As the winter season approaches, homeowners may start to witness rodents in their houses. One of the pests that attack homes during this season is mice. The risk of mice increases as the temperature drops which comes with a lot of problems. One of the reasons the rodents population undergoes a large boost during winter is because they are looking for shelter to protect themselves from cold. During the warm season, the mice live outdoor like in the bushes, hollow logs, and tall grass. When the weather turns cold, their food sources disappear, and they need to look for places to survive until spring.
Mice run for warmth and food in homes and other structures that are not temperature controlled like garages and sheds. For this reason, even if you might have a mice problem during summer, you will not notice a large number of them until it is winter because they spend a majority of time indoors. Cold causes building materials to contract and this can cause holes and cracks that were not there during the warm season, making it easier for the mice to sneak in.
Mice manifest themselves in different ways. You will spot droppings, tracks or chewed plastics and furniture. They also emit musky smells, and you can hear noisy movements especially at night. The signs can help you get the nesting areas. The nests are mostly made of shredded fibers or any other chewable materials. You will find them in hidden and undisturbed areas like crates or wardrobes, shoe boxes, kitchen and bathroom cabinets. Mice will make nests in the uncommonly used cabinets since they can easily make holes through the wood. They are also found in floors, walls, and ceilings.
Mice are commonly known for consuming grains, corn or oat. However, they can feed on plenty of things available to them, and when there is plenty of food, that is when the mice manifestation increases. It is good to identify the indication as early as possible since even a small population can cause a significant loss.
Mice are climbers and jumpers and can fit through tiny openings which make it hard to find them. Research shows that a single female mouse can produce about ten litters in a year. They are reproduced twenty days after mating, and the female can breed again after two months. The lifespan of a mouse is from nine months to a maximum of one year. With the calculation, it is right to say the infestation grows very fast making it difficult to exterminate.
Mice come with a lot of dangers including;
Destroying properties
Mice love chewing and they can eat anything they find in the house as they search for materials for their nests. They can eat clothing, bedding, dig holes in woodwork or any other textiles. They are responsible for many domestic and commercial losses as they are also responsible for machine malfunction. They can contaminate food in the farm which is a significant loss for a commercial farming industry as the contaminated food is termed unfit for consumption. The highest risk comes in when they start chewing electrical wiring which interferes with home appliances, one of the known cause of home fires.
Health hazards
The small looking creatures carry real life threats. The bacteria and virus can be spread by contaminated dust from mice urine and droppings. The larger the mice infestation in your house, the more mice droppings you will find. The mice droppings carry the Hantavirus and any human who comes in contact with the droppings, urine or saliva is in danger of developing the virus. The feces are tiny but should be handled with gloves and mask on. Moreover, when the droppings dry, they become airborne, and anyone in your household can breathe them. The droppings and hair can cause severe allergies, skin rashes, asthma, and more respiratory complications. The problems are worse for people with serious illness or the young and elderly. Mice can contaminate food sources and surfaces in a home.
If you come across mice in your home, it could be an indication of greater problems. The best way is to do a thorough inspection and place rodent bait in every station likely to host mice like the garage and ceiling. Seal all the holes that the mice may have made and clear all the dark places.
Although the mice are only trying to survive the cold weather, they bring in a lot of damages to homes not mentioning the fact that they are disease carriers. It is advisable to get professional help once you spot possible mice infestation. The professionals will ensure that the outbreak does not continue, eliminate the present mice, as well as ensure that the mice will not be coming to your home again soon.
Enjoy the comfort of your home during winter without the worry of mice infestation.
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