The last few weeks in Hampden and Hartford county have been increasingly cool. This is the season when mice make their way into your home to forage and find warmth. There are many signs of a mouse problem and you should know what they look like. Keep an eye out for these tell-tale signs so you can plan how to deal with these furry invaders.
An obvious indicator of mice setting up camp in your home is small, rough holes. Mice are capable of chewing through all kinds of materials—drywall, wood, even plumbing pipes. The most concerning items mice can chew through are electrical wires, especially ones hidden behind walls. Exposed wiring can be severely dangerous when left untended, risking potential house fire.
Since mice tend to rummage through dirt and garbage for food, they naturally get covered in dirt and grime. This means noticeable paw prints and grease stains in well-worn areas where mice travel from where they sleep and where they forage. These grease stains are most obvious on baseboards and walls with light paint.
Mice leave waste behind approximately 70 times each day. This means fecal pellets… everywhere. They look like small, black granules, the size of a grain of rice. Look for these in your pantry or dark, isolated spaces, such as in a cabinet or in your basement. These are not the only unappealing leave-behinds of mice. Mouse urine is incredibly odorous and can be a pretty undeniable sign of an infestation. Keep an eye—or nose—out for these signs.
Mice primarily forage late in the evening, preferably long after homeowners are asleep. Since they are so small, it can be difficult to hear the scurrying of little paws with the ambient noise of the daytime. You’re likeliest to hear them at night, crawling behind drywall while on the hunt for food. They are occasionally active during the day, but usually well out of sight in places like the basement and attic.
Mice sleep, reproduce, and raise their offspring in nests made of scavenged materials. These can include paper, insulation, bits of clothing, and cardboard. Mice will shred these to make comfortable nests for themselves and the young. They tend to make these nests in well-hidden, dark areas.
The most obvious signs of a mouse in the houses are, well, a mouse in the house. If you see a mouse scurry along the floorboards, there is a very strong chance there is more than just that rodent on the hunt for food. Mice are rarely that risky when it comes to searching your home so they may be desperate or looking for food for their young.
If you see any of these signs, don’t wait, contact a professional. Call us at 413-566-8222 or contact us with any questions or if you are experiencing a pest problem. We have the knowledge and the services necessary to help keep your home pest-free!