House Mouse

(HOUSE MICE)

HOW TO IDENTIFY THE HOUSE MOUSE

The house mouse is a small, gray, 4-legged, short-haired animal. As an adult, it is 2.5 to almost 4 inches long; from the nose to the tip of its tail approximately 7 inches long and weighs about 1 ounce. Since the house mouse is nocturnal and active at night, you actually may not see the mouse. The first indications will be mouse dropping on the counter, in lower kitchen cabinets, storage rooms, garages, etc. The mouse droppings are 1/4 to 3/8 inches long, rod-shaped with pointed ends, and black in color. An adult house mouse can produce up to 50 droppings a day.

Mice are among the most important pests residentially and commercially. Obviously, just the presence of a mouse is a nuisance plus they can carry many common diseases; the most threatening organism is Salmonella which can result in food poisoning.

WHERE DO HOUSE MICE COME FROM?

The house mouse or mice populations start from outside and move inside due to overpopulation or reduction of food.

During the night, while foraging, they crawl into weep holes, under garage doors, loose crawlspace and storage doors, broken foundation vents, into cracks where utility lines enter a building, or up the outsides of the home and into the structure where the environment is suitable with plenty of food and available nesting sites.

If all conditions are met, they will not have to leave the building. They are shy and also inquisitive little creatures and may investigate new surrounding for about a week before they start to move into your home.

They will then explore and re-explore their new surrounding until they know every nook and cranny in your building. Once inside the home they will move throughout the entire house using wall voids as passageways.

Often, homeowners will hear the rustling noises in the walls to indicate their presence.

THE BIOLOGY AND BEHAVIOR OF HOUSE MICE

House Mouse As with all pest elimination and pest prevention programs, it is essential to understand the behavior and biology of the specific rodents in order to develop an effective program.

The house mouse is an impressive and prolific breeder. The house mouse reaches sexual maturity in about 5-8 weeks. Their pregnancy lasts about 19 days. The litter is between 4 and 7 pups. They are born naked and blind. Within 10 days, they are covered with fur and the eyes and ears are open. After the 5th week, the pups are weaned and are sexually mature. A female can have 8 litters per year with an average of 6 pups which equals to 48 young per year.

The house mouse inside a building will set up its nest close to food sources. Once the nest is established and there is a readily-available food source, the mouse will stay close to the nest and only take short trips to explore and re-explore its territory. The house mouse needs extremely small amounts of water and can extract the moisture it needs from its food source.

Ways to reduce the conditions that harbor and attract the Mice:

Remove leaf clutter near structure
Remove brush piles from structure
Seal gaps around doors and windows
Rodent proofing HVAC
Repair and or caulk foundation cracks
Install door sweeps and, if necessary, new doors
Repair moisture damaged wood inside and outside structure
Repair foundation vent's screens
Clean gutters and downspouts of debris
Clean garbage cans
Move garbage cans 25 feet from structure
Clean all pet food dishes and remove spilled pet food
Remove all loose bird seed and place in protected containers
Repair all leaks in structure
Seek professional assistance and a pest prevention plan

Economy Exterminators Pest Prevention Plus program uses the 4 step approach to solve your Mouse problem:

Our 1st step is the inspection of the property by a Customer Service Specialist. It is very important to know the species involved and the severity of the pest problem.
The 2nd step would be the initial treatment by a Customer Service Specialist of all areas that the inspection revealed as critical areas. Economy Exterminators uses the newest and most effective baits, traps and materials to solve this pest problem fast for you. Usual critical areas would be the kitchen, storage areas, crawlspaces, garages and the outside.
The 3^rd step is a 37 point inspection of your property to identify areas around the outside of your house that give easy access to the mouse.
The 4^th step would be an ongoing maintenance program, such as a Pest Prevention Plus program, to prevent the next generation.

Choose Economy Exterminators for your comprehensive, professional and proven effective pest management program, Pest Prevention Plus.

Take the first step today and Schedule a Free Pest Inspection.


