Mouse control in Crawfordville can be difficult for homeowners to accomplish on their own, not just because these rodents are tough to evict once they have decided to move in, but also because it can be tough to tell you even have a mouse problem in the first place. Learn what to look for, what problems mice can bring, and how to get rid of them with the help of Florida Sun Pest Control.
What Mice Look Like
If you get right down to it, mice are actually kind of cute. They make great cartoon protagonists, and they're certainly much more adorable than rats. Mice are smaller than rats, they have fluffier hair and fuzzy tails rather than naked ones, and their ears are proportionately larger than rats’.
Mice are often so cute, in fact, that homeowners in Crawfordville might be tempted not to take a mouse infestationseriously. After all, plenty of people keep mice as pets, so how bad can they be? Unfortunately, the answer is “very bad.” Wild mice are a lot more dangerous than they look.
Why Mice Are A Problem: Health Risks And Property Damage
Mouse control is vital for two reasons: mice can spread disease and cause property damage. In fact, mice have no compunction about leaving urine and feces everywhere they go inside your house, including your stored food and food prep surfaces. They also shed contaminated hairs and track germs everywhere with their dirty feet.
Common diseases you can contract from mice include:
Hantavirus
Lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCM)
Salmonellosis
Leptospirosis
Rat-bite fever
Tularemia
Mice are also much more destructive than they look. Like all rodents, mice have teeth that never stop growing, and they must grind these teeth down to the appropriate length by chewing on hard materials all the time. In your home, this translates into chewing on everything from wooden items to PVC piping and even live electrical wiring. This can lead to plumbing leaks and even house fires, not to mention all the repair costs associated with mouse chewing behavior.
Mice also love to rip up fiberglass insulation and plush furniture to build their nests. They can ruin just about anything they get their grubby paws on if given the chance.
Tips And Techniques To Prevent Mice Around Your Home
It's a lot harder to get rid of mice than it is to prevent them in the first place. The good news is that keeping mice away from your home doesn't require much effort. A few lifestyle changes can help encourage mice to move on to easier pickings and leave your home alone.
One of the most important things you can do to keep mice out is to cover all construction gaps with wire mesh that they cannot pull off or chew through. This means covering up everything from chimneys to ventilation holes to condensation outlets to ensure mice cannot enter.
You'll also need to properly store food sources for house mice.Keep your pantry foods in airtight, hardshell containers, and tightly cover all indoor and outdoor garbage cans on your property. If you have pets, you will also want to avoid leaving food out for them to “graze” on. Feed your dogs and cats and put their bowls and food away afterward.
Another way to discourage mouse activity is to use animal decoys. Modern decoys typically look like realistic hawks and owls. If you have outdoor mouse attractants, such as fruit trees or vegetable gardens, these can be an effective method for warding off mice and other garden pests. Just ensure you're moving these decoys around every few days so mice don't realize they're fake.
The Importance Of Professional Mouse Control Services
Unfortunately, getting rid of mice once you already have an infestation can be a hassle. Common store-bought solutions such as snap traps and glue boards often stop working fairly quickly, as mice are clever enough to learn to avoid them after seeing them in action.
Mice also breed fast enough that they can often outcompete traps because every adult you eliminate has likely already replaced itself many times over. This breeding behavior can overwhelm your efforts to drive mice out of your home.
The good news is that you don't have to take a mouse infestation lying down. The mouse removal professionals here at Florida Sun Pest Control have technologies and techniques that mice cannot outbreed or outfox. So don't spend another minute living with these dirty and destructive four-legged freeloaders; give us a call or visit our contact page to set up your rodent inspection today.