Getting rid of mice

Getting rid of mice is an age old problem. But you can get rid of mice if you are determined.

The first step is to understand how mice get around and what their habits are.

Mice move about at night nibbling here and nibbling there. As they move about they continuously urinate and defecate. Although small, their area of contamination is severe.

This is a photo of rat feces which is slightly larger however mice create a very similar look and trail. The smell permeates insulation, carpet and open wood as the bacteria can linger for months.

The feces need to be cleaned up . However some mice carry the hantavirus in the dust of their feces which in extreme cases can be fatal to humans. It is important to use safety control measures when cleaning this up so make sure you click this link first and understand the right way to do that. Click for rodent feces clean up.

Where mice run about is key to trapping them. Keep in mind  they can climb through anything your pinky can be poked through flattening their bodies to get under doors.

Mice have guide hairs on the side of their noses that allows them to move along walls in complete darkness. They do not like moving about in an open room due to the fact they can become disoriented. So traps should be along walls where they will be traveling.

You've heard the comment "a better mouse trap" the reason one trap will not always work is mice are very good at adapting. What caught one mouse will not catch their cousin. Some mice are more bait and trap shy.

The other consideration is you may be trapping a juvenile that weighs less than an ounce with a very light touch that will not spring the trap.

The answer to successful trapping is to use many different types of traps and scent sources to lure them to the trap.

Those are some quick facts to help you understand how to get rid of mice. We will cover types of traps, baits and organic mouse control methods in other posts on this blog.