Mouse Biology / Description

The House Mouse is a small adult weighing up to 1 oz.  They were introduced to North America on colonist ships.  During the fall when temperatures drop, mice move into structures for food and shelter.  House Mouse prefer seeds and grains for their food source, but when not present will eat other types of products.  The House mouse is nocturnal with nests 4-5 inches in diameter.  Mice have 6-10 litters each year breeding 4-6 newborns.   Mice are sexually mature at 10 weeks old.  Mice travels approximately 10-30 feet in diameter, but may be more or less depending on their food sources.  Mice are very curious creatures, so it could be a much quicker control of mice to place new baits and traps in their environments as opposed rats.

Mice Treatment Methods / Mice Control

First, You need to conduct an inspection looking for droppings, gnaw marks, live rodents or nests, or rodent sounds.  

Second, you need to sanitize the environment, which includes removal of any food sources or water.  Remove any wood piles near the home.  Remove any trash or garbage.  Seal up any dogfood or bird seed. 

Third, you need to exclude the rodents from entering the structure.  Seal any holes where mice can enter.  They can squeeze their bodies through a 1/4 inch gap.  Open doors, windows, dog doors, holes in crawl blocks, plumbing and conduit penetrations should be sealed.  Rat a Scat rodent repellant can be placed for temporary purposes until problem has been sealed. 

Fourth, the Mice Population Reduction occurs with T-Rex Snap Traps, Catchmaster Glue Boards, Propest Mice and Rat Lure, or Contrac Blox Rodenticide.  Mice travel in a 10-30 feet diameter from their nesting areas.  If the nesting area cannot be found, traps and bait placement should occur between 10-30 feet apart.  If you see fecal matter or chew marks in specific areas of the home, then you should place traps, bait, or glueboards around the areas of activity.  Always keep traps, glueboards, and bait out of reach of children! 

What Mice Control Products to use with Children or Pets

It is a preferred method of a professional pest control technician to use Trapper Mice Snap Traps, Trapper Rat Treys, or Catchmaster Glue Boards when treating mice infestations when our customers have animals to prevent non-target interaction with the bait.  If you are using a rodenticide for mice control, and you suspect your animal got a hold of a dead mouse.  Their is a shot veterinarians can give your animal to reverse the effect of the active ingredient.   

Using Professional Rodent Bait Boxes for Mice Infestations

When using Rodenticides, always place in secure bait boxes.  Protecta RTU Bait Boxes or Protecta Bait Boxes are recommended for mice infestations.  

First, open the box with the key provided.  If you are using RTU's, then place key in its slot and push forward and lift simultaneously.

Second, place one cube of Contrac Blox per Protecta RTU box.  Squeeze shut.  The box will lock.  The RTU is a triangle shape.  Place the flat end of the triangle toward the wall where the entry points are for the mice. 

Third, placement of bait boxes.  You should locate mice activity and place boxes in the pathway of their movement.  Place bait boxes every 10-30 feet along the area of infestation.  For example, if you see fecal matter in your kitchen counter.  Try checking for chew marks or fecal matter under stove, under cabinets, behind refridgerator.  These are great locations to place snap traps, glueboards, or bait boxes.  Try to keep all baits and glue boards in areas where children or pets cannot disturb.  If your dog or child do come into contact with a glue board use vegitable oil to separate.  place bait boxes every 10 to 30 feet along the interior perimeter of the crawl space,  attic, or interior.  Very important to place all traps or bait against the wall because mice always want to keep a part of their body touching a surface.  This gives them a sense of comfort and security.  Mice infestations in crawl spaces, their is your concrete block, then your cap block.  Then the first piece of wood usually treated called your sill plate.  There is a space between your sill plate and cap block where any traps, glue boards, or bait boxes will fit perfectly.

If you have any questions, contact us at amdpest@att.net