About Mice - Life History

Mice are one of the most common pests a homeowner can experience. Several different species of mice exploit homes, the most common being house mice, deer mice, and white-footed mice. They range in body size from about 2 to 3.5 inches long and sport a long tail. Mice reproduce year-round and can produce as many as 50 offspring in one year. They reach sexual maturity at 4-6 weeks of age. Mice forage within 30 feet of their nest and are very curious about their environment. If a new object is present in their territory, a mouse will "investigate" it. A single mouse can consume nearly 1 pound of food in a month and produces 60-80 droppings in a day. Mice are most active at night but are sometimes active during the day depending on food availability and hiding places. With the exception of vision, mice have very sharp senses. They rely on smell, hearing, touch, and taste to navigate their environment. Mice are excellent climbers, have good balance, and can squeeze through openings about 1/4 inch and larger. 

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Signs of Mice in My Home

To determine if you have mice in your home, we recommend that you have us perform a professional inspection of all relevant areas. Some signs we look for during inspections include:

• Tunneling/nesting in insulation

• Droppings

• Runways

• Grease marks

• Gnaw marks

• Odor

...and more! We use evidence collected during inspections paired with homeowner observations to determine whether mice are present in your home.

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Treating Mouse Problems

After performing a thorough inspection, we will provide a recommendation based on our findings. Effective mouse treatments focus on controlling mice at a population level rather than an individual level. Since mice reproduce quickly and are adaptable to their environment, we focus on making your home inhospitable to mice. Combining lethal control, habitat modification, and sanitation is the most effective way to manage populations. Additionally, mice need to be treated thoroughly due to their small home range (about 30 feet). Rodent populations can explode due to time of year, food availability, habitat, and other factors. Successful mouse control requires periodic maintenance by a professional. Call us today to learn more about our mouse program!

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Trapping vs. Rodenticide Use

Many homeowners use traps when they observe evidence of mice. Trapping is usually effective within the first couple of days. After that, you will likely stop catching mice while still seeing or hearing evidence. Traps experience initial success due to curiosity of mice. They will investigate traps when they are first placed which can lead to initial success. After the traps sit for a while, mice may become uninterested or wary. After a few mice are caught, others may become "trap-smart." They learn that traps are dangerous to them. Catching trap-smart mice can be frustrating and time-intensive. While placing traps the location and orientation of traps is extremely important. Mice are more likely to travel in areas that make them feel safe and secure while exploring their territory and are more likely to run across traps in these areas. They may not find a poorly placed trap, or simply take more time to find it. Finally, traps can be difficult to place in hard-to-access areas and must be reset/disposed of after each catch.

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Sometimes a rodenticide treatment may be the most effective way to manage mouse populations. Rodenticides can be distributed in difficult to access areas and remain effective for multiple feedings and over a longer time. Rodenticide treatments exploit a mouse's natural tendency to explore its territory and collect food. A single placement of rodenticide can eliminate up to 10 mice and remain desirable for months in the correct conditions. Rodenticide can be locked in tamper-resistant bait stations to keep pets and kids safe and must always be used in accordance with the pesticide label. (View labels for Contrac All Weather Blox and Contrac Place Pacs.) My Critter Pro carries licensure from the state of Ohio to apply rodenticides safely.