How Much Trouble Can One Mouse Be?
That furry little blur you just saw zip across in front of your fireplace? Those brown, rice-shaped droppings behind the refrigerator? O.K., how much trouble can a couple of mice be?
Well, according to an article published by the Illinois Department of Health, in a single year a female mouse can have 5 to 10 litters of 5 or 6 young each. In 10 weeks, those babies will be mature enough to repeat the process. Assume half the litter is male, the other half female. You do the math.
Keep Mice From Taking Up Residence In Your Home
There’s more. Though mice have dietary preferences – grains, cereal,
Mice Resting Comfortably
even peanut butter , they’ll basically settle for anything they can get. They can climb vertically up just about any rough surface, navigate cables like the guy who walked across Niagara Falls, jump about a foot high, and crawl through holes you could sharpen a pencil in. Oh, and they use your insulation for nests and contaminate your food with their droppings; they can cause structural damage by chewing on wood and a safety hazard by gnawing on your wires.
Think you might want to get rid of them?
Most experts in rodent control, say the best way to keep mice out of your house is, well, to keep them out. In other words, any opening larger than, say, a pencil, should be sealed.
For most people – including those who just don’t have the patience to crawl around looking for quarter-inch openings — rodent control consists of catching the mice quickly and efficiently.
Unlike insects, mice and other rodents are not capable of going dormant for the winter. While some mammals, such as raccoons, do hibernate during the winter, most simply seek a warmer shelter. Mice, rats, and squirrels actively work on building warm nests year round, often inside homes.
Don’t let a rodent infestation get out of control. Because mice multiply so quickly, just a few can lead to an out-of-control infestation before you know it.
If you notice droppings or signs of gnawing around the house could indicate a mice problem. Contact a mice removal expert right away to help identify the culprit and quickly eliminate the infestation.
