The House Mouse
Description
Adult mice weigh 30 grams and are 90 mm long (excluding tail). They have brown fur and a grey stomach, their ears are large, in relation to their body, and they have small feet. The tail is approximately the same length as the head and body.
Mice can be confused with young rats however, rats have smaller ears, larger feet and thick tails which are shorter than their body.
Lifestyle
The mouse is the most common domestic pest and will nest in partitions, floors, and behind wall boarding. Mice are mainly active at night but do occasionally venture out during the day. They are excellent climbers and can scale vertical brick walls. They are not dependent on having a source of water as they can obtain sufficient moisture from their food.
The life expectancy of a mouse is a year. Females may breed up to six times (with an average litter of six) and start producing babies at 2 months of age.
Mice can be a hazard to health and responsible for the spread of disease. They will eat food intended for human consumption and contaminate with urine, droppings and fur. All contaminated food should be disposed of. Mice can cause structural damage by gnawing woodwork, waterpipes, electric cables and household items.
Signs of Infestation
- damage caused by gnawing
- feeding holes
- smears and droppings.
Mice nibble from the centre of a grain, whilst rats often leave half grains or pieces of debris. Nest entrance holes are about 20mm diameter and appear in the ground, floors, walls and the base of doors. Foot prints may be evident in dusty environments. The amount of droppings present indicates the size of infestation and how long it has been there.
Pest Control
Mice are difficult to control because of their breeding rate and ability to colonise new areas. Try to ensure your premises are in good repair and no food is left around the house or garden and this will help prevent mice from being encouraged onto your property. Keeping a cat is obviously a deterrent.
Poison bait can be bought from chemists, hardware shops, and garden centres, which must be made readily available to the mice, but not accessible to other animals or humans (particularly children). Bait packaging should have detailed instructions on use and safety - please follow these instructions carefully. When the bait is no longer being taken it can be assumed that the infestation has been eradicated. All remaining bait should be removed and disposed of according to the manufacturers instructions. Mice that have taken poison bait return to their nest where they perish. This can cause a smell but it will disappear after a short while depending on how warm the nest is. Nests are difficult to locate so we don't recommend you attempt to remove them.
An alternative to bait is a mouse trap, but these have the disadvantage that trapped mice need to be disposed of and the trap reset to catch any remaining.
It is essential to repair mouse damage to prevent further infestations.
Elmbridge Borough Council provides a pest control service for the treatment of mice.
If you would like to take advantage of this service please visit our |pest control webpage where you can contact us to arrange an appointment.