Home About, History & Mission Contact Schedule Service Free Pest Inspection Ask an Expert Exterminating Services Pest Prevention Plus Termite Control Commercial Services Additional Services Service Areas Special Promotions Active Pests Now FAQ's Testimonials Community Involvement Employment Common Pests Ants Odorous Ants Fire Ants Argentine Ants Black Carpenter Ants Cockroaches Smokybrown Cockroaches German Cockroaches American Cockroaches Wood Cockroaches Termites Termites Spiders & Crickets Black Widow Spiders House Spiders House Crickets Camel Crickets Other Common Pests Paper Wasps Yellow Jackets House Mouse Silverfish Bed Bugs Lady Bugs Photo Credits Privacy Policy	House Mouse (HOUSE MICE) HOW TO IDENTIFY THE HOUSE MOUSE The house mouse is a small, gray, 4-legged, short-haired animal. As an adult, it is 2.5 to almost 4 inches long; from the nose to the tip of its tail approximately 7 inches long and weighs about 1 ounce. Since the house mouse is nocturnal and active at night, you actually may not see the mouse. The first indications will be mouse dropping on the counter, in lower kitchen cabinets, storage rooms, garages, etc. The mouse droppings are 1/4 to 3/8 inches long, rod-shaped with pointed ends, and black in color. An adult house mouse can produce up to 50 droppings a day. Mice are among the most important pests residentially and commercially. Obviously, just the presence of a mouse is a nuisance plus they can carry many common diseases; the most threatening organism is Salmonella which can result in food poisoning. WHERE DO HOUSE MICE COME FROM? The house mouse or mice populations start from outside and move inside due to overpopulation or reduction of food. During the night, while foraging, they crawl into weep holes, under garage doors, loose crawlspace and storage doors, broken foundation vents, into cracks where utility lines enter a building, or up the outsides of the home and into the structure where the environment is suitable with plenty of food and available nesting sites. If all conditions are met, they will not have to leave the building. They are shy and also inquisitive little creatures and may investigate new surrounding for about a week before they start to move into your home. They will then explore and re-explore their new surrounding until they know every nook and cranny in your building. Once inside the home they will move throughout the entire house using wall voids as passageways. Often, homeowners will hear the rustling noises in the walls to indicate their presence. THE BIOLOGY AND BEHAVIOR OF HOUSE MICE As with all pest elimination and pest prevention programs, it is essential to understand the behavior and biology of the specific rodents in order to develop an effective program. The house mouse is an impressive and prolific breeder. The house mouse reaches sexual maturity in about 5-8 weeks. Their pregnancy lasts about 19 days. The litter is between 4 and 7 pups. They are born naked and blind. Within 10 days, they are covered with fur and the eyes and ears are open. After the 5th week, the pups are weaned and are sexually mature. A female can have 8 litters per year with an average of 6 pups which equals to 48 young per year. The house mouse inside a building will set up its nest close to food sources. Once the nest is established and there is a readily-available food source, the mouse will stay close to the nest and only take short trips to explore and re-explore its territory. The house mouse needs extremely small amounts of water and can extract the moisture it needs from its food source. Ways to reduce the conditions that harbor and attract the Mice: Remove leaf clutter near structure Remove brush piles from structure Seal gaps around doors and windows Rodent proofing HVAC Repair and or caulk foundation cracks Install door sweeps and, if necessary, new doors Repair moisture damaged wood inside and outside structure Repair foundation vent's screens Clean gutters and downspouts of debris Clean garbage cans Move garbage cans 25 feet from structure Clean all pet food dishes and remove spilled pet food Remove all loose bird seed and place in protected containers Repair all leaks in structure Seek professional assistance and a pest prevention plan Economy Exterminators Pest Prevention Plus program uses the 4 step approach to solve your Mouse problem: Our 1st step is the inspection of the property by a Customer Service Specialist. It is very important to know the species involved and the severity of the pest problem. The 2nd step would be the initial treatment by a Customer Service Specialist of all areas that the inspection revealed as critical areas. Economy Exterminators uses the newest and most effective baits, traps and materials to solve this pest problem fast for you. Usual critical areas would be the kitchen, storage areas, crawlspaces, garages and the outside. The 3^rd step is a 37 point inspection of your property to identify areas around the outside of your house that give easy access to the mouse. The 4^th step would be an ongoing maintenance program, such as a Pest Prevention Plus program, to prevent the next generation. Choose Economy Exterminators for your comprehensive, professional and proven effective pest management program, Pest Prevention Plus. Take the first step today and Schedule a Free Pest Inspection.