Get Rid of Mice : Options

Females have between five and ten litters per year with about five or six pups in each litter. They are capable of reproducing at the age of six weeks. A mouse infestation can easily get out of control if not dealt with as soon as it is recognized.

Mice are capable of getting through an opening the size of a dime. So close off the source of entry and eliminate mice currently within the home. If you live in a mobile home or have a crawl space, check around plumbing pipes inside cabinets for spaces mice can get in. Use steel wool to fill in cracks and openings to temporarily keep mice out. Also check for openings around doors, windows, foundations, and vents.

There are various types of traps that can be used to capture or kill mice. Traps are advantageous since poisons can be dangerous, and with traps the dead mice can easily be located and disposed of. When poisons are used, the mice often die and are not found until there is an odor. Also, poisoned mice can pose a danger to pets who may eat them.

There is the typical spring-loaded, wood-based trap, a live trap, and a glue trap. Traps should be positioned close to the wall or cabinet where mice are known to travel. A good bait to attract mice is peanut butter. It is not easily removed without setting off the trap. Several traps should be used for more efficient mouse elimination.

Live traps can trap more than one mouse at a time, and the mice can be released without harm in another location. Glue traps will hold mice with a special glue, but they can be ineffective with high temperatures or in dusty locations. Also, use caution when placing any traps where pets and children can access them.

If the problem of how to get rid of mice is severe and you consider poison an option – consult a professional exterminator. Multi-dose poisons are safer to use than one dose poisons. Label directions should be followed very carefully, and poisons should not be used if there is a risk of children or pets coming in contact with them.

Get Rid of Mice : Habits

When attempting to get rid of mice, understanding their routine makes this task much more likely.

If mice have good living conditions (food, water, and shelter), they can multiply rapidly. They sexually mature in two months, producing about 8 litters per year - each litter has 4-7 pups.

House mice in a city environment may spend it's entire life in buildings. In rural and suburban settings, it may not only live inside, but be found outside near foundations, in shrubbery, weeds, crawl spaces, basements, or in garages.

Mice survive well on weeds, seeds, or insects, but when their food supply is shortened by the colder months they move inside nesting closer to a food supply. Their nests are made from soft material like paper, insulation, or furniture stuffing. These nest are found in walls, ceiling voids, storage boxes, drawers, under large appliances, or within the upholstery of furniture. Outside the nests are found in debris or in ground burrows.

Mice are "nibblers" eating many times in different places, they do have two main meal times - just before dawn and at dusk - they do "snack" at other times at intervals of every 1-2 hours. They can eat about 10 to 15% of their body weight every day. Mice also cache food as supply permits. They get much of there water from food products.

Mice are active mostly at night, but they can be seen occasionally during daylight hours.

A house mouse is an excellent climber and can scale most rough vertical surfaces. It will travel horizontally along wire cables or ropes and can jump up 12 inches from the floor onto a flat surface.

An awareness of these routines should be considered when attempting to get rid of mice.