How and Why Mice Enter Homes
House mouse (Mus musculus)
The house mouse thrives under a variety of conditions in and around homes. Mice are usually brown or light grey in color, with lighter underbellies but different species can be lighter or darker. They have pointed noses, small eyes, relatively large ears, and long tails. Most mice are 3 to 4 inches long. Droppings are rod-shaped and pointed on both ends. During the fall and winter months when the temperatures outside begin to drop, the house mouse is often attracted by the warmth of your home as it looks for a place to spend the winter.
Once inside mice make their homes in quiet spaces out of spare materials, such as string and insulation. Indoors their diet consists of any spare food, consuming food meant for humans or pets, but in nature they typically eat grains, nuts, seeds, and sweets. Mice have keen senses of taste, hearing, smell and touch. They are excellent climbers and can run up any rough vertical surface. They contaminate food-preparation surfaces with their feces, which can contain the bacterium that causes food poisoning (salmonellosis). Their constant gnawing causes damage to structures and property.
Mice enter homes through cracks and holes (the size of a dime) found in walls, floors and foundations. Homeowners typically do not recognize mouse holes until other signs of infestation appear. Due to their body shape, mice are capable of fitting through holes much smaller than they physically appear.
Mice may also enter the home through gaps (spaces between the frame and the wall) in windows, doors or ceilings, as well as through sewer lines. In-proper sealing of drainage pipes, mice may also enter homes through sink or bathtub drains. They can also enter through holes around plumbing and oven gas lines.
As a result of dropping temperatures, infestations tend increase in the fall and winter. After a colony enters a structure and finds it to be safe and warm, they don’t typically venture outside again. Mice procreate quickly and populations may exceed 200 or more in a few months.
In order to prevent mice from entering the home, seal all cracks, openings and holes. You should seal potential entry points with metal or cement. All doors and windows must close properly. Store your foods in glass or metal containers with tight lids, and be certain to dispose of all food waste (garbage) as soon as possible. Contact a rodent exterminator professional for help and additional solutions.
If you find signs of mouse invasions or even suspect it call a professional rodent exterminator to exterminate the mice colony and perform remediation.
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