Do you hear suspicious noises behind your walls? Are you finding questionable black pellets around the kitchen? Does your pantry have a sharp, musky odour? Chances are you have a mouse in the house.
Even small numbers of mice can cause large problems, so it is important to recognize and attend to an infestation as soon as possible.
Read on for a few tell-tale signs of a mouse problem:
1. Droppings
Droppings are a sure sign that rats or mice are present, and will indicate the type of rodent, the size of the infestation, and where they are most active. Mouse droppings are most commonly found near feeding, breeding and nesting areas.
Mouse droppings are small, less than ¼ inch, and pointed on both ends.
Rat droppings are ½ inch or larger.
Lots of droppings may be an indication of a large infestation.
Always wear protective gloves when disposing of mouse droppings and wear a protective face mask. Don’t sweep or vacuum the droppings, as disturbing them could release bacteria and virus particles. Droppings should be carefully picked up and disposed of in sealed plastic bags.
2. Noises in the Night / Scampering noises
Strange scratching or scrabbling noises in the walls, especially at night, are another sign of mice.
Mice are excellent climbers and jumpers and are capable of fitting through openings much smaller than their bodies. They can use the spaces in between joists to travel from one part of the house to another. Mice are typically nocturnal, so you will probably hear them only at night.
3. Rodent Runways
A regular pattern of dirty smudges along floors and baseboards could be a sign of mouse traffic.
Mice tend to run along walls and follow the same route night after night. Over time, the dirt from their fur and feet will create a distinctive streaking or smudging tracery along the path. You may also find small patches of urine or droppings along the route.
4. Holes or Tears in Material
If you find unexpected holes, tears, or signs of gnawing in bedding, clothing, insulation, fabrics, or other materials, there's a good chance that mice are present.
Mice will often chew small holes in the bottom of drawers, cabinets, and furniture and fill the holes with shredded material.
Gnawed mouse holes are small, clear-cut, and about the size of a 5 cent piece. Gnawed rat holes are large, about the size of a $1 coin, with rough torn edges.
5. Rub marks Oily rub marks are left in places where rodents travel along walls. If rub marks smear, you know they are fresh. 6. Gnaw marks
Mice have teeth that grow continuously, so they need to gnaw on hard materials, including wood, plastic, cables, and electrical wiring, to wear them down.
This makes mice a serious fire hazard, as they can chew through wiring, which can cause shorts, power outages, equipment damage, or fire.
7. Urine Smell
Rodent urine has a strong musky odour.. With large infestations, you can easily smell it.. This odour can be particularly noticeable in enclosed areas, such as pantries, cabinets, or drawers.
8. Nests
Mice will shred paper, string, and other pliable materials to build their nests indoors. Rats typically nest above ground in attics, trees, or dense vegetation. You could find scraps of the above materials littered in your home. This means the mice are making nests.
9. Seeing Mice
Our customers often report seeing things out of the corner of their eye. This is often a mouse darting from cover to cover.
Mice like to stay out of the limelight and usually come out into human space only at night, seeing mice in your home during the day could be a sign of an infestation.
10. Unusual pet behaviour
Pets tend to act unusual when they hear or smell rodents in the house. They may appear extremely alert, bark, or begin to paw at spaces beneath refrigerators, stoves, or low-clearance pieces of furniture. If you have noticed any of the signs above Precision Pest Management can help! Call us on 08 9409 6171 or get in touch using our contact us form.
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