The house mouse may be the smallest of all rodents that may invade your homes but they still remain one of the more dangerous and disruptive of pests known to mankind. These mice do not only attack foods and belongings but also pose grave threats to the health of the family. And because they are small and nocturnal, the problem may only be realized when damage has already been done.
Identifying a House Mouse
A house mouse is small, around two to three inches long and with a slender body. They can weight as less as an ounce and they have tails that may have lengths of three to four inches. The color of house mice may range from light brown to gray. Their heads are small with black eyes, pointed snout, and large ears.
Characteristics of House Mice
House mice are nocturnal creatures which mean they are active mostly at night when everyone in the house may be asleep. Aside from being small, they are also flexible that getting inside holes and cracks seem to be easy for them. House mice have been known to jump as high as a foot and scale roughly 13 inches of vertical walls that have smooth surfaces. Running speed of mice may reach as fast as 12 feet per second and they may be able to swim as far as a half-mile distance.
With their inquisitive nature, house mice may nibble or gnaw on any human food and other items inside the house such as soaps, toothpaste, glue, and even garments. For their water needs, they rely mostly on the water that is found on the food they consume.
Indications of Presence of House Mice
The presence of mice may not easily be noticed unless there are obvious indications. Among these are visual contact of a dead or live mouse, gnawed holes, pile papers, food scraps or wrappings left behind, dropping that are about one-fourth of an inch, and rodent hairs. Sounds while they are gnawing on hard wood and other objects and a presence of a fetid odor are also indications of mice infestation in the home.
Dangers of House Mice
Rodents have been recognized as carriers of over 35 diseases and these are also carried by house mice. These diseases may be transmitted through direct contact; contact through saliva, feces, and urine; or through their bites. Other pests that may have been infected by these rodents may also cause the spread of these diseases.
Eradication of House Mice
Eliminating these pesky house mice may be very difficult and may require the assistance of the experts. By availing of their services, you can also put in place preventive measures once there pests are eradicated, ensuring that they do not return. For homes located in the Ontario area, Mr. Pest Control would gladly help you in ridding of these house pests.
