If you were to see a house mouse in a cage, it would be hard to imagine that they are one of the most dangerous pests in America, but it’s true. Despite their tiny size and placid appearance, house mice are capable of wreaking havoc on homes and spreading diseases like no other pest can. In fact, there is a good chance that these threats have brought you here today. You are looking for a way to keep mice out of your home, and we have just the guide to help. Let’s dive in.
What Are House Mice?
Originated from Central Asia, house mice are a small breed of rodents most commonly known for invading homes and living with humans. In fact, they prefer living with us rather than finding shelter anywhere out in the wild. This is mainly due to the fact that our homes have abundant food, a consistent water supply, and warm places to hide and build a nest. Why go anywhere else if all your needs can be found in one place?
Found on almost every continent, the house mouse can be identified by its dusty gray color and cream belly. A typical female house mouse can produce upwards of 35 young per year. If your home has more than one female living under its roof, you can imagine how fast your problem would grow. Therefore, proper prevention is vitally important to prevent an infestation from getting out of hand
Things That Attract House Mice To Homes
House mice prefer living with humans because of the amenities our homes offer them. Things like water, shelter, and food are huge draws for rodents like house mice looking for a place to call home. If one of these rodents finds a way onto your property and discovers these coveted necessities, it is likely they will stick around as long as they can. The question is, how can you make your home less attractive to house mice without turning off the water, getting rid of all your food, and eliminating places for mice to hide? We have some prevention tips that will help you make your home less attractive to these rodents.
Tips To Keep House Mice Out Of Your Austin Home
Though it can be almost impossible to prevent an infestation, there are some measures you can take to make mice less attracted to your home. Firstly, begin with a perimeter check outside of your home. Then, develop some habits that will make your home less habitable for mice and other rodents.
Start with your yard. Make sure your landscaping is well maintained and that tree branches are trimmed away from the exterior of your home.
Address holes, cracks, and gaps in your home’s exterior. These can be filled in using a caulking gun and some wire mesh. In addition to this, consider installing steel screens over exterior vents and filling gutters spouts with steel mesh.
Do your best to limit where rodents can hide. Clean up storage rooms and basements of clutter, and consider replacing cardboard storage boxes with plastic totes.
Clean your home thoroughly and regularly. Make sure no scraps of food or spills of liquid are around for mice to find if they get inside. Don’t forget to get under appliances and furniture.
Finally, do not leave out any viable food sources for mice to find. Store leftover food from meals inside of airtight containers, repackage cardboard boxed foods like cereal inside larger plastic containers, and pick up and clean out pet food and water bowls before going to bed at night.
Follow these steps, and your home will have a much better chance of remaining mouse free year-round.
The Best Way To Get And Keep Mice Out Of Your Home
DIY tricks can be helpful for keeping out mice, but it is by no means a perfect solution. Furthermore, if used incorrectly, traps or poisons can be hazardous to children and pets. Therefore, its best to leave rodent control to the professionals. At Roberts Termite & Pest Control, we offer solutions that work for mice control and prevention.
Whether you need long-lasting defenses to keep mice out or elimination services to get rid of current mouse occupants, we have the answer for you.
Contact us today to learn more about our rodent exclusion and elimination services,or to schedule an inspection for your Austin property.