What is it that makes house mice so bad? It’s right in their name. These furry pests make our Edenton homes their own. This wouldn’t be so bad if house mice were as friendly as pet mice, but the sad truth is that they aren’t.
House mice are rude, destructive, and dangerous. To help you better understand these invasive and problematic pests, we will be breaking down everything you ought to know about house mice in Edenton.
House Mice Are Rude
Mice do not understand the value of quiet. Nocturnal by nature, these furry pests have no trouble being as noisy as possible at all hours of the night. Now, you might think “mice aren’t heavy enough to be noisy”, but the sounds of clicking claws, scratching, and gnawing is much more audible at three in the morning. In addition to being noisy, house mice are also frustrating in the way they chew holes through stored food items and leave greasy marks along baseboards.
House Mice Are Destructive
Just like cats need to constantly scratch at things to keep their claws down, mice have to constantly chew to keep their teeth at a comfortable length. Most often, house mice will use their durable teeth to chew holes through walls, into boxes, and clear a path to areas they need to be.
This is especially troublesome when the thing in a mouse’s way is a clump of wires, utility pipes, or another important feature inside your home. Mice will also chew on things just for the heck of it. If these pests invade your home, expect to find gnaw marks on furniture, decorative features, and other objects. To top things off, house mice will also tear up fabric, insulation, and paper to gather material to build their nests.
House Mice Are Dangerous
Although cute, house mice are incredibly dangerous pests. Known for being dirty and eating dirty things, mice often bring contagions into homes. They spread these disease-causing organisms over countertops, into stored boxes of food, and in other places people commonly interact with.
On top of spreading disease, house mice also carry fleas and ticks into homes. These smaller parasitic pests come with their laundry list of spreadable diseases and are a huge threat to both people and pets.
How To Prevent House Mice
House mice invade homes to find shelter, food, and water. To keep these pests outside where they belong, your goal should be limiting these pests’ access to these things as much as possible. Here are some practical steps to do so:
- Remove debris and clutter from around your yard.
- Store firewood, lumber, and other building materials at least 30 feet from your home’s exterior.
- Keep your grass and landscaping well maintained.
- Trim back tree branches and bushes at least five feet from your home’s exterior.
- Use a caulk gun and some steel wool to fill openings in your home’s exterior foundation.
- Fix damage to window/door screens, door sweeps, and weatherstripping.
- Address moisture problems around your home.
- Keep your home’s interior as clean as possible.
- Store leftover foods inside airtight containers.
- Repackage food into larger plastic, metal, or glass containers.
- Make sure all of your trash cans have tight-fitting lids.
- Invest in professional pest control services.
There is only one way to effectively eliminate and prevent house mice and that is with professional pest control, courtesy of Pest & Termite Consultants. Contact our team today to learn more about how we handle mice or schedule your Edenton property for a service visit.