Mice Control & Rodent Control
The most common of all rodents that create a stir for homeowners, the house mouse takes the cake…Literally. Although they prefer seeds and nuts, these opportunistic bandits will eat almost anything they discover and will stop at nothing to find a good meal. They’ve even been known to steal your pet’s food and store it in their own pantry for a rainy day. On average, mice grow to about 3.5 in. (not including tail) and weigh less than an ounce, generally being of light brown or gray to black in color. But don’t let those cute little furry faces fool you! Not only are they urinating and defecating throughout your home, they are also potentially contaminating food and damaging electrical wires. It’s even estimated that Mice/Rats cause about 20-25% of all undetermined house fires. Mice are shy but naturally curious creatures. They typically roam the home at night looking for food, water and nesting sites for their ever growing family.
So how do I know if I have mice?: There are a number of different signs that tip you off to this home invader such as; droppings, foot prints, gnawing/chewing damage, burrow holes/tunnels, sounds, odors and the obvious sighting. Do you ever hear what sounds like movement in the walls or the pitter patter of feet running in the ceiling? You’re not going crazy, there’s a very curious mouse exploring your home and if he finds something he needs, the whole family may move in like a bad holiday.
I didn’t invite them here, so how did they get in? Well, unfortunately you may have put them on the guest list without having a clue. House mice do not travel very far from their nest but they live in close proximity to humans, often in or around houses and fields. They can squeeze their way into any crack or crevice that their head can fit through which is usually the size of a dime or smaller! Many entry points for these rodents may be below ground level and thus very difficult to find especially if your property is slab-on-ground or your basement level is finished.
How can I get rid of these unwanted house guests? Because average mouse colonies number in the dozens, contacting Budget Pest control Inc. regarding Mice Control & Rodent Control is a smart first step. Our fully trained, experienced technicians along with our state on the art trucks, equipment and materials will put these night time trespassers to bed once and for all. And better yet, our Mice Control & Rodent Control treatments are designed to take care of the entire nest so you can rest easy at bedtime.
Contact Us Today to speak with one of our knowledgeable staff members who will discuss your particular infestation, go over Mice Control treatment options as well as provide you with a quote in a jiffy and offer speedy service to your property seven days a week!
Stats
Mice are one of the smaller rodents we deal with, ranging usually (head to tail) from 5-7 inches in length, and weighing under an ounce on most occasions. They come in a variety of shades, but field and house mice are most often varying shades of brown, and their ears and tails are typically bald or thinly veiled with small hairs.
Did You Know?
- Mice have the ability to jump as high as 18 inches and can climb vertically up objects such as pipes, gutters and certain types of walls.
- Mice, unlike rats, have very clear eyesight, thought to be as clear as human vision although they cannot sense certain shades in the color spectrum.
- Similar to other members of the animal kingdom, mice have ultra-sensitive whiskers which they use to navigate through their environment, if they lose their whiskers; they will more heavily rely on their eyesight to get through places.
Myths & Facts
MYTH: House mice can and will not swim.
FACT: Mice can swim very well, and if presented as a safer option, will nest in areas of water that they may need to traverse through.
MYTH: Mice eat only small grains, cereals and plants.
FACT: Mice are omnivores and very opportunistic feeders. They will eat anything including household items like soaps, meat and even, at times, their own feces.
MYTH: Mice are active at all times of day, seeking food and shelter.
FACT: Mice are crepuscular (nocturnal), and actually will sleep for the majority of the day. The most common instance of people seeing mice during daylight is mainly due to an overpopulation of a nesting area at which time they will become desperate to establish another nest.
Signs of An Infestation
- Mice will move in a “thigmotactic” fashion, which means that they will maintain contact with a vertical surface, and this is evidenced by a trail of either body oils or urine in close quarters to walls or baseboards. They will also use these trails as a signal to other mice that the pathway is safe.
