It Can Be Quite A Challenge To Get Rid Of Mice
Controlling house mice infestations can be a challenge. Ultimately, it is better to prevent mice from getting a paw-hold in your home, by sealing potential ways in, and removing sources of food, water and shelter.
With live traps there is still the problem of what do with the mouse, the humane options being euthanasia by a vet or release well away from human habitation. Glue boards have been criticised as inhumane as the stuck animal dies slowly, and may injure itself struggling to escape. They are also messy, and can trap household pets and non-target wildlife.
The most effective method for controlling small numbers of house mice is trapping. There are three main types of trap: the traditional snap trap; live traps; and glue boards. All traps need to be cited in an appropriate place, and humane and snap traps need to be baited properly. Snap traps are cheap, effective and relatively humane, as they kill the animal quickly, but they are not for the squeamish, and can cause injury to pets and children.
However, putting down poisoned bait may be the most feasible option where there is a large infestation, and where the presence of decomposing mice doesn’t pose a problem.
There are a variety of rodenticides available on the market and, although effective, they do have a number of drawbacks. They can take a long time to kill the mouse, and so are not humane, they may present a danger to other wildlife, pets or children, and the poisoned mice will often die under the floorboards or in the walls where they decompose and cause a terrible smell.
Contrary to popular myth, cats are not an effective means of mouse control, while devices which use ultrasonic sound waves to repel pests and are marketed as a humane way to get rid of and deter mice have generally been found to be ineffective in laboratory and field tests.
The choice of treatment will depend on the extent of the infestation; very bad infestations will need to be dealt with by a pest control company. There are several DIY options for those wanting to tackle their uninvited house guests themselves. The key ones are trapping and poisoning.
As well as blocking up entrance holes, good food hygiene and general cleanliness are also essential to prevent the pests from returning. De-cluttering and removing sources of food, such as bowls of pet food, will make your house less attractive to mice.
But before embarking on a search and destroy mission to get rid of mice, you should make sure that your house is mouse-proof by sealing all the nooks and crannies, and covering air vents with steel mesh. Even very small gaps should be sealed, as mice can squeeze into spaces no more than ¼ inch diameter.
Being nocturnal, house mice are rarely seen in the daytime. The first indications of a mouse problem are usually a characteristic musky odour, droppings which look like grains of black rice, and gnaw marks, often on food packets. Scratching and squeaking may be heard at night.
Because they breed rapidly, with a female capable of producing up to 50 or 60 young a year, it is important to get rid of mice as soon as their presence is detected, to prevent being overrun.
House mice are very well adapted to living alongside humans, and they are more common and more difficult to control than rats. As well as being a nuisance, mice can transmit diseases, contaminate food, cause fires by chewing through electric wires, and damage buildings and furnishings. Although they prefer to eat cereals, house mice will nibble on virtually anything.
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It can be a challenge to get rid of mice in your house – but there are a variety of options available.
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