One of the most common pests we see in our house is mice. This creature may look cute and charming to the eyes, especially if you think of Disney’s Mickey Mouse. But in reality, they bring nothing but disgusting poop and leftover from the food and things they chew. They are indeed a real danger to your house, to you and to your family’s health.
When there is a mouse in the house, it is important to take the situation seriously and to get rid of it as soon as possible. Because this could cause an enormous problem for you in the future. Yes, they are very small and they look harmless. But they can make you sick, destroy a lot of things, or even the entire house before you know it because they are fire hazards too. They are very powerful in their own little way. Mice have all the time in the world to destroy whatever they see inside your home. They eat and chew food, boxes, clothes, furniture, walls and even electric wires which sometimes cause fire. Scary, huh? But yes, that is how serious mice infestation is.
If you see mice inside your house, expect that there are a lot more there. You may not see them all together, but they are just hiding in the corners of your home. Eating whatever they can and multiplying. You cannot just wait for them to die naturally. They also do not go away by themselves as they would keep coming back. They are notorious breeders. Mice multiply very fast so it is impossible to just have one mouse in the house. As early as six weeks, a female mouse is sexually mature and ready to produce pups. A female mouse who gives birth can actually produce five to six mouse pups per litter. However, it can also reach up to 12 mouse pups in rare instances. They breed all year-round and can produce from five to ten litters per year. Yes, you read it right! They can produce up to 10 litters per year. This is equivalent to 60 new pups or 120 pups if they are lucky enough to have 12 in a litter. Just imagine how many creatures of this kind are being born per day in different places.
Now that you know how fast these creatures multiply, let us discuss some details. These might help you eliminate these unwanted visitors in your home.
First Thing To Do Is Observe
Some of the signs that would help you confirm if there are mice in the house are the following:
Mouse Droppings
These are small pellet-shaped dark brown things. A mouse produces 50 to 100 droppings while rats produce 20 to 50 a day. Since they eat from time to time and consume a lot of food in a day, it is expected for them to have a lot of droppings. You will surely find droppings in different corners of your home and even in food packs, so you have to be very careful.
Damages To The Home
Mouse can chew almost everything inside the house. They do not just chew food, cheese, or boxes of cereals. In fact, one of the first things they destroy is walls, door frames, and cabinets. This is their way of getting access to where they would like to be. They also chew electric wires which cause sparks that are very risky and could cause major power loss. According to studies, mice do this to sharpen and strengthen their teeth. Chewing electrical wires also helps them control the size of their teeth.
Noise In The Walls & Attic
One of the signs that there is a mouse in the house is when you hear annoying scratches and squeaks. These creatures create noise in the walls and attic, mostly in the evening, and the pitch changes depending on what they are up to. It is normally loud when they find food, but it is louder and faster during mating.
Seeing Them With Your Own Two Eyes
Mice move very quickly. They run fast and they love to move around from one place to another. For some, it may be hard to see one because of their speed but you will surely get the chance to see one as they keep on moving every now and then especially when they are looking for food to eat.
Get Rid Of It
Once you are able to confirm that there is a mouse in your house, it’s time to take action!
Try to find where they are hiding or where their nest is. Mice normally use fibrous materials, shredded paper, wood shavings, and cardboard. They keep this in hidden and enclosed space or a place where they cannot be disturbed. Places like cupboards, under or behind the appliances and furniture, cluttered rooms, garage, and attics. When you are able to identify where they are hiding, it will be easier for you now to set up some bait and traps.
When setting up baits for mice, be sure to choose food that is irresistible to them like peanut butter, meat and anything that is sweet and fatty. Even a paltry amount of these kinds of food will surely attract them and make them fall on the trap.
Cats and mice are mortal enemies. Cats love chasing and hunting mice so if you have one in your house, there is less chance a mouse would survive in your place as the cat would certainly take care of it.
Making sure you have a clean and sanitized space is the best way to prevent these creatures from coming in. While having a clean place does not make them go away, having an unsanitary and filthy house will absolutely attract them. If you come to think of it, eating biscuits, crackers, and chips in the kitchen, living room, or even in your bedroom may not seem like an enormous deal. However, the residue, leftovers, and crumbs you leave in these places are enough to attract mice and even other kinds of pests. It is important to wipe down your counters each time you eat, vacuum your floors, and secure the garbage regularly. This is your very first step in having a pest-free home.
Call An Exterminator & Let Them Manage These Pests
There are times when we choose to resolve pest issues on our own by setting up baits and traps. However, when infestation arises and you come to the point where it is already stressing you out, then it is time for you to seek help from the professionals. Call an exterminator and let them do the job for you. There are more benefits in hiring pest control than getting rid of rodents by doing it yourself.
Be Worry-Free
Pest control guys are well-trained so this gives you peace of mind that they know what they are doing. You may think it is not necessary to contact a pest control because there are few do-it-yourself ways you can find online, but trust me, it is all worth it as long as you will be able to find the right team.
Healthier Home
Getting a pest control service will not just take care of mice but also all types of pests like cockroaches, bed bugs, fleas, and termites. If your home is serviced by a pest control regularly, then you surely have a happy and healthy home.
It Is Cheaper Than DIY
Though there are so many DIY’s or hacks online that you can find to get rid of rodents or pests, getting pest control is still cheaper. Since these people are well-trained in this field, they don’t just get rid of the rodents but they also make sure that there will be less of a chance that they would go back. They know where to look to find the source and they take it from there. Exterminators don’t just kill those that are visible in the eyes. They eliminate the source.
Reduces Health Risks
Managing pests alone can be dangerous. When you get rid of pests on your own, it increases the chance of you getting into an accident or worse, getting sick. Why? That is because killing pests involves handling poisonous chemicals. If you did not go on proper training and do not have enough knowledge about chemicals, then it is not safe for you to use any of these. Inaccurate use of pesticides and chemicals may lead to accidents risking you and your family’s health and lives. So if you are unsure about this, it is better for you to seek help from the professionals instead.
These companies normally provide service warranty, which means that if you experience the same thing shortly after the last job, then you are covered and won’t have to worry about paying for the service again. For the best pest control company in the Triad area, call Go-Forth Home Services.