One pair of mice in the home can produce up to 80 babies in one year. House mice nest in walls, ceilings, drawers, appliances and within furniture. Not only do mice cause billions of dollars worth of damage to food stores worldwide; they can damage property, clothing, woodwork, wiring and major appliances.
With the agility of an olympic athlete (mice can jump 12” from standing and 38” with a running start) and an almost nonexistent need for fresh water (they extract it from food sources) it’s no wonder mice have been able to colonize every continent in the world.
In addition to property damage, mice carry with them multiple germs including, but not limited to, Typhus, salmonellosis (food poisoning), ringworm, tapeworm and hanta virus (in the Southwest).
Become A Mouse Detective and Reduce The Lure
- Look for entry holes - A mouse can fit through any hole larger than a size of pencil. Examine the outside of the property and fill any holes discovered with copper mesh or caulk.
- Store food wisely - Keep all loose food in metal or glass containers, especially those high in fat, protein or sugar: delicacies to a mouse.
- Organize storage spaces - Mice love to raid stored items for nesting purposes. Maintain cardboard boxes, old blankets and old appliances in an organized, protected fashion and examine around them on routine basis for signs of droppings.
Set Traps Wisely
Several methods are effective in catching mice but traps are unquestionably the best. Both glue traps and the classic mouse trap (snap action) are available at the local home store in varying sizes. Utilize the following bait guidelines:
- Don’t bait the traps for a day or two after placement.
- Cotton balls or other nesting material can lure females quickly into the trap.
- Place multiple traps along bases of walls in which droppings have been spotted.
- Peanut butter is a highly effective bait due to its high protein and fat content.
- Foods high in sugar are a sweet treat as well; gumdrops are an expert’s favorite.
Natural Poisons
- Potato Flakes - Place bowls of potato flakes with separate bowls of water in areas mice have been known to frequent, the mice will eat the flakes, sip the water and die from the stomach expansion.
- Fido - Put your dog on patrol as dogs are much more effective in catching mice than cats. Watch the placement of dog food dishes as mice will actually feed from them as well.
Repellents
- Peppermint - Place oil of peppermint on cotton balls and leave where mice have been spotted. Peppermint plants in the garden outside of the home (close to the foundation), will keep mice at bay.
- Hot Pepper - A mixture of 1 tablespoon Tabasco, ½ cup soap detergent to 1 gallon water concocts a repellent spray that can be used on and around known mice areas.
Disinfect
- Glove up and disinfect - Be sure to disinfect all areas after the mice have been eliminated with a bleach solution (3 tablespoons bleach to 1 gallon of water).
