Are House Mice Raiding Your Pantry?
Mice, particularly house mice, are the most commonly encountered rodent in the home. They tend to make nests out of whatever unused materials they can find and often begin to infest homes by crawling or digging through tight holes in walls.
Think You Might Have House Mice? How Do You Know for Sure?
House mice are typically light grey with pale underbellies, and can be 2 ½-3 ¾ inches long. They also breed rapidly and eat a large variety of foods, which means that if you have a mouse problem, you may also find that they’ve been raiding your pantry. Here’s what you should know about their eating habits and how to prevent them from making a mess in your home.
What Do House Mice Eat?
House mice are omnivorous, but prefer to consume simple foods like grains, fruits, seeds and nuts. Contrary to popular belief, mice don’t really have a preference for cheese. But they will eat it and plenty of other different kinds of foods depending on what’s available. They will also eat insects if they find them. House mice usually feed at dusk and dawn, and occasionally in between.
Unfortunately, mice can also cause plenty of property damage and health risks, too. They are known to chew on electrical wiring and use it both for food and for nesting material. Along with wiring, they may burrow into insulation, boxes, papers and other cast-off materials to create nests and raise young. During the cold months especially, they can do a lot of damage inside a home, and may also infest vehicle engines to stay warm. Furthermore, their eating habits may endanger yours. They can be carriers of pathogens and worms that are harmful to humans, and may contaminate your food as they search for it themselves.
Signs of a Mouse Infestation
Some of the most common signs of a mouse infestation include:
- Damaged food containers with gnaw marks on them.
- Finding small, rod-shaped droppings
- Electrical damage from chewing
- Paths marked by oily rub marks on walls and/or four- or five-toed footprints on the floor
- Mice also reproduce quickly, giving birth to up to six babies every three weeks. This can prove dangerous not only to your pantry and electrical system, but also to allergies and asthma, as particles of mouse waste can get into the air and trigger these conditions.
How to Get Rid of Mice
If you think you might have a mouse problem, you can set out baited traps and poisons, but the safest and most effective way to get rid of them (especially if you already have a whole family of mice in your home) is to call in the professionals. At Alexandria Pest Services, we know how to find and thoroughly get rid of mice in your home, and in doing so we can help prevent illness and ease pest anxiety.
Call Us to Help You Get Rid of Pests or Rodents!
Have a pest or rodent problem in your home? At Alexandria Pest Services, our trained professionals will analyze your pest control needs and come up with a personalized plan for your household. Our team of expert technicians will provide a free inspection and work to create a plan to eliminate your pests. At Alexandria Pest Services, we help homeowners just like you get rid of pests in their homes all year round. If you find that you are having a problem with insects or pests, and need an exterminator, call Alexandria Pest Services at 703-923-0925 to schedule a professional evaluation. We can help you get rid of these invaders in your home or office!
We hope you and your loved ones stay well and healthy during this time. We are open and following all CDC regulations. Please call us today for all of your pest control needs!
