You are awakened in the middle of the night hearing a screeching sound coming from the wall. It sounds like it is inside the wall, then you hear a squeak, which makes you tense up, your heart beat faster, and so you turn on the lights. Is there a mouse in your room? Then everything becomes silent again, so you turn off the lights to go back to sleep. Then, there it is again, and in each minute, the sound gets louder. You get up again, turn the lights on, and just sit in a corner as you become vigilant. There is a mouse in your room.
If it is any comfort, you are not alone. You have a company. Mice are perhaps one of the most common household pests in the United States. Shrieks from homeowners in the evening are common, either because they found a cockroach or a mouse. These icky mice can be spotted at night since they are nocturnal creatures, and in as much as you would want them to go away, they probably would not. That is unless you do something about it.
This is why Go-Forth Home Services, the leading pest control company in the Triangle region, wants to give you some helpful information about mice. In this article, Go-Forth will share things that made them the primary pest control near you for mice and rats in Charlotte, NC.
Overview
Mice are typically 2 inches to 4 inches long. They have round eyes, pointed snouts, large ears with some hair, four legs, and tails that are as long, if not longer than their round-shaped bodies.
As for their diet, mice prefer seeds, cereals, and nuts, but they will eat insects and fruits. Indoors, they will eat any human food, including the packaged ones.
Mice breed quickly and are highly adaptable to changes in their environment. A female mouse, wherever it has decided to nest itself, can already reproduce by the time it reaches 5 weeks old, and will continue to do so every three weeks for the rest of its life. Mice are very sexually active.
Mice are very sociable creatures. They live as a community inside their nests, where they eat, sleep, and play together. They become sad when they are left alone, and mourn when they lose a mouse due to death. Some were observed to be depressed after the death of a fellow mouse.
As small as they are, mice are very intelligent creatures. They are very curious and love to investigate, but avoid confrontation with humans and are quick to run away at first signs of danger.
Types Of Mice
House mouse - We are all probably most familiar with the house mouse. This type of mouse grows to 2 to 4 inches in length and weighs just .42 to 1.06 oz. They have large, rounded eyes, small heads and feet, large ears, and long tails. House mice are very intelligent and always love to investigate, but they avoid any confrontation with humans. House mice avoid any confrontation by making sure that they crawl beside walls so they would not have to be exposed out in the open. They move very cautiously, especially when the lights are still on. They are uncomfortable in open spaces. House mice leave grease trails on walls as their dirty bodies are always in contact with these walls. They are nocturnal so they forage for food and water only at night. House mice can survive without drinking water since they get their hydration through the food that they eat.
Deer mouse - Deer mice live in the woods. But if they get near human dwellings, they would not hesitate to enter them in order to find food and water. Deer mice can destroy wood structures and transmit several types of diseases. A deer mouse can grow to 5 inches in length, excluding their tails. They have tails that are just as long as their bodies and are covered with short hair. They come in grayish to reddish-brown in color with white fur on their bellies.
Field mice - This type of mice prefer to live outdoors. But during the cold months, they enter structures where fruits, vegetables, and shelter can be found. A field mouse is about 80 mm to 100 mm in length with tails at around 80 mm long. Their diet includes seed crops of trees like oak, ash, lime, and sycamore, apples, and legume seeds.
Do You Have A Mouse In The House?
Since mice are nocturnal, they only come out at night to forage for food. This is why they might already be under our noses yet we do not know about it. The good news is that mice leave clues as to their presence. Here are some signs you should look out for.
- Mice droppings. Since mice eat a lot, about 15 to 20 times a day, they defecate a lot. Their droppings look like tiny black pellets. These pellets can be hard and dry, or soft and wet. This is one sure sign you have mice.
- Gnaw marks on boxes, cardboard, newspapers, magazines, gas pipes, and electric cables. Mice have incisors that are constantly growing, that is why they need to constantly chew on something to make it stop from growing any further. This is why they keep on chewing stuff like the above-mentioned items.
- Noises behind the walls and in ceilings, especially at night. Mice might be crawling around or playing.
- Squeaking sounds. Mice may be socializing.
- Chew marks on your food or food packaging.
- Grease trails on walls as mice’s bodies are always dirty or greasy.
- They also leave a strong scent coming from their urine.
- Actually seeing a mouse.
Why Do You Need To Get Rid Of Them
Mice are more than just a nuisance, they are also a huge health concern. They spread several deadly diseases and trigger asthma.
They carry food-borne diseases like salmonella and leptospirosis. This happens when their droppings, saliva, and urine contaminate your food. And those are not the only diseases they transmit. Mice are known to be the source of the Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, a serious disease here in the United States.
Aside from being disease transmitters, mice can destroy your property. Around 8% of fires in the United States are said to have started because of mice nibbling on gas pipes and electric cables.
Mice also destroy books, cardboard, boxes, walls, and other items that may be of value to you.
If you are a business owner, in particular restaurants and food manufacturing businesses, mice are your worst nightmare. At this day and age of social media and high technology, a sighting of a mouse inside a restaurant would quickly spread with a single picture taken from a cell phone camera and posted on the internet. This, of course, spells doom for your business.
This is why if you find a single mouse, do not try to ignore it. Do not cohabitate. You will feel the negative effects immediately.
Control
Here are some tips on how to get rid of mice.
- Mice will leave if there is no food for them to eat. Put your food inside sealed containers. Food is one of the things mice came to your house.
- Fix leaky pipes and faucets to cut them off their water sources.
- Seal cracks, crevices, and holes. These can be used as entry points by mice. Holes that are the size of a nickel is big enough for a mouse to squeeze through.
- Regularly sweep and mop the floors and vacuum carpets and furniture. This will effectively clean food crumbs.
- Do not leave unwashed dishes overnight.
- Place a tight lid on your trash can. Regularly dispose of your trash properly.
- Put pet food in your pet’s food bowl that is just enough for your pet to eat everything.
If you already have a mice infestation problem and are overwhelmed by it, do not fret. The best pest control company in Cornelius, NC is just a phone call away: Go-Forth Home Services.
Why Go-Forth Home Services?
Go-Forth Home Services uses the latest and most advanced technology in the business, making our service to you more efficient, safer, and more convenient. We have a team of expert professionals who can provide the best pest control services to residents and business establishments all throughout North and South Carolina.
We bring in a new and fresh approach to the pest control industry, using family-friendly and pet-friendly methods of extermination that caters to your specific needs. Our expert experience in exterminating pests like cockroaches, wasps, weevils, mosquitoes, mice, flies, termites, ants, and spiders can really make you say goodbye to these pests in your home. You may check us on Facebook or Google us to see what our satisfied customers have to say about us.
Go-Forth Home Services has earned the trust of residents and businesses in North Carolina for more than 50 years. For more information, or to set an appointment, just dial (877) 274-1475.