You do a lot to keep unwanted pests and bugs outside your home. But if there is one animal that seems adept at sneaking past a home’s defenses, it’s the common mouse. Mice infestations affect almost a third of all American homes.
Mice can easily wreak havoc on your home if they aren’t taken care of quickly. The sooner you realize you have a mice infestation, the sooner you can leap into action and prevent the problem from spreading.
In order to catch things early, you’ll need to make sure you’re familiar with the common mouse infestation signs. Knowing what to look for can help to confirm your suspicions that there may be mice running around your home.
What might give things away? Read on and we’ll walk you through what you need to know.
1. Small Droppings
The number one, easiest way to confirm your suspicions of a mice infestation is to look out for mice feces around your home. Mice tend to defecate in areas in which they are most active.
That means areas where they feed, sleep, and nest. A mouse dropping might not look like much at first glance. They are typically cylindrical, black, and quite small, about a quarter of an inch in length.
It may look something like a blackened piece of rice at first look. Check around the corners of closets, behind couches, and other areas where mice might be hiding out.
If you do notice droppings, you’ll want to leap into immediate action: there are indeed mice in your home. Dispose of the dropping in a safe manner by wearing gloves. Avoiding sweeping them up or vacuuming them as this might release bacteria into the air.
2. Noises in Walls
Most mice don’t take much time to hang out in the open areas of your apartment. They aren’t interested in being exposed and vulnerable in this way. Instead, they’ll take roost inside of your walls where it’s safe and dark.
If you’re home and quiet, you may actually be able to hear the mice moving around through your walls. This will happen more often at night when the mice tend to be most active.
What might these sounds come across as? Mostly, you’ll hear little scratching or scrabbling. It likely will be quite faint but still audible. This is the mice moving and jumping around.
This noise can be helpful in more ways than one. Not only will you be able to confirm your suspicions of a mouse infestation, but you might be able to determine where they are entering the home.
The more activity near a certain area, the more likely the hole they are using to get into your apartment or home is nearby.
3. Your Pets Are Acting Weird
Have a cat or dog around the house and notice they’ve been acting somewhat strange lately? It might be because their noses are giving them a big hint that something is amiss.
If your pet spends a great deal of time circling, sniffing, or otherwise interacting with a wall, door, or general area of your home, it may be because they know something that you don’t.
Generally speaking, the scent of a large animal such as a cat or dog will keep mice away. However, this isn’t always the case, and if mice think there’s a great opportunity for food they’ll brave the home regardless.
Pay attention to the behavior of your furry friends because they might be more perceptive to things than you would assume.
4. Holes or Tears in Materials
Another telltale sign of mice issues can be found in your bedding, clothing, or other materials around your home. If you’ve started to notice little holes that seem to appear in various places, it might be that mice have created them.
Mice tend to chew through just about anything to get to where they want to be, so anything you leave around might be seen as an obstacle. They also use small pieces of fabric and other materials as fodder for nests.
They’ll bring these materials back into the walls where they came from and use them to construct little temporary homes.
Even more alarming might be the discovery that containers of food have been chewed through. Bags of bread, cereal boxes, and other containers that you’ve left out around your kitchen might have been invaded.
This can be a big issue because mice are not the most sanitary of creatures. If you’ve discovered these holes, you should dispose of the food and put your remaining items in air-sealed containers until you get the problem under control.
5. Foul Smells
Rodents of any kind aren’t the nicest smelling creatures either. They have a distinct, musky smell that can call out to the nostrils if you come too close to where they are hiding out.
This odor might be hard to notice in the open air of your home but will make itself more noticeable in smaller, enclosed areas. If you open a pantry or drawer and are hit by a musky scent, it might be evidence that mice have taken root.
Mice often use this odor to make their territory as they explore new areas. It’ one of the more common signs of a mouse infestation that you might notice.
Mouse Infestation Signs to Look Out For
If you aren’t careful, mice can wreak havoc on your home, belongings, and food. It’s important that you recognize mouse infestation signs as soon as possible so you can take the necessary steps to rectify the issue.
Discovered mice in your home and need immediate pest assistance? Contact us anytime for help and information.