Help! There Are Mice Taking Over My Bay Area Home

Mice are one of the most common pests to find their way into our Bay Area homes. They are regular visitors to our properties because our homes provide them with everything their little mouse hearts could need or want!

Mice are a type of small rodent; like all other rodents in The Bay Area, they have continuously growing front incisors. Their need to constantly gnaw to keep their teeth from overgrowing is why mice are known for being so destructive. Other physical features of mice include four legs, a round body, and fur that is typically darker in color on the top of the body and lighter in color on the belly. We also identify them by ears and tails covered in a soft layer of velvety fur.

Keeping mice out of our homes is hard because they want to be there. Their small size allows them to move in and out as they please. Adult mice can squeeze their bodies through openings the diameter of a pencil or a dime. Once they move their head through an opening, their body will follow with the help of its flexible vertebrae.

Some of the most common entry points for mice include:

• Cracks in the foundation.
• Openings along roof intersections.
• Damaged weatherstripping.
• Spaces around utilities like wires and pipes entering your house.
• Vents.
• Chimneys.

Once mice find a way inside, they will quickly find a dark, quiet nesting spot near food sources to call home. Some typical hiding spots are the spaces behind cabinets and large appliances, wall voids, upholstered furniture, and storage areas.

Mice are a type of wild animal which means they are more than capable of fending for themselves and surviving outside on their own. However, they also have no problem taking advantage of the resources in our yards and homes.

Mice are considered commensal rodents; this means they want to "share our table." While mice may benefit from living with us, the reverse is not true. Mice, especially mice in our home, provide us with no benefits. A mouse infestation can happen at any time of the year. Mice are typically driven indoors by extreme temperatures, heavy rains, drought conditions, and a lack of food.

Keep reading to learn more about mice, including how to keep mice out of your house and away from your family. The professionals at Bay Pest are here to provide you with quality, year-round pest control in the Bay Area!

What Are Signs Of A Mouse Infestation?

Mice are a type of prey animal; they provide a food source to many different animals. In order to protect themselves from harm, rodents do their best to keep themselves hidden from view.

Rodents are nocturnal, hiding during the day and coming out to forage for food at night. Their nocturnal nature and ability to hide in small, dark areas make identifying a mouse infestation tricky. Mice are not like ants that you will see trailing through your home during the day. They are active when most of us are sleeping.

Sitting quietly at night, watching TV, or reading, you may identify a problem with mice after spotting one across your home's floors. However, people usually discover a problem with mice in their homes after spotting signs they leave behind, not the mice themselves.

Below are some of the more common signs of a mouse infestation. Being well acquainted with these signs will help you discover a problem with mice sooner than later. The faster you seek help to eliminate them, the less damage they will cause. 

• Finding small rodent tracks in dusty storage areas
• Signs of nibbling- holes in clothing, upholstered furniture, storage boxes, cabinets, and food storage containers
• Finding your pets paying particular attention to cabinets, walls, or furniture in your home where mice are harboring
• Noticing an unpleasant odor in a particular area of your home from their urine and feces buildup
• Discovering their dark, rice-like dropping along baseboards, in drawers, boxes, or storage areas
• Hearing running or scratching noises behind walls or above ceilings as mice move around foraging for food

As soon as you spot mice or signs of mice in your home, reach out for help as quickly as possible. Mice are tricky to eliminate from our Bay Area homes, and the fastest and most successful solution is a professional solution!

Mice Can Be Dangerous

Mice in The Bay Area make terrible and very difficult houseguests as they are quite selfish and only care about their needs. They do not care about your family's needs, won't do any cleaning, and certainly won't help financially!

More importantly, mice are dangerous in our Bay Area homes. They cause structural damage, destroy your personal property, contaminate food and spread diseases and parasites.

Rodents are popular hosts for fleas and ticks. When mice decide to move into your home to forage for food or to nest, they will bring fleas and ticks with them — causing not only a problem with mice to deal with but with fleas and ticks also!

Before mice found a way into your home, they were living outside and coming into contact with a lot of decaying organic matter. On their bodies and within their feces, they carry and spread different bacteria and viruses that can make us ill. In addition to contaminating surfaces, mice will also contaminate your family's food. A mouse infestation often leads to costly food loss for homeowners in the Bay Area.

As mice travel through our homes, they leave behind unsanitary piles of feces and shed fur, which causes many allergens to infiltrate the air. Mouse infestations regularly trigger breathing difficulties, skin rashes, and other allergy symptoms. 

Mice are very destructive pests. Their sharp front incisors allow them to chew on or through things like wires, pipes, flooring, furniture, and more. A mouse infestation left untreated causes lots of costly damage.

A mouse infestation is not something that will go away on its own. At the first sign of these pests in your home, it is essential to take action to eliminate them immediately, given the dangers they impose and the damage they can cause.

The Hassles With Do-It-Yourself House Mouse Control

After discovering signs of house mice in your Bay Area home, it may be tempting to try and handle the problem on your own. Many DIY mouse control options are available, so they must be effective, right? Unfortunately, do-it-yourself house mouse control is not very effective. It is like putting a band-aid on a cut that requires stitches.

There are a few problems with DIY mouse control; one of the biggest problems is that it doesn't get to the root of your mouse problem. Mouse traps or baits don't solve the how and why mice are in your home. They may temporarily remove the mice from your house, but more will return. 

Another issue with DIY mouse control is that it will only be effective if you place the baits or traps in the correct locations. Additionally, setting baits and traps in your home can be dangerous; it is pretty easy for an inquisitive pet or child to come into contact with them, causing harm.

In the case of poisons, mice typically return to their hidden nesting spots after coming into contact with it. When mice die behind your walls, they will not only produce an unpleasant odor, but their decaying bodies will attract insects causing another pest problem you will have to solve!

Professional mouse control services are always the safest, easiest, and most cost-effective way to solve problems with house mice. Don't try to tackle mice on your own; reach out for help from the experts at Bay Pest.

The Safe And Effective Way To Get Rid Of A Mouse Infestation

Mice are common house pests, but that doesn't mean you should resolve to have them as roommates. They may want to share our spaces, but we should never allow them to become comfortable on our properties. There are plenty of outdoor spaces that these wild animals can call home; they don't need to turn our houses into their places of respite.

Partnering with a professional will guarantee to solve your mouse problem. Experts in the pest control industry understand the behaviors, life cycle, nesting, and feeding habits of mice.

Professionals will get to the root of your mouse problem after learning what attracts mice, how they get into your home, and what they use as a food source.

Here at Bay Pest, we are committed to our customers and ensuring that we meet their unique pest control needs. We provide high-quality rodent control services, which include:

• One-way door installation
• Traps, baits, and glue boards
• Sanitizing services
• Attic insulation removal and replacement
• Exclusion

If you are currently dealing with a frustrating mouse infestation or are trying to maintain your goal of maintaining a rodent-free home, we are here to help.

For the best rodent control in the Bay Area, reach out to Bay Pest. We understand mice and how to keep them away from your home and family. Please contact us today for more information about our safe and effective mouse control offerings.