Dangerous Houseguests

Mice are commensal rodents, this means that they “want to share a table with us”; and over time mice have come to at least partially rely on people for food, water, and shelter. It is, however, important to remember that while they want to depend on us, we can’t let them because these small rodents will lead to big problems for people, homes, and personal belongings.

There are many species of mice; but, as you probably suspect, the most common species to invade homes and other buildings is the house mouse. We are sure that you probably already know what they look like, but just in case here is a quick description: they have a grayish colored body with a lighter cream colored belly, a body that is about 2 ½ to 3 ¾ inches in length, a pointed nose, large ears, a long tail, and are covered in a light coat of fur.

Even though their name, house mouse, might lead you to believe that they would be great houseguests, this is just not the case. House mice and mice in general actually make terrible house guests. A mouse only needs a space about the diameter of a pencil to enter your home, and once they get inside, they will find an area behind walls, under floors, in attics, in basements, and behind large appliances to nest.

Once they have made themselves comfortable in your home they will begin to forage for food and water. They will chew through food packages, contaminate your food sources, and leave trails of urine and feces as they travel throughout your home. Mouse urine and feces are gross by themselves, but what makes mice actually dangerous are the diseases and pathogens that they carry and pass on to you and your family. Mice are responsible for transmitting serious diseases including: lymphocytic choriomeningitis, Leptospirosis, dysentery, and salmonellosis.

And we aren’t quite done yet! Mice are also responsible for introducing other parasites and pests into your home. Mice often bring with them fleas, ticks, and mites and the diseases that those pests can spread as well.

Aside from the diseases that mice carry, there is another pressing concern when mice decide to live in your home. Since mice are rodents, they have front incisors that are continuously growing. In order to prevent their teeth from overgrowing, they chew incessantly. When mice are in your home, this means that they will chew on and destroy your home’s structures and your personal belongings. See, they really are terrible houseguests! Mice are known to chew through water pipes leading to issues with mold and mildew and through wires, which can lead to electrical fires. They will also chew insulation, drywall, and flooring. Having mice in your home may also mean that pictures, furniture, clothing, boxes, and other personal and sentimental items will be destroyed by their need to chew or at the very least, be contaminated or ruined by their feces, urine, and saliva.

So as you can probably tell by now, a mouse in your house is bad news and should be prevented at all costs. The best way to get rid of mice from your home is with the help of a professional. A professional will be able to inspect your home, find all the breeding and nesting sites, and humanely eliminate any mice currently living in your home. Professionals will also be able to help identify and make changes to prevent future problems with mice including providing year-round pest control services.

If mice have decided to make your home their home, call the mouse control professionals at American Pest today!