For such small creatures, mice cause a lot of problems. They contaminate food, insulation, and other materials with their urine and feces, chew on electrical wires, and spread diseases. And they are among the most common pests in the San Jose area. People have a lot of questions about mice. Get answers to the most common questions below.
Can Mice Climb/Can Mice Climb Up Walls?
Yes. A mouse can climb up to 13 inches on a smooth vertical wall. They can climb higher on walls that are not smooth, such as wood. Mice can also jump up to a foot from a standing start. Not bad for a creature that is only three to four inches long, not counting the tail.
Can Mice See In The Dark?
No. Mice have very poor vision. They cannot see well at any time. Mice depend on their sense of smell, their hearing, and their sensitive whiskers to navigate the world.
What Attracts Mice In The House?
Mice need food, shelter, and a place to raise their young. Anything they can use to meet those needs attracts them. Your whole kitchen is their buffet. And whatever food they leave behind can be contaminated with urine and feces.
Mice may seek shelter in a house to escape cold, flooding rains, drought, and extreme heat. They hide in dark corners, in the walls, in the attic, and amongst clutter.
Mice need secure areas to raise their young. Clutter gives them places to hide their nests. It also gives them nesting materials such as paper, cardboard, and fabric. These items are shredded and used to make comfortable warm, nests.
How Do I Keep Mice Out Of My House?
Exclusion and sanitation are the best ways to keep mice outside where they belong. Mice can squeeze into the house through a ¼ inch hole (the size of a dime). Seal any holes in the walls, where the foundation meets the walls of the house, and around pipes and cables that enter the home from the outside. Mice do not chew through steel wool, so use it to plug those areas, then secure the steel wool with caulk.
- Clear brush, weeds, and tall grass out of your yard. Move firewood away from the house. Trim shrubs close to the house to avoid sheltering mice against the house.
- Clean up spilled birdseed. Store the birdseed in metal containers with tight-fitting lids. Make sure your trash containers have well-fitting lids.
While having a spotless home will not keep you from having mice, a messy home attracts them.
- Clear up clutter to deprive them of shelter and nesting spaces.
- Pick up pet food every evening and put it where mice cannot reach it. Make sure that all food is in mouse-proof containers. Stainless steel containers with well-fitting lids work best, as mice cannot chew through steel.
- Make sure all trash and composting containers have well-fitting lids and keep them covered.
I saw A Mouse. Now What?
Mice are shy, nocturnal creatures. If you see a mouse during the day time, you have a mouse problem. Mice are surprisingly difficult to kill, especially when you have an infestation. Your best course of action is to call in a professional. Bay Pest has been helping people with pests for over 40 years. When you call us, we will send one of our pest control technicians to your house to inspect it inside and out. After inspecting your home, we will develop a treatment plan to eliminate the mice and discuss it with you. We will work with you until the mice are gone. Call Bay Pest today at (408) 413-0336 to schedule your free inspection.