A Pet's View / December 2006
A Creature Was Stirring and It Was a Mouse
For homemakers, cold weather usually offers a reprieve from insects and other pests. Unfortunately, that is not the case for mice. The house mouse is remarkably well-adapted for living year round in homes. Homeowners are likely to notice mice during fall and winter, following their migration indoors in search of warmth, food and shelter. Homeowners with pets, and those who enjoy bird feeding are even more likely to notice mice in their homes. Stored cat and dog food and bags of birdseed turn houses into a Club Med for mice. Once mice become established indoors, they can be difficult to control.
Perhaps because of Disney and decades of cute animation, most women consider mice less objectionable than rats. But, mice are more common and cause significantly more damage.
Mice are prolific breeders, producing 6 to 10 litters continuously throughout the year, with 4 to 7 young per litter. The greatest loss isn’t how much they eat, but what must be discarded because of damage or contamination. Food, clothing, furniture, books, and countless items can be contaminated by their droppings and urine or damaged by gnawing. Plus, mice can transmit diseases, most notably salmonellosis or bacterial food poisoning.
They store quantities of seeds, nuts or dried pet food, behind walls, between floors, and in other concealed locations leading to serious infestations of insect pests.
Mice are nocturnal creatures, not always seen “in person” by the homeowner. Mouse indicators include their small, pointed droppings, sounds of running or squeaking, or damage to stored food or materials used for nesting.
Mice usually forage just 10-25 feet from their nest but with adequate food and shelter, their foraging range may be only a few feet. So, traps must be placed in areas where mouse activity is most apparent. Mice prefer to travel adjacently to walls and edges and are particularly fond of corners. They are very inquisitive and will investigate each new object in their foraging territory. If control devices aren’t working, move them to a new location.
Mice are “nibblers” and may make 20 to 30 visits to different food sites each night. They feed on a variety of foods but prefer seeds and cereal grains. They’re also fond of nuts and sweets. Peanut butter, chocolate, or cotton balls sweetened with cherry or strawberry flavored extract are excellent baits. Cotton balls also make effective ‘lures’ for pregnant female mice foraging for nesting materials.
To control mice, experts say “think like a mouse,” keeping their preferences and behavioral traits in mind.
Careful food storage practices are important, because bird seed and pet food bags stored in the garage or basement are especially prone to infestation. However, mice occupy such small nesting areas and survive on minute amounts of food, sanitation alone won’t eliminate an infestation.
Outside of professional help, homeowners have two control options–traps or toxic baits known as rodenticides.
Traps are less hazardous for children and pets, and captured mice aren’t likely to die in inaccessible areas and create odors. Snap trap efficiency is enhanced by baiting with peanut butter, chocolate or raisins.
Glue traps are a little less effective. Adult mice tend to avoid gluey surfaces and mice caught at the edge of the board sometimes escape.
Place traps against walls, behind objects and appliances, and in secluded areas where signs of mice are evident. Multiple placements close to the mouse’s home base give optimum results. Minor garage or basement infestations typically require 6-12 traps; moderate-to-heavy infestations often require dozens. Traps and glue boards should be checked daily.
Several formulations