Did you know that rodents spread over 35 diseases, some of which can spread directly to humans? Others spread through mice bites or contact with their feces, urine, or saliva, while others spread indirectly through the fleas, ticks, and mites that mice carry. Moreover, mice are known to aggravate asthma and allergies and pose a risk of fire when they chew electrical wires. Unfortunately, mice are elusive, often out of sight and scavenging for food at night. They hide in homes and breed by hundreds; before long, you have an infestation. So, how do you know if you have a mice infestation in your home? Keep spreading to learn!
Key Takeaways:
- Mice are nocturnal creatures, hiding during the day and searching for food from dust to dawn.
- Since mice are active at night, listen for scratching noises between partition walls, ceilings, basements, lofts, and under floorboards during that time.
- Mice urinate frequently, and their pee has a strong ammonia-like smell.
- Mice gnaw small, clear-cut holes and are about the size of a dime.
- While some mousetrap can remove a few mice, a professional extermination company can identify infestation points and apply more effective treatments!
Mice Droppings
Typically, fresh mice droppings are moist and dark. As the droppings age, they dry out, become old and gray, and easily crumble if moved. If you have mice infestation, you’ll mostly find droppings near food packages, in cupboards or drawers, in hidden areas, under sinks, and along walls. You’ll find the highest number of droppings where the mice are feeding or nesting, so inspect the area around the new-found droppings to find out if there’s still an active (or new) mice infestation.
Sightings and Sounds
Sightings can be one of the signs of mice infestation in your home. Sometimes, it may get to a point where the mice will come out of hiding, particularly if they’re having a difficult time finding food for their growing population. If you see one or two mice or rats, then it’s almost certain you have an infestation. To be sure, get a flashlight and check along the rafters or your cabinets. If you manage to see them during the day, you do indeed have an infestation. You could also listen for sounds at night as they scurry, scratch, gnaw, and crawl their way to food. If you hear squeaking, then you’re dealing with mice or rats.
Gnaw Marks
Mice chew, bite, and gnaw at anything, including foodstuffs, clothes, wires, walls, and anything else they can bite their way through- such an annoying habit. If they need access or extra entry points, they’ll create as many holes as necessary. And if you store food in tight plastic storage containers, they’ll gnaw their way through to get to the food. Note that gnawed mice holes are small, clear-cut, and about the size of a dime, while gnawed rat holes are large, with rough torn edges and about the size of a quarter.
Urine Pools and Trails
Mice are not just prolific poopers; they also pee everywhere! As such, you will likely find small puddles closer to their nests. But where infestations have become heavy, dirt, grease, and hair can combine with mice urine to create urine pillars. Urine pillars are small mounds indicating that mice have been active for some time. Mostly, their urine will be absorbed by the products surrounding the things they’re gnawing on or materials and fabrics close by.
Moreover, their urine can mix with grime and dust forming a dry crusty yellowish mark. However, the look of mice’s urine stains can vary depending on the surface. For instance, if they urinated on a clean white cloth, you’ll see small yellow stains easily.
Foul Smell
Dogs and cats can become active and excited in areas where mice are present. That’s because of the odor of the rodents’ urine, especially when the mice have recently entered a structure. If you see your cat or dog pawing at an area in which it had previously had no interest, get a flashlight and check the area for mice or rats. If the infestation is large, you may also detect an ongoing stale ammonia smell, indicating an active infestation.
Essential Note: The ammonia smell is different from the odor of a dead mouse that could be stuck in a hidden area or stuck in the wall- that smell is an unforgettable sharp, pungent, yet sour odor that permeates an area.
Pro Tip: Determining Rodent Infestation Size
Certain signs can show the size of the mice population. For example, if you can see the mice at night but never during the day, the population has not become large, and you can control them with baits and traps. However, if you see rodents during the day, mew gnaw marks or numerous fresh droppings, it’s likely that the population has become large and requires professional pest control services.
Call For Help If You Notice Any of These Signs!
If you notice any of the signs mentioned above, you could have a mice infestation in your home, but don’t rush to the store for mouse traps -traps might remove a few mice at a time for a temporary fix. Hiring our professional extermination company is more cost-effective and efficient in the long run. Our extermination experts can identify the heaviest points of infestation, apply effective treatments, remove any signs of infestation, and guide you on how to avoid future mice infestations. Call us at the first sign of mice infestation, and let’s help you restore your home to its pre-infestation condition.
