Mouse and Rodent Control MN
Q. I Heard Insects Live On Mice. Is That True?
A. Mice are also heavily infected with pests, which can spread into your home or business searching for hosts. Lice, Fleas and Mites are all known carriers of disease. Several cases of mites biting humans indoors have been reported.
If a mouse brings fleas into your home likely the biting bug will hop onto your house pet’s back. Once inside, large flea populations can build up quickly. Fleas live on the outside of their hosts’ bodies and need to feed on blood in order to produce eggs.
Mice carry two kinds of Lice —one bites its host and the other sucks the host’s blood. Lice can cause hair loss and itching, and can transmit parasites.
A bug living in a mouse nest can become an infestation in your kitchen, pantry or carpet in no time. One or two mites may stray from the mouse nest and crawl along you kitchen table. But if the mouse abandons its nest for any reason, the whole caboodle of mouse bugs will enter your home, looking for a new host. This is why it’s especially important to hire a Pest Control Expert to remove mouse nests and other garbage after all the mice have been exterminated.
Q. I Have Mice In My Home, Will They Cause Any Damage?
A. House mice are considered some of the most troublesome rodents in the US. An attic that has served as a mouse home may have shredded ductwork. Mice may tunnel through the insulation, rendering it less effective. Chewing on wires and tearing insulation off pipes is not uncommon. You may come home from vacation to find your home has flooded because of mice chewing on water lines. This kind of your residence can pose a fire hazard, raise your utility bills and cost thousands of dollars in repairs.
House mice, deer mice and white-footed mice also go to the bathroom just like any other animal. Your insulation will become a trampled bed mouse fecal matter and urine. Eventually, these bathroom smells can spread into other parts of your home causing a very unpleasant odor. You might get used to it, but your house guests, neighbors and prospective homebuyers will not. The smells from mouse urines and rod-shaped mouse poop attract other mice and rodents.
Through mice are small and don’t eat large qualities, they do graze and nibble a lot. It is very easy for mice to live in the attic but they can venture down through a wall void to your kitchen contaminate a lot of it with their urine, droppings and hair.
If a mouse is nesting in your oven or other large electrical appliance, it can cause damage to the appliance’s insulation and wiring, creating a severe fire hazard in your home. But what if the mice just mice in my attic, you ask? Mice can do considerable amounts of damage to stores items like photos, books and other heirlooms which can be impossible to replace.
Mice keep their teeth worn down by gnawing on surfaces. You may wonder why there are chew marks on your rafters and doors or why there are fresh wood shavings in your attic. This is probably because a mouse has been honing its teeth in your attic. Along with chew marks, mice will leave greasy tracks and fur along their normal routes of travel.
Q. What Kinds of Foods Do Mice Eat?
A. Mice are omnivores, meaning they will eat just about anything. Some mice prefer meat over other foods, while other mice prefer grains, fruit and vegetable matter over meats. Mice are considered nibblers since they are not afraid of trying new foods. Even when grains and seeds, their foods, are present, mice may sample chocolates, bacon, and other foods high in protein and sugar.
Unlike rate, mice can survive on no water, though they will drink water if it’s available. Mice extract their water from the foods that they eat. Mice also like to feed on garbage in kitchen and food storage rooms if they are living near humans. Dumpsters provide an easy and plentiful source of mouse food. Landfills, garbage dumps and unkempt yards are full of mouse food, also.
Q. When are Mice Most Active?
A. Mice will usually enter the attic, walls or crawlspace in the fall because there is a scarcity of seeds and plants outside. Mice are mostly nocturnal, so you won’t see them out much during the day. They usually start to become active around dusk, when they go looking for food and water, if there are a lot of mice in your storage room, attic, or kitchen, some mice may venture out to find food during the day.
Female mice are only pregnant for about three weeks, and then they have a litter of five to six babies. Though the hairless babies look very helpless, they grow-up fast—they’ll be independent in about a month. The average mouse female has five to ten litters a year. You can see how one or two mice in the attic or walls can become 20 in no time.
House mice will usually travel no more that 10 to 30 feet from their nest to find food or water. White footed and deer mice travel much further, often several acres. Because of this limits range, they can be much more difficult to control than rats, which travel greater distances.
