House mice may seem like a harmless nuisance, but don’t be fooled; they are a dangerous, destructive, invasive pest that will not stop until they get what they want. Measuring less than four inches in length, this small pest is covered in a grayish-brown fuzz with a cream-colored belly and has a thin lengthy tail.
While seemingly adorable, mice are known to carry pathogens and diseases such as salmonella, hantavirus, and lymphocytic choriomeningitis, making them particularly dangerous to humans even if you never come into physical contact with one in your home. These diseases are spread through mice's fecal matter, urine, and saliva, and because mice are nocturnal by nature, many humans never actually spot one; they simply find a trail of their tiny droppings left along a countertop.
What Attracts Mice To Your Syracuse Home
Mice break into your home through the smallest of openings for three main reasons: food, warmth, and shelter. And because they are so adaptable, they can make themselves at home nearly anywhere and in a very quick fashion. They are drawn into your home especially when it gets cool outside, but also when there’s a shortage of food and water available. This determined pest can fit themselves through almost any space, so homeowners should be aware of any flaws, small as they may be, that mice could use for entry. Though they’ll eat mostly anything, you'll often find house mice snacking on grains, cereals, and granola if they have access.
Preventing Mice From Getting Into Your Home
Mice will do anything for a good meal and a dry place to stay. But once inside your home, they can reproduce up to 35 times in a calendar year, meaning that just a few small mice could turn into an entire family very quickly. To prevent mice from taking over your Syracuse home, here are a few tips for making it inhospitable to mice:
Proper food and trash storage. Mice are not picky when it comes to food, so be sure to store food in airtight containers, not leaving any leftovers out for an extended period of time. Also be sure to make sure that trash is stored securely and that it is removed on a regular basis and stored properly elsewhere as well.
Seal up any cracks and crevices. Mice can squeeze through openings that are only about the size of a dime. Ensure that any openings in your home’s foundation, around garages and doors, and in walls are sealed up properly with masonry repair materials. Since mice are super chewers, any patching up that you do should be done with products that are resistant to mice. For any slight openings around doors and windows, utilize weather stripping and door sweeps.
Inspect everything. As odd as this may sound, mice have been known to chew their way into packages, boxes, and grocery bags, so before bringing anything into your home, check it out thoroughly. Homeowners should also investigate crawlspaces, attics, and basements on a regular basis for mouse activity, as well as keeping these areas well-ventilated and making sure they’re not homes to excess moisture.
Mice are not a pest that homeowners should look to handle on their own and DIY solutions such as traps only solve part of the problem when it comes to a mouse infestation in your Syracuse home. Contact the professionals at All Pest of Syracuse today for professional assistance with your mouse problem. We also offer commercial pest control to Syracuse businesses.