Mice are filthy little creatures that leave droppings and spread disease. Once they get into your home, they can cause costly damage to the wiring and structures in the walls. They usually enter homes because they need a safe place to live and plenty of food. What do mice eat? Read our guide to keeping your San Antonio home mouse-free to find the complete answer.
What Do Mice Eat?
Mice are generally omnivorous. Their preferred meals include grains, fruits, and seeds. Mice will nibble on cheese, but they’ll choose carbohydrates if available. Because of their preferred diet, mice can damage gardens and crops, especially after planting.
Homeowners trying to deter mice with different foods and essential oils tend to fail because mice will eat any food presented to them. They do not need to eat daily and can live for a long time without having a substantial meal.
If they are extremely hungry, mice will become cannibals as they eat their tails and young offspring. They exhibit this behavior when extremely stressed, and some mice chew on their legs and feet when stuck to glue traps.
How To Tell If You Have Mice
Mice are experts at hiding. They have nocturnal habits, so it’s often hard to spot them during the day. You’ll likely see them if you are up late at night.
That said, you can have an infestation and not see any mice. However, you will see other signs. If you have pets, they might be on edge as they work hard to capture the pests. Mice will also make noises within your walls, and they leave gnaw marks on your walls and furniture. They need to chew to keep their teeth from becoming unwieldy.
You’ll also see:
- Droppings
- Footprints
- Rub marks
- Nest debris
How To Keep a Mouse-Free Home?
Prevention is the key to making your San Antonio home mouse free. The best tip is to keep your home clean and free of clutter. Mice will move into piles of newspapers and clothing, especially if left in your basement, garage, or crawl space. Pick up the clutter and never leave food messes on your counter or floors.
Additionally, mice will eat pet food, so clean up your pet’s food bowl and water bowl each night. Take the time to seal your food and your pet’s food in mouse-proof containers.
Once mice enter your home, they reproduce quickly. Do-it-yourself mouse-removal techniques like glue traps, snap traps, and poison won’t remove the infestation. You might kill a few mice, but the remaining mice will continue to reproduce every 19 to 21 days. If you can’t prevent mice from moving into your home, you’ll need a professional exterminator to remove them completely.
Keep the Mice Out From Your San Antonio Home
Rodents like mice and rats create significant health and safety problems when they infest your home. As soon as you notice mice have entered your home, you should take action to remove them before they can reproduce. If you have mice in your San Antonio home, you’ll need to know more than what mice eat. You’ll need an exterminator.
Our experts at Romney Pest Control use affordable, tried-and-true methods to remove mice from your home. Call us today to free your home of pesky and filthy intruders.
