out of
flammable materials such as twine, twigs, hair and leaves that
are extremely flammable. They will also chew through electrical
wiring and even if the smallest of sparks fly, your whole house
can go up in smoke. Mice can also contaminate your food by
traipsing around your cupboards and eating through food
containers. Try some of these do-it-yourself tips to get rid of
the mice living in your home.
Traps are usually the first thing that people think of when they
want to get rid of mice. Depending on your intentions and plans for
the mice, you can either by a live trap or a lethal trap. Whichever
trap you decide to use, you need to bait the trap with something the
mice will like such as cheese or peanut butter. Once the mice are
off your property, you will want to patch up any of the damage they
caused and holes that they may have used to get into your home.
However, this may prove to be really ineffective because mice can
get into your home by finding just a small crack.
Make sure that your house is clean and keep clutter inside as well
as outside the home to a minimum. Clutter is a mouse’s best friend
and they will hide in any place that is secure where they will not
be easily visible. Sweeping your floors everyday and keeping your
garbage secured outside or in the garage is a great way to
discourage mice from staying in your home. Put your dry goods in
steel or glass containers instead of in the box or the bag so that
the mice cannot chew to get to the food.
Attracting predators to your property is another effective way to
getting rid of mice. Dogs and cats, cats especially, will frighten
and intimidate any mice that are either living in your home already
or thinking about making your house their new home. Hawks and owls
are another great predator to have around. Unfortunately you cannot
force an owl to live near your home, but you can attract them by
building nesting boxes.
There are many poisons available that kill the mice, but it is not
recommended that you try poisons. Poisons should be your absolute
last resort. Not only can your pets or children get a hold of the
poisons, but they allow the mice to go off in a hard to reach place
and die. This creates a health hazard and it will also leave a smell
that is hard to get out.
Go back to the main
Rat Removal page for
more information about mouse removal.
We are happy to provide information about
Mouse Prevention in general, as well as how to keep mice out of your
garden, or your
garbage. If the mouse has already found its way into your home and you're trying to find out how, read here about
how mice enter a building through the plumbing as well as
what attracts mice, and how to get rid of mice in your
attic. You may also be interested in knowing
what mice can climb.
Of course, if they are already made it into your house, you may want to start with this guide:
What if a house mouse got inside my house?. Figure out if you
should hire a pro, or remove mice yourself, and whether or not
a pest control company will remove a house mouse. It will also be imporant to become familiar with
what kind of damage do mice cause in an attic, and learn about damage mice can do to
wires, as well as what other materials they may be able to
chew through. When customers find
mice in their attics, one of the first concerns they have is whether or not they will also find a
nest of babies. From our experience, we recommend everyone dealing with a mouse problem learn more about
how to use one-way exclusion funnels to remove mice.
When dealing with mice, we get a lot of questions about
what equipment is needed to trap a house mouse. Read here about what we believe to be the most
humane mouse traps, as well as our professional experience with
glue traps. We also share insights about using
poison to get rid of mice, and if it
makes mice thirsty. You can also read here about mouse
repellents, including the old wives tales about
mothballs and ammonia. We also have an answer about using
a strobing light or high pitch sound deterrent machine. Learn about using
cage traps for mice,
if relocated mice survive, and what
wildlife rehabilitators do with mice. We also hae suggestions if your find yourself with a
trap-shy house mouse. Perhaps most importantly, we can tell you
what property modifications will keep down house mouse populations.
We can offer assistance in every step of dealing with a nuisance mouse in your midst. Read our articles about
inspecting a house for house mouse entry holes and ways to
Locate Mouse Entry Points, as well as
how to remove a house mouse stuck in a garbage. Find out whether or not it is
legal for me to trap a house mouse before you even venture into mouse trapping. But once you are sure, we can offer advice on
the most effective bait to trap a residence mouse, and answer
What should I do with a mouse after I catch it?, including
some humane ways to kill a house mouse. We can also help you
find and remove a dead house mouse. After the critter is gone, you must also address the aftermath. Read about whether or not
house mouse feces are dangerous to touch or breathe and how to go about
cleaning house mouse feces out of your attic.
Interested in mice more generally? Find out about their
natural diet, wehter they tend to
live in urban areas, or wild areas, and how
big a typical mouse can get. If dealing with a mouse problem, t's also imporant to know what
diseases mice carry, as well as the
the symptoms of a sick house mouse. We have also been asked if mice make
Do mice make good pets.
Mice may seem small and cute compared to their rat cousins, but
don’t fall for their tricks because mice are heavy hitters in terms
of damaging your home and your health. Mice are a common vermin to
have living in your house and they are often the characters in
cartoons and children’s literature. While most people associate rats
with being the rodent that carries disease, mice also carry and can
transmit diseases by contaminating your food. Mice are very small,
not weighing more than a few ounces and rarely growing longer than a
few inches. They have large eyes, perky ears, dainty feet and a
short hairless pink tail. Mice can come in almost any color, but the
most common colors are brown, white, black or gray.