The house mouse is the most common rodent pest in most parts of the world. Mice are social animal that lives in large communities.( so if you saw one there are more around).
They can breed rapidly and adapt quickly to changing conditions. Mice can start breeding at 6 to 10 weeks of age and produce 10 to 12 litters per year. In fact, a female house mouse can give birth to a half dozen babies every three weeks, and can produce up to 35 young per year. Adults have a body length of about 75 mm and weigh up to 30 g. The tail is about as long as the body and is almost hairless.
From 2 mice in one year statistically you will get over 15000 mice .
Mice are clever and will learn from the mistakes of other members of the community that is why Trapping is useless method of eradication, as you will find that you catch some on the first couple of days and then none – that’s because the rest of the mice saw what happened to their friends and are now avoiding the traps.
They have a life span of 1 to 2 years depending on food and shelter conditions.
Mice Habits
House mice prefer to eat seeds and insects, but will eat many kinds of food. They are excellent climbers and can jump up to a foot high; however, they are colour blind and cannot see clearly beyond six inches. Mice are most active at night but can also be seen during the day.
Mice will venture up to 10-15 meters from their nest, but when the environment becomes crowded due to over breeding, they will venture and claim new areas. That’s how they move around the neighbourhood .
In other words your mice has not arrived with a space ship; somewhere around you there have been active communities that have become too crowded.
They will spend most of their time away from us in wall cavities and subfloors. When sightings become more often, it suggests that they have been around for a while and are getting “Braver”. At this point, forget “feeding” them with supermarket bait and call professional mice pest controllers to treat your home.
Threats – do not leave mice untreated.
Micro droplets of mouse urine can cause allergies in children. Mice can also bring fleas, mites, ticks and lice into your home.
How to get rid of Mice
If you suspect you have a rodent issue it helps to ensure the following:
- Do not leave open food lying around over night as they will be attracted to it and feed off it. Keep waste bins etc clear too.
- To keep mice and other rodents out, make sure all holes of larger diameter than a pencil are sealed.
- Keep areas clear and store boxes off of the floor because mice prefer cluttered environment ( they feel safer when not seen and their predators cannot get to them).
- Don’t overlook proper drainage at the foundation and always install gutters or diverts which will channel water away from the building to prevent ideal conditions in which house mice can nest.
- Regularly inspect the home for signs of mice including droppings ( mainly behind items such as fridges under beds , behind shelfs…), gnaw marks and damaged food goods.
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