Local Mouse Treatment

Mice are common all over the United States. There are many different mouse species. Only a few venter indoors. If you see signs of mice in your home, they are likely either house mice, deer mice, or white-footed mice.

The good news is that telling the difference between these mouse species is not important. All mouse problems present similar signs.

1. You see a mouse.
   All mouse species are nocturnal. They are also very shy of humans. Therefore, if you see a mouse, you are likely to have more than one. Mice also reproduce very quickly. So, if notice a mouse, you need to call a professional exterminators immediately. Leave the mice to their own devices and you may end up with a mouse colony on your hands.
2. You notice mouse dropping.
   It is much more likely to find mice droppins than it is notice a mouse. Mouse droppings are usually 3-6 mm in length. They will be pellet-shaped and black. They are similar in appearance to cockroach and rat droppings. Mouse droppings will be found in containers, near food, along baseboards, and anywhere where mice have been.
3. You find food containers chewed open.
   Gnaw marks on paper or cardboard food containers are common when you have a mouse infestation. You may also see these chew marks on baseboards or furniture.
4. You notice a musky odor.
   House mice will emit a mucky odor. This odor gets worse the more mice there are present. So, a mucky smell you can't place may indicate a mouse problem.

Once you notice the signs of a mouse infestation, it is time to act. You do not want to let a mouse problem get out of hand. While most mice are not aggressive, they can still cause a lot of problems. A home without mice is much safer than a home with mice.

The following removal ideas should help you get rid of the mice in your home.

1. Purchase traps.
   The most accessible way to remove mice for most homeowners is traps. There are many types of traps available today. We recommend staying away from the old-fashioned glue traps. These are inhumane and do not work well. Quick kill traps are best but they may not solve a large mouse problem.
2. Get a cat.
   Obviously, this is not a solution for everyone. You have to like cats, be able to take car of one, and not mind having a cat with claws in your home. But, if y ou are a cat lover, bringing home a mousing cat may be a great solution. Cats hunt mice for fun, so you will not have to train the behavior. If mousing is the idea, consider a female cat. They are often more committed to hunting.
3. Call a mouse removal company.
   The best long-term mouse solution is to hire a mouse exterminator. We at GoLocal Pest Control can help you find the best company in your location. Just visit our website to find out more about our process.

To know how to prevent mice, you need to understand why you have them in the first place. Our homes provide a lot of the essentials that mice need. That includes the following.

1. Shelter.
   

   Mice need a warm and safe place to live. Often, our homes fulfill this need. This is especially true during the cold months. Mice will seek out our homes in the fall when the weather turns cold.

   Additionally, the more secluded and sheltered areas you have in your home, the more likely you are to have mice. Attics, crawlspaces, basements, and cabinets are all common hiding places for mice.

2. Food and water.
   Mice like all pets need food and water to survive. There is a lot of food and water sources in our homes. Food is especially easy to come by for mice. They can easily break into food packaging. Thus, they can eat all the food they need, often at very little risk to themselves.
3. Easy access.
   The homes that have the biggest mouse problems are the ones that are easily accessible. Mice can fit through an opening about the size of a dime. That makes it very easy for them to find ways into our homes. Once they get in, it is hard to get rid of them.

Preventing mice means ensuring they don't have the shelter, food, water, and access they need. Most homeowners are not going to stop keeping food in their houses or turn off their heat. But there are a few reasonable things that you can do to keep the mice out.

1. Seal your home.
   The better sealed your home is, the less likely it is that mice will get in. You should make sure all cracks and holes are sealed properly.
2. Store all food in plastic, locking containers.
   Food is such a big motivator for mice that removing it is a great prevention strategy. The food you store in cabinets or a pantry should be put in lidded, plastic containers. Mice can easily chew through cardboard or papers bags.
3. Fix any leaks.
   Denying mice water is also important. Therefore, you should fix any leaks in your home.
4. Keep your home and yard clean.
   If your home and yard are clean, there are fewer hiding spots for mice. That will make your home much less attractive.
5. Contact an exterminator.
   A good local exterminator can walk you through what needs to be done to prevent a mouse infestation. Let the experts at GoLocal Pest Control connect you with the best mice removal specialists in your area.

There are 1,100 species of mice in the world. Most of these species are part of the Myomorpha genus. The translation of Myomorpha is "mouse-like rodent," so their name is appropriate. Thankfully, there are not 1,100 mouse species in North America. Only about 70 species live in the United States.

Mice can be found all over the country. From the plains to the forest, and even deserts, mice live everywhere. That means, no matter where you live, you can have a mouse infestation.

The most common mouse species to invade our homes are house mice, deer mice, and white-footed mice.

All mice have a similar appearance, but their coloring and size may vary. What doesn't change is their habits—mice are nocturnal and omnivores. That mice need to gnaw on things to keep their teeth the correct size is another commonality. Rodent teeth never stop growing, which is why mice can cause so much damage.

Let's look at the descriptions of the mice most commonly found in homes.

1. House Mice:
   House mice are some of the most common mice found in homes. They are about 3-3.9 inches long (including the tail). They have short fur that is either gray or brown. Their stomachs are a light color. There is less hair on a House mouse's ears and tails than is on their bodies.
2. Deer Mice:
   Deer mice are extremely common in rural homes. They are also called field mice. Deer mice have triangular-shaped heads. Their nose is pointy. Their fur is gray-brown to red-brown on the back and white on the stomach and legs. Deer mice are larger than House mice and can range from 4.7-11 inches in length (including the tail).
3. White-footed Mice:
   The final mouse species most commonly found in homes is the White-footed mouse. These are also larger than House mice. They range from 5-8 inches in length. They have red/brown or all brown fur on their backs and white on their stomachs and legs. The White-footed mouse has a distinctive bicolor tail. It is dark at the top and light on the bottom. White-footed mice are most common in the Eastern U.S.

If you have a mouse problem, don't wait to contact a good exterminator. At GoLocal Pest Control we can help you find the best company near you.

Mice are a very common pest, which means most exterminators should have experience removing them. That doesn't mean all exterminators are equally good at their job. Some companies will be better than others. Use the following questions to whittle down your options.

1. When was your last mouse removal job?
2. What treatments do you use, and how do you determine which one is appropriate?
3. How many of your technicians specialize in mouse removal?
4. Do you offer a guarantee or warranty of any kind?
5. Do I need to be out of the house during your mouse extermination? What about my pets?
6. Does your team remove the mouse carcasses?
7. Will the mice return?

More goes into mouse removal than just killing and removing the mice. The technician has to determine how the mice are entering your home and how bad the infestation is. They also have to locate the nest. All of these things must be determined before the technician gets to work.

To treat the actual infestation, the technicians have many techniques at their disposal. They will likely use chemicals to kill the mice. They may also put out traps to kill any errant mice and prevent more from entering your home.

Some companies will return to pick up and dispose of the mouse carcasses. Others do not provide this service. If it is important to you, make sure to ask the exterminator if they will remove the dead mice.

Once the mice are dead, the exterminator will talk to you about sealing your house to prevent more mouse infestations. They will also show you the most likely locations where mice are entering.

Mouse control is much more than killing the mice. You want to ensure the problem doesn't return every fall. To do this you need to find the top pest removal company in your area. At GoLocal Pest Control, we can help you do that. The companies in our location finder have all been pre-screened. You can trust the choices we give you.

To learn more about our process, visit this page or contact us today.