Understanding and Solving Mouse Infestations

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Mice are primarily nocturnal and are driven by easy access to food. They feed heavily on seeds, insects, household garbage, and any food items they can access in your kitchen or storage areas.

• Daytime Activity: Seeing mice during the day is a strong indicator of a high rodent infestation and/or a sign that rodenticides may be in use, causing stressed mice to move unexpectedly.

• Droppings: The most common sign of activity is mouse droppings. Look for them with the naked eye in corners of cupboards, under sinks, and behind appliances like refrigerators and stoves.

• Entry Points: The weakest points in a residential structure are the front doors, back doors, and garages (if attached). For commercial properties, this is typically overhead doors.

  • Prevention Tip: Keep doors closed when not in use, and avoid storing items near these primary entry points to prevent mice from taking advantage of open access.

• Secondary Access: Mice exploit minor vulnerabilities. Check for and seal holes around taps, gas lines, and vents at ground level.

How to Identify a Mouse

The House Mouse is a prolific breeder, having several litters per year (2–7 young per litter) with a short gestation period of 21–24 days.

• Size: Adult house mice range from 5 to 8 inches in total length (including the tail).

• Appearance: They have moderately large and distinct ears. Their colour ranges from light brown to dark (nearly black).

PEST PRO EXTERMINATOR SOLUTION

Solving a mouse issue can be complex, requiring more than a one-time fix. At Pest Pro Exterminator, we focus on two primary objectives:

1. Immediate Elimination: We strive to provide a rodent-free environment in a professional and timely manner.

2. Long-Term Prevention: We provide the tools and knowledge the client needs to minimize the chances of a reoccurring infestation.

Since we know mouse populations can surge, we always provide a minimum of two services when dealing with mice. This two-step process allows our technician to gauge the severity of the infestation during the follow-up service.

• Primary Tool: The main tool we use to eliminate mice from the interior of structures is tamper-resistant bait stations containing a commercial rodenticide.

• Other Tools: On occasion, we also utilize snap traps, glueboards, and mechanical devices for targeted removal.

• Exterior Focus (Exclusion): Our service technician focuses on identifying and sealing, at ground level, minor holes around taps, gas lines, vents, and other fixtures. We also provide recommendations for larger repairs, such as replacing garage door seals, side door seals, and vent covers.

The ultimate goal is to remove all opportunities for mice to enter a structure.

COMMON CONCERNS ADDRESSED

Why use mouse poison (rodenticide) primarily?

It is common to use mouse poison because it more efficiently provides a pest-free environment. The weakness of relying solely on devices like snap traps and glueboards is that you will only capture a handful of mice at a time, allowing the overall population to continue breeding.

Will I have odour issues?

When using rodenticides, you cannot choose where a mouse dies. However, in most cases, mice will return to their nesting site (e.g., a wall void, roof void, or burrow outside) when they feel ill. Odour issues are usually only noticeable if a mouse dies next to a heat source (like a furnace, hot water tank, or refrigerator motor). Fortunately, odour issues are very few and far between.

Why did my mouse treatment not work?

Eliminating mice from the interior of a structure is generally straightforward. Reasons for reoccurring mouse infestations often relate to exterior factors and personal habits:

• Leaving doors open during summer months.

• Storing highly attractive items like grass or birdseed in the garage.

• Keeping excessive amounts of personal items on the exterior, which provides mice with ample hiding spots and harbourage areas.

Our programs focus on both interior elimination and exterior maintenance to minimize mouse problems moving forward.

How do I know if I have a mouse or a squirrel in a wall void?

If you hear noise in the wall, knock on the wall in that area.

• If the noise stops, then reoccurs in the same general area within a couple of minutes, it is likely mice (due to a freeze response).

• Larger wildlife (like squirrels) tends to have a flight response and will flee the disturbance immediately, often running away completely.