| House Mouse |
 |
Small and slender, 3 to
4 inches long, with large
ears, small eyes and pointed nose. Light brown or light gray. Droppings
are
rod-shaped.
Mice live everywhere outside, and
are found more often
indoors than rats because they are smaller and more able to fit through
small
openings. Mice can fit through a crack or hole 1/4 of an inch or
larger—about
the width of a pencil. Their territory generally ranges 10 to 30 feet
from
their nest. They are curious but wary. They are also excellent
climbers, making rodent control difficult. They can
enter your home through holes in soffit vents, around cables entering
the
building, and through turbines and box vents on the roof.Omnivorous, but prefers seeds and
cereal grains.Effective rodent
control involves sealing as many holes and cracks as
possible in the
outside
of your home. Keep firewood stored as far from the home as possible and
store
it off the ground. Remove piles of debris, stones, bricks and leaves
near your
home’s foundation. Stuff large holes or cracks in your foundation with
steel
wool or wire mesh before sealing with caulk or foam—otherwise mice
could chew
through. And since mice can slip under many garage doors, don’t forget
to
tightly
seal the door from the garage to the
house.
To locate existing nests and eliminate mice
already in
your home, professional rodent
control
materials such as baits and traps are usually
needed.
