Ever wondered how to get rid of mice? Have mice occupied your house, and you’re worried, thinking about how to kick them out? I can feel you. That’s why I’ll be describing in detail how to identify the signs of mice, what the potential problems they can cause are, and how you can get rid of them. Moreover, how can you prevent them from returning to your home? So, it’s going to be a lot of knowledge. Buckle up, and let’s see how to get a mice-free house.
How Do Mice Get in Your House?
how to get rid of rats
To understand how to get rid of mice, it’s important that you first understand how they actually get into your house. The number one cause might be winter nights. In winter, the rats or mice need some shelter and a relatively warm place. That is when they want to be a part of your home.
Usually, you can see both mice and rats in your garden during winter. If they aren’t causing any harm to your plants or anything else, you should avoid killing them.
And one more thing, even if you get irritated by them, poisoning isn’t the only solution to get rid of them. You can use mouse traps or deterrents that can help you kick out the mice from your house with far less suffering than poison.
Which Type of Rice and Mats Enter in Your Houses?
Okay, after discussing what causes mice to enter your house, let’s see what type of rats or mice enter your house.
The following types of rats and mice are common in houses:
- House mice, scientifically known as Mus musculus.
- Wood mice are scientifically named as Apodemus sylvaticus.
- Yellow-necked mouse, scientifically known as A.flavicollis.
- Brown Rats are scientifically known as Rattus norvegicus.
- Deer Mouse is scientifically named as Peromyscus maniculatus
- Roof Rat, commonly known as black eats. They are scientifically named Rattus rattus.
- Norway rat is scientifically known as Rattus norvegicus.
- Field Mouse is scientifically named as Apodemus agrarius.
- The white-footed Mouse is scientifically named Peromyscus leucopus.
- Harvest Mice are scientifically known as Micromys minutus.
Among all these rats and mice, the most common mouse found in homes is “ The Wood Mouse.” Surprisingly, this species is even more common than the house mouse.
In houses close to city centers, you’ll mostly encounter house mice and brown rats. In the suburbs, wood mice are the most common. In the rural areas of the Southeast and Welsh Border, yellow-necked mice are most common.
Deer mice are generally found in rural and suburban areas. Roof rats, as the name implies, are often found on roofs and higher places.
If you suspect a rat in the lower area of the home, such as the basement, a Norway rat might be the culprit. While field mice are often located in gardens, they may enter home, especially in search of food and warmth.
Similarly, white footed mice are common in forest and rural areas. Harvest mice are common in gardens but can enter houses in winter for food and warmth.
People usually have one misconception that rats might be in the cellars and cupboards while they are actually in the roof spaces, wall spaces, voles, and shrews.
Now, let’s see what factors could trigger mice to enter your home.
I know you’re waiting for the answer “ How to get rid of mice,” but everything seems good in a procedural way. If you don’t know why mice enter your house, what type of mice enter, and why they enter, believe me, it would be harder for you to get rid of them completely. Even if you get rid of them once, chances are they’ll come back until you fully prevent their entry by opting for the best prevention strategies against mice. So, read along, and you’ll get the answer to your query.
What Attracts Mice to Your House?
how to get rid of rats
What are the two basic needs of any living being? Think. They are food and shelter. Hence, these are the factors that force the mice and rats into your home. If your house is very open and you leave flour or food items on the floor, the rats and mice are absolutely going to love it.
Shelter is even more important than food. That is why we discussed in the beginning that rats come to your home, especially in winter, because they need warmth.
Similarly, they can come to your home when they want to reproduce. Again, they need warmth and a safe place to give birth to their young ones. A heated home with so many places to hide is a rat’s favorite place for reproduction.
Be more vigilant, in this case, as the increased population can be problematic for you!
You might be shocked to know that a mouse needs only a space less than 2 centimetres in diameter, and it will squeeze into your home. The rat needs a little more than a mouse to enter your space. So, even a small hole can invite these rodents to your home!
Okay, coming to your query of “ How to get rid of mice,” shortly after explaining the signs that can assure you that you’re sharing your home with new homies, aka mice and rats!
What Are The Signs That You Have Mice in Your House?
- The number one sign is “ smell”. An “ acetamide-like” smell is the characteristic of house mice; it’s usually vinegar or ammonia-like. Different mice have different odors. But generally, if you have a rat or mice in your house, you’ll experience some sort of foul or strange smell.
- Mice and rats create small burrows in hidden places, especially near food sources or close to nesting areas. Check around your foundation, baseboards, or in the walls. If you notice fresh holes or tiny tunnels, you might have rodents moving in.
