Some researchers think that as many as
95% of American homes have had mice nesting in them at some point.
Mice can leave an indelible mark on your home, not to mention the fact that they’re capable of spreading illness and disease. It’s not their fault that they’re in your home – they’re just looking for shelter like anything else – but that doesn’t mean you should sit idly by while they potentially cause damage.
The best
form of preventative maintenance is early detection. In today’s post, we’re going to tell you some of the telltale signs that you’ve got mice in your Visalia home.
Once you know they’re there and where they’re nesting, you can contact pest control for extermination. Keep reading and learn how to protect your home from these wily critters.
You’ve Seen Them
The most obvious, but less common indication that you’ve got mice is that you’ve seen one. If a mouse shows itself to you, it’s not often a coincidental encounter. They’re nesting somewhere in your home, so you need to figure out where they’re hiding and deal with them.
Most of the time, you’ll see a mouse scurrying along the running board of your walls. They’re more active in the evenings, but it’s possible to spot them during the daytime as well.
Droppings
More often than not, the first sign of a mouse problem in the home is droppings. You may pull out a pan or a package of food from the cupboard and find little dark or grey pellets nearby – dark, moist droppings are fresh, while gray ones are older and dried out.
You’ll find a higher quantity of droppings where the mice are nesting. Often, this will be in cupboards, drawers, and under sinks. If the droppings are dark and moist, you’ll know that they’re currently nesting in that area.
Knowing approximately where the mice are nesting makes the extermination easier.
Contact professional exterminators with this information for free consultations.
Holes and Chew Marks
Another clear indicator of mice is chew marks on food packages and walls. These critters will chew through whatever they must to find food. If the bite marks are quite large, it’s more likely that you’re dealing with rats than mice.
You Can Hear Them
Mice often nest behind walls. Anyone who has had a mouse or rat infestation will tell you about the eerie noises they can hear, most often at night. If you can hear scratching or scurrying sounds behind your walls when you’re trying to sleep, there’s likely a mouse back there.
When behind walls, the noises are fairly muffled. If you can hear clear scurrying or scratching, the mouse is out in the open, which is a good opportunity to figure out where they’re coming and going.
Your Pets Have Fleas
Believe it or not, a mouse problem can quickly lead to a bug problem.
Mice often carry fleas, so if you’ve got indoor pets who suddenly have little itchy black bugs burrowing into their fur, the underlying problem could be mice or rats.
Fleas are looking for blood, which is why they go after cats and dogs. If you don’t have pets, you could still end up with fleas in your upholstery or carpet due to a mouse infestation.
Your Pets Behavior Has Changed
Pets, and cats especially, are naturally attracted to mice as playthings. If your cat’s behavior has changed and they seem distracted, it could be because they can smell (or sense) a mouse around.
Pay attention to your pet when it seems like they’re chasing something that isn’t there. They could be leading you right to the heart of your mouse problem.
Tracks/Runways
Active rodents tend to follow the same “runways” while navigating your home. This will often result in them leaving faint tracks along their runways, which are difficult to see with the naked eye. If you’re lucky, they’ll leave you droppings or urine pools as clear indicators.
You can utilize a flashlight or blacklight to spot these small smudges along your floor. If you’re not sure whether you’re looking at a runway or not, put some flour or baby powder down. The next time the mouse goes along their path, they’ll leave clear prints.
You’ve Found a Nest
Finding a mouse nest is a rare occurrence, but it makes it very clear that you’ve got a rodent problem. They’ll use a
variety of household materials to make their nests – dried-out household plants, fabric/cushion stuffing, and shredded paper, among other things.
The reason that nests are hard to find is that mice don’t want to be found. Usually, you’ll notice several of the other signs first, then once you go looking, you’ll spot the nest.
Mouse nests are often close to their sources of water and food. If you see a lot of droppings or urine somewhere in your house, a nest is likely close by as well.
You Can Smell Urine/Droppings
A
large mouse infestation will start to smell. The most pungent smell a mouse will leave is from their urine – an ammonia smell, akin to baby diapers.
As mentioned, one or two mice probably won’t make a smell strong enough for anyone to notice. If you sense this smell and notice a few other signs, you must call your local exterminator as soon as possible.
Unexplained Allergies
Lastly, if someone in your home starts
experiencing allergies for no apparent reason, it could mean that you’ve got mice. Their fur and droppings are often the biggest problems for those who suffer from allergies.
Preventative Maintenance Helps You Avoid Mice
These are a few of the clearest signs that you’ve got mice in your home. One or two mice aren’t a cause for panic, but they can quickly reproduce and turn into a mouse infestation, which can be hugely problematic.
By recognizing the presence of mice early on, you’re doing the most important preventative maintenance possible. The next step is to contact pest control for free estimates on handling your mouse issue.
For those in Visalia, the top choice for mouse problems is Pest Control Now. For 5 years, we’ve been helping Visalia residents stay comfortable and safe in their homes.
Contact us today for a consultation and we’ll promptly identify and solve your mouse issues.
