The most prominent mammal within most cities, other than humans, is the common house mouse. Homeowners will experience the presence of house mice at least once in their lifetime. House mice live close to humans and rely on some of the same food sources as we do. Although they will eat any type of food, house mice actually prefer seeds and grain over other options. A lone roaming house mouse can be taken care of easily and cause little to no damage if caught quickly. However, if house mice are breeding within the walls of your home, you may be dealing with a serious infestation that can cause damage to your home and health risks to you and your family.

Identification of Nocturnal House Mice

House mice are normally nocturnal and are rarely seen throughout the daytime. It is not unlikely to see some activity from them during the day; however, this may be an indication that there are quite a few house mice present within the walls of your home. House mice rely heavily on their sense of smell, taste, touch, and hearing. They have very poor eyesight and are believed to be color blind. House mice are generally a brown grayish color with no hair on their skin-colored tails. They have larger ears and protruding black eyes; some have been known to have white feet as well.

Preferred House Mice Habitats and Breeding Nests

House mice do not only find shelter inside of homes. They have been found nesting in and around farms, commercial establishments, open fields, and agricultural lands. Sometimes house mice actually live quite far from humans, especially in a mild climate. Once temperatures begin to drop, house mice will start looking for warmer shelter in other places to build a new nest and begin breeding. Litters of five to six mice are born nineteen to twenty-one days after mating. When mice are born, they have no hair and their eyes are shut for days. After about two weeks they have a full body of hair and their eyes and ears are fully developed and functioning.

Structurally Damaging and Disease Transmitting House Mice

House mice have the ability to cause a significant amount of structural damage to your home. They will gnaw on almost anything and will search your home for materials to use in their nest building. House mice are also known to eat into food storage and ruin stored grains, cereals and more. This can cause a serious health risk as the mice may leave urine or fecal matter on your food. Mice can transmit diseases to humans, such as salmonellosis, rickettsialpox, and lymphocytic choriomeningitis. Mice have also been known to cause ringworm and tapeworm among humans they come into contact with. If you suspect that house mice have invaded your home, it is time to contact a professional. Rentokil will eliminate your house mice problem and leave your home free from any rodent related health risk or structural damage that mice can cause. If you suspect mice or rodents in your home (or have a problem with any other kind of pest), give us a call today!