- What’s that noise? Scampering, scratching and other noises in walls, ceilings or even floors could be that of a mouse or mice. Mice are nocturnal so sounds are most often heard during the evening hours when they are in search of food. But don’t rely on noise alone to uncover a mouse problem. Mice are very tiny creatures and can live among us comfortably and quietly.
- Discovering droppings. Mice eat frequently and defecate frequently. In fact, the average house mouse produces between 40 and 100 droppings per day! The problem is those droppings can carry disease and spread those germs throughout your home as they move about leaving urine and droppings in their tracks. Mice travel along base boards and corners to navigate a room and this is where you will likely find droppings, particularly in out of the way areas of the home. Droppings look like small, dark grains of rice with pointed ends and are brown in color.
- Noticing chew or gnaw marks around the home. Mice are constantly gnawing as their teeth are always growing. They gnaw their way through walls to create openings, they gnaw on woodwork and may even create a fire hazard around the home as they gnaw on electrical wiring.
- What’s that smell? Heavy mice infestations leave a telltale musky odor in the air. If you are noticing a room or area of your home with a distinct odor, consider inspecting for mice.
- Discovering a nest. Mice build nests out of warm and fuzzy materials such as twine or cotton. They are typically built in out of the way areas within the home and can be found under the hood of your car. Although the nest itself may be difficult to identify as that of a mouse you can typically find nearby droppings to confirm your suspicions.
- Who was in the pantry? Discovering chewed through food products in the pantry can tip you off to a mouse infestation. Again, look for nearby droppings to help you identify whether or not the culprit is a mouse.
- Inspecting your monitors. The best proactive way to know if you have a mouse or mice inside of your home is to strategically place glue board monitors and glue trap monitors throughout your home. Hair, droppings or a trapped mouse on the glue board or tray will confirm that you have an infestation and prompt you to take further action.
Signs That Rodents Have Escaped the Winter Inside of Your Home
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The polar vortex sent us running for cover indoors this past winter as frigid temperatures gripped a large portion of the United States. And, rodents were no different. Pest professionals reported an increase in calls for indoor rodent infestations and rodents were even being reported as infesting cars on the Upper West Side. So, how would you know if a rodent infestation was happening inside of your home? We put together a list of the top signs that you’re not alone, rodents have moved in: