How To Detect Mice In Your Home

We’ve talked about how mice can get into your house and the damage they can cause. Now let’s talk about ways to know if you have mice in your house at all. But first, let’s go over why it’s so important to track mice activity. Mice are vector pests, which makes them the type of pest responsible for spreading germs and disease to humans. Adept at traveling anywhere in your home, mice are especially capable of contaminating your entire house with the germs that cause hantavirus, salmonella and listeria, all of which can be dangerous to your health. Symptoms of these diseases can be as mild as tiredness and fever, but also include joint pain, muscle aches, weakness and in the most severe cases, death. Now that we know why it’s important, let’s get onto knowing the how.

Things To Look For

Active Times

Mice are nocturnal which means they are most active when it’s dark. Think dusk till dawn. Still, this doesn’t mean you won’t see them during the day. Just like people, different mice can keep different schedules; though most prefer the night shift, some do their best work during the day. In either case, no matter the time of day, look for mice to be running along baseboards, into and out of closets, pantries and cabinets, in basements, attics and other generally quiet, undisturbed areas. Listen for them too: scratching and scurrying sounds inside your wall studs, floor and ceiling joists can also indicate the presence of mice.

Footprints

Mice typically leave a very distinct footprint: four-toed in the front, five-toed in the back. As they forage for food, it’s common for them to leave tracks across counter tops, the backs of stoves, behind appliances and behind and underneath furniture. Since they are creatures of habit, the types of tracks they leave and where they leave them, can also be helpful in determining the general paths and routes they travel.

Droppings

Mice droppings can be confused with American Cockroach droppings (another problem all together) so know what to look for. For mice, this means small pellets about 3-6mm long, rod-shaped with pointed ends. They also tend to have mouse fur stuck to them. In contrast, roach droppings are not pointed and can have ridges running the length of their sides, but let’s be honest, you’re probably not inspecting that closely, which is fine, because each of these pests needs attention! Like footprints, where you find mice droppings can be a great indicator of where they like to travel.

Sounds

Though we’ve touched on this, it bears repeating that what you hear can be just as important as what you see, so be sure to listen for chewing, scratching and squeaking in your walls and ceilings. Surprisingly to some, even one mouse can make quite a bit of noise, which is mostly due to the fact that they are generally most active in the quiet hours of the evening and morning, when most of the rest of the house is silent and still.

Gnawing & Chewing

Typical house mice are well known chewers of just about anything you have in your house, this includes drywall, wood, fabric and foam. Wires too. Like we said, just about anything. Look for nibble marks on baseboards, shredded fabric or paper and even yarn or string in closets, corners and under cabinets. And remember, it only takes one quarter of an inch for them to squeeze their way into just about any opening.

Burrows, Nest & Tunnels

These structures are an extension of gnawing and chewing. Mice like to build dark environments that offer protection and isolation. Things like insulation and other soft materials, arranged in the shape of burrows, nests and tunnels are tell-tale signs of mice activity.

Odor

Mouse odor is caused most by urine, which mice use as a form of communication. Whether marking territory to attract females or intimidate other males, the smell of their urine is most noticeable when a large number of mice are present, especially if they have been in the house for a long time. The smell of mouse urine can best be described as ammonia-like, sweaty and musty.

If you notice any of these signs, it’s best to seek professional extermination and remediation as soon as possible. Call us @  916.282.1822 for safe, efficient and effective solutions.