Rodents threaten almost every aspect of daily lives; mice will as the name suggests invade buildings in search of food and shelter, and in doing so they become a serious nuisance by contaminating, soiling and destroying commodities and spreading pathogens that can lead to disease.
Small rodent with grey/brown fur usually less than 90mm in total length. Colour is generally brown to grey with a lighter underside, the tail is typically about 75% of the length of the body.
Mice are omnivorous feeding from a number of different points during the night and are good at adapting to local environments but generally in rural environments eat cereals, seeds etc, where they consume an average of 2-3 grams of food per day. Whilst they will drink free water they can in many cases survive without it, obtaining sufficient moisture from food with a moisture content of 15%. Mice will typically live up to 1 year, reach sexual maturity in 6 weeks and can have as many as 8 litters per annum with the average litter size being about 9 juveniles. They also spread many human pathogens such as lyme disease and salmonella.
Mice are nocturnal so can be hard to spot, the typical signs of a mouse infestation are:
- Droppings – Mice leave small oblong droppings in areas of high infestation, these are easily seen scattered around areas of activity.
- Distinctive smell – Mice leave an ammonia-like smell that will be particularly strong in enclosed areas.
- Damage – Mice teeth grow continuously causing them to gnaw on wood and plastic to keep them at the correct length.
- Nests – Mice build nests in warm, hidden places using shredded material such as newspaper and loft insulation. Nests will often contain youngsters.
- Scratching noises in lofts or under floors as rats forage around.
Hiring a reputable pest control company like EnviroGuard to apply rodent baits, and traps in a responsible and professional manner will help to achieve quick control.
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