Do you hear skittering and scurrying in your walls at night? Have you found chew marks on walls, furniture, and wiring? These are all signs that there are mice living in your home. Unfortunately, mice are a major problem for many homes and businesses throughout San Antonio.
These unwanted guests bring with them a host of potential problems. The common house mouse can carry disease, leave behind foul odors, and even increase the risk of a structure fire.
Once mice move in, they won’t leave on their own. They prefer to stay out of sight, so if you see even one mouse, more are likely lurking nearby. If mice have infested your home or office, call us today for a free quote.
All About Mice: Pesky Pests to Get Rid Of
Understanding the habits and needs of mice plays a key role in understanding how to remove them.
What Attracts Mice To Your Home?
Mice have relatively basic needs. They spend most of their time in search of food, water, and shelter. Mice are not looking for places that are packed with people, and tend to enter homes either accidentally or because there was a readily apparent food source or nesting space.
Although small in size, mice are voracious eaters. They aren’t picky, either. Mice prefer grains but will eat practically any type of food. Mice will feed on improperly sealed food in your cupboards and cabinets, as well as crumbs left on your tables and countertops. They also eat out of trash cans, or off of any surface where food has been left out or dropped.
Aside from food, mice also need a steady source of water. They’ll seek out leaking pipes, clogged gutters, and water build-up both inside and outside of a building.
How Do Mice Enter Your San Antonio Home?
Pound per pound, mice have athletic skills that put most Olympians to shame. Among their many remarkable physical abilities, mice can:
- Scale walls as high as six feet
- Squeeze through openings as small as 1/4-inch in diameter
- Run between four and six miles per hour
- Survive a nine-foot vertical drop
Considering their amazing agility and flexibility, it’s no surprise mice can easily enter practically any building. House mice find their way inside via air vents, wall gaps, unplugged holes and spaces around utility pipes, and other small, unassuming points of entry.
Signs of an Infestation
Mice are shy. Spotting one in an open area of your house likely means more are living within the walls and other unseen areas. In the early stages of an infestation, you typically won’t see mice directly. Instead, watch for the following signs of mice infestations:
- Damage – Mice will scratch and gnaw at floorboards, wires, loose papers, and food packaging.
- Droppings – Mouse droppings look like small, brown pieces of rice. They’re between 1/8 to 1/4-inches long with tapered ends.
- Urine – Dried mouse urine appears as dark stains, typically found in corners.
- Footprints – Mice leave small, dot-shaped footprints. Look for a thin trail composed of many dots.
Getting Rid of Mice
Keeping your home or office free from mice requires a two-part approach. First, you’ll need to take steps to prevent mice from entering. Fill all cracks, gaps, and holes in the building’s exterior. Repair any broken windows, torn screens, and cracked gutters.
Also, you’ll want to remove any enticements. Keep all garbage in tightly sealed trash containers, as mice can chew through standard trash bags. Get rid of any pools of stagnant water.
After taking the necessary steps to prevent mice from entering your home, you’ll need to focus on removing any mice that have already taken up residence. Mousetraps, bait stations, and other methods can eliminate mice even if you don’t know exactly where they’ve built their nests.
The best way to remove mice permanently and quickly is to hire pest control professionals. As pest control experts, we know how to eliminate the mice in your San Antonio home and keep them from coming back. Contact Romney Pest Control today to get a free quote and schedule an inspection.