- A huge indicator of mice infesting a home is that materials that could be considered suitable for nesting (including things like home insulation, tissues, fabrics, stuffing) are disturbed or scattered in a wild fashion.
- Feces are also very common in high-traffic areas. Mouse droppings are usually 1/16th-3/16th of an inch long, shaped like skinny pellets, usually with a bulge in the middle and tapered ends (think dark brown rice).
Rodents FAQ
Rodents
Rodents are not only a hazard to human health, but they can also compromise the integrity of an infested structure through continuous gnawing. Rodents multiply quickly, making infestations extremely difficult to remove.
Are rodents cause for concern?
- In addition to being tough to control, rodents may carry diseases and taint food with waste, fur, and saliva. In fact, mice can contaminate about 10 times the amount of food they eat. The CDC links some rodents to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a disease fatal in about 36 percent of all reported U.S. cases.
- The pests are also hosts for fleas, which can spread plague and diseases.
- It is not advisable to handle any wild rodent. They are equipped with large teeth and can transmit a variety of bacteria, viruses and diseases through their saliva, feces, and urine.
- The presence of one rodent within a home could signal an infestation.
- Keep all children and pets away from the rodent. If cornered, the rodent will bite to defend itself.
Where do rodents live?
Rodents thrive across the world in almost any habitat with access to food and water. Because of their small size, they can be difficult to keep out of a home. Rats can get indoors through holes the size of a quarter, while mice can use gaps the size of a dime to come inside.
What is a rodent?
Rodents are a group of nuisance pests that includes mice, rats, and squirrels. These animals can contaminate food, damage property, and spread disease. The rodents that most often come into conflict with people in the United States are:
- Rats are instinctively wary of things new to their environment, including rat control measures such as traps and bait, and colonize in attics, burrows, under concrete and porches, in wall voids and other hard-to-reach places.
- Disease: Rats can harbor and transmit several serious diseases. They can also introduce disease-carrying parasites such as fleas and ticks into your home.
- Mice – Access: Mice invade your home seeking food, water, and warmth.
- Contamination: Each mouse can contaminate much more food than it eats.
What can I do to prevent rodent infestation?
- Prevention methods should be implemented early to maintain a rodent-free home. Rodents reproduce rapidly, and small populations become full-blown infestations in very little time.
- Food storage -Keep any possible food sources away from rodents. Small crumbs and garbage are popular sources of infestation, as are dry goods such as grains and cereals. These should be kept in sealed metal or glass containers to prevent contamination. Fruits and vegetables should also be stored properly, and resulting waste should never be left in sinks or on counters.
- Cardboard -Cardboard objects prove attractive to rodents, as they tend to chew them up for use in their nests.
- Seal openings -Because of the rodents’ body plan, they are capable of squeezing through spaces that appear to be much too small for them. All such holes should be sealed to prevent entry and reentry of rodents.
Will there be rodent babies? Are they having babies in my house?
- Rodents tend to be rapid breeders. Some species breed year-round, and populations are maintained through constant reproduction. Females produce pheromones that attract the attention of males. After sensing the female’s
hormones, the male mouse emits an ultrasonic mating call. - A female mouse produces between five and eight offspring after mating. Although females are protective of their young, some also consume their offspring if exposed to high stress such as famine.
- In 21 to 28 days, babies wean from their mother’s milk. They reach maturity between days 28 and 35 and are then capable of reproduction. Some specimens are capable of breeding at six weeks. Mice tend to live for approximately one year.
What can you expect from our treatment?
Your technician will call on the way to your property. Your technician will speak with you, answer any questions, settle payment and begin your homes treatment. Your technician will perform an inspection to determine likely areas of travel, entry points, rodent highways. Your technician will likely utilize a combination of professional locked bait stations on the interior and exterior of your home, and potentially snap traps. Follow-up services may be scheduled depending upon your rodent plan selected. Ongoing treatment, Regular Service, will be recommended as a prevention measure for further infestations.
