Having mice or even rats in your home or business is no fun. Not only can they spread disease, they can contaminate food supplies and usually chew up electrical wires, pipes and even, wood structures. They can turn a dream home into a nightmare very quickly. 

Mice have the same essential needs that humans have. They continuously look for shelter, warmth and food. If they can find all three of these things in the same place, they will settle in for the long haul.  Since they require very little food and tend to keep themselves out of sight, you may not even notice them until it’s too late and they have caused damage.

You may also be attracting both mice and rats without ever realizing it. Here are four ways you could be helping them to set up residence in your home.

1. Warmth

Mice love to feel warm and cozy. Therefore, when the temperatures start to drop in late fall, they start to search out options that will keep them warm during the colder days and nights. This is typically in wall openings and other secure nesting spots that provide a steady source of heat. Anywhere they can burrow is a place they can keep warm. Hot water heaters are a popular place for mice because they can burrow close to it and keep warm.

2. Food

Mice love food. While they don’t need a lot at one time to sustain themselves, they do enjoy eating. They will dig into the trash, nibble food right off the floor, climb cabinets to search for packaged food and eat fresh cooked meals once you’ve turned your back. In the restaurant industry, this can be a huge problem because they can also contaminate food supply and spread disease. Eating on whatever they can find, mice prefer grains, seeds and fruit. If they have a hard time finding a food source, they will spend a lot on electrical wires, cardboard and paper to sustain them.  While it’s a common misconception, mice don’t really like cheese as much as they like chocolate, bacon and peanut butter.

3. Clutter

Mice are happy in a space that is both cluttered and warm. They love to use this type of space to nest and burrow. Therefore, they will start to seek out these areas in your home or businesses, which most often contain spaces they don’t see on any average day. These would be hard to clean areas, which means it makes a perfect option for mice to make their new home. These areas consist of attics, small storage spaces and garages. Areas containing firewood, desk drawers, stacks of paper, boxes, cluttered trash compactors and trash rooms can also be attractive to mice.

4. Cracks

If you have cracks or openings in your home, this makes a perfect opportunity for mice to find their way into your home. So be sure to seal up cracks in walls and patch up foundation cracks. If you have holes in your venting system, mice can get in through there as well.

Make sure that you don’t have an infestation using these tips:

• Mice leave small black droppings behind, so if you notice a gathering of pellets then you have some type of infestation.
• If you start to see chewed up wiring or chewed up pieces of paper, chances are high that you have a mice infestation.

Mice can spread dangerous diseases such as leptospirosis, hantavirus, plague and salmonellosis. To get rid of mice, you can try a few options such as old-fashioned snap traps, but those are not usually recommended. Cats are another option that will eliminate your mice problem. However, one of the best options is to hire a professional who can come in and remove mice while also repairing any of the damage they have caused.

If you are having issues with mice and rats, it is time to take it to the professionals. Contact Wildout Animal & Pest Removal today: 844-445-5328