There's a mouse in the house!

As the weather gets colder, mice are looking for a warm place to spend the winter. All too often, they seek shelter in our homes! 

A NOISY VISITOR
For their size, few critter make as much noise as the humble mouse. They run through the ceiling, chew on wall studs and scratch looking for food or to make a nest. We commonly get calls where the homeowner believes they have squirrels, only to discover that it is just really noisy mice.
Mice can jump up to 18 inches and can climb any rough surface. There are very few areas in a home that they cannot reach. 

IS IT MICE?
The easiest way to determine if you have a mouse or squirrels is to keep track of the time of day you hear them. Squirrels are usually silent at night, mice operate 24/7. but you are most likely to to hear them at night when the house is otherwise silent. 
Mice are incontinent and leave trails of urine wherever they go. Their urine glows under blacklight and it is easy to see where they are traveling. 

EXCLUSION
It is difficult to mouse proof your house. They can enter through a hole the size of a pencil, and can flatten their bodies to slip through the tiniest cracks under doors and where the exterior trim isn't completely sealed. You can slow them down by stuffing stainless or copper steel wool into openings and install sweeps at the base of doors. Caulk up any seams or openings. Use expanding foam to seal around pipes, dryer vents, and openings in the wall where they might enter. 

REPELLANTS
There are a number of mouse repellants on the market that claim to repel mice. None that I am aware of are scientifically proven effective, especially long term, but we have had some good success with a castor oil based repellent. Time will tell if it is 100% effective, but the initial results look promising. 

POISON
Predator Impact does not use mouse poison except under very specific circumstances. Rodenticides in general are very difficult to use without risk of secondary poisoning of hawks, owls, dogs and cats. Once a mouse has eaten mouse poison, they stagger out in the open as though they were drunk and are easy prey for any predator in the area. Newer rodenticides are better than the older ones, but there is still a high risk of secondary poisoning. 
If the mouse dies in your house, you then have weeks of "dead mouse" smell until the body mummifies. 
All in all, poisons are not worth the risks and complications. 

TRAPS
Traps are by far the best method of controlling mice. Whether you choose glue boards, traditional "snap traps", or live traps makes little difference.
​The mice are attracted to peanut butter, or a flour and water dough. The best bait we use is flour with small bird seed and peanut butter mixed in. Add just a little water to make a dough and bait the traps with this. The dough hardens like a rock and the mice cannot steal the bait. 
Contrary to the wisdom imparted upon us by Saturday morning cartoons, mice do not eat cheese. They will eat it if they are hungry enough, but it is not their first choice by far. 

LIVE TRAPS 
For those that wish to trap the mice and release them ( a long way away!) alive, there are several options. 
Victor® makes a product called a "Tin Cat". 

Baited with peanut butter it will catch multiple live mice. Set it with the opening along the baseboard. Mice hug the wall when the move from place to place and this will lead them right to the trap. 

Once a mouse, or mice, are caught, you can simply carry the Tin Cat to a field 3-5 miles away and release them. 
Another option is the bucket trap. It is designed to have water in the bottom to drown the mice, but you can use it dry as a live trap as well. 

Again, bait it with peanut butter and transport the bucket 3-5 miles and open the bucket to release them. 

LONG TERM PROTECTION
The best way to head off a new mouse infestation is to have traps waiting for them when the first ones arrive. Predator Impact tries to determine where they are most likely coming from and places Tin Cat traps in their path. It may be weeks or months before a new mouse arrives. Peanut butter and other baits typically used for mice will mold or spoil by then. This is the one instance where Predator Impact advocates the use of rodenticides. Not only will mouse poison stay fresh for 6 months or more, but it also kills the mouse quickly and humanely rather than letting him slowly starve to death. 

Scientists who study these things tell is that mice have been living with humans for about 15,000 years. They quickly adapted to depend on humans for food and it is unlikely that we will ever live in a world without mice. 
Mice reproduce quickly. They can reproduce by 8 weeks old. A typical female can have up to 10 pups in a litter and she can get pregnant again 24 hours after giving birth. She can have up to 15 litters a year and can breed year 'round. One pair of mice could potentially result in a population of over 5,000 mice per year! As you can see, it is easy to have a population explosion very quickly! It is important to take action when you first notice signs of mice. 

GOT MICE? 
Predator Impact is your complete mouse solution. We will trap the mice present, lay down a repellant barrier and install Tin Cat style traps to intercept any new mice that show up. 
Call today for a free, no obligation inspection and to discuss treatment options! 

​(918) 397-4091