- You might frequently hear the “gnawing sound.” It’s because the rodents continuously gnaw to keep their incisors short.
- The third sign of rats in your home is tooth marks. Rats have bigger tooth marks compared to mice because they gnaw through soft metals such as lead and aluminum.
- Next is droppings. It’s definitely true that if they eat something from your home, they need to expel it, too. So, rat droppings are 12mm long. The rat’s droppings are usually tapered at one end, while the mouse droppings are approximately 6mm long and way thinner than rat droppings.
- When the rat squeezes through roof joints, it can leave greasy fur marks. You can see dirty black smears along their well-traveled routes.
- If you have dusty areas at home, you might notice tiny footprints or tail streaks. Sprinkle a light layer of flour or talcum powder around suspected areas overnight. In the morning, if you find prints, then it’s likely you have some uninvited guests.
- Rats and mice aren’t picky eaters. They’ll chew through plastic or cardboard packaging to get to food. If you find gnawed packages in your pantry or on shelves, that’s a good sign you have rodent visitors.
- Pets like cats or dogs can often sense mice before you even see the signs. If your pet is suddenly focused on a particular spot in the house or starts behaving unusually, it might be a rodent hiding spot.
- Mice and rats create small burrows in hidden places, especially near food sources or close to nesting areas. Check around your foundation, baseboards, or in the walls.
If you notice any of these signs, chances are you’re sharing your home with a rodent!
What Are The Problems Mice Can Cause?
what attracts mice
Generally, mice and rats don’t cause bigger problems, but they can cause troublesome minor problems like chewing cables, damage to furniture and internal structures, and damage to your food. The biggest damage both mice and rats cause is to chew the insulation and wiring. Chewed wires can lead to a fire. Moreover, they are expensive to repair, adding a financial responsibility.
How To Get Rid of Mice and Rats?
Atleast, we have reached here. Here are a few quick tips that can help you not only get rid of mice but also let them think twice next time before even going through in front of your house:
- Use snap traps. They are one of the instant ways to trap a mouse.
- Live traps are a good way, but they can risk animal’s life because of exposure to predators. But here is one important thing: if you don’t take the rat or mice at least 2 KM away, they will arrive home way quicker than you do!
- Certain indoor devices such as electromagnetic interference or ultrasound are great ways to kick out the mice and rats from your home. But make sure not to use this method if you have bats in the house or roof.
- Another effective method to deter mice and rats is to seal up entry points. These rodents can squeeze through tiny gaps, even as small as a coin.
- The last but not least method is anticoagulant mouse and rat poison. It causes a slow and painful death. The problem arises when the rodent is eaten before it dies. You might be shocked to know that 40% of rodent prey, such as owls, polecats, stoats, and weasels, carry “rodenticides” because they eat poisoned mice or rats.
Best Way to Get Rid of Mice:
The best, most effective, and long-term method to get rid of mice and rats is prevention. The more you prevent their entry, the better it is.
How To Get Rid of Rats in the House Fast?
The fastest way to get rid of rats in your house is to first seal the entry points. Then, you can either use a live trap and throw the mouse at least 2 km away from your home. Or else you can use an anticoagulant mouse poison if you’re getting more irritated by their presence.
How to Keep Rats Out of Your House?
how to get rid of rats in house fast
The one-liner answer to this question is to keep your home neat, clean, tidy, and airtight. Rats and mice get attracted to food. If they see traces of wood or even waste, they’ll try their best to squeeze into your house.
The next thing is rats and mice hate strong scents, especially peppermint oil. So, 8f you suspect a rat in your home or just want to keep them out of your home, try leaving cotton wool balls with a few drops of peppermint oil in the sides of rooms and other possible entry points. You need to change or refresh these balls every couple of days.
Similarly, today, there are plugin devices that emit a huge frequency of voice that is disliked by rodents.
Similarly, a cat or dog can also help you get rid of the mice and rats.
Can Cats Help You To Keep Mice and Rats Out of Your House?
Yes, because rodents don’t like the smell of cats, one of their natural predators. And they try their best to avoid interacting with cats. So, if you’re sick of mice, a cat can help you get rid of them.
How To Deal With Mouse Infestation?
If you suspect mouse infestation at home, it’s best to consult your local council pest control for advice. It’s because rats carry diseases such as Weil’s disease that can be fatal!
That’s it! I hope you got the answer to your query, “ How to get rid of mice.” Try your best to prevent their entry into your home. Still, if they manage to get in, traps, deterrents, or electromagnetic interference can be used to get rid of them. Moreover, you can also use cats as a means to get rid of rats and mice.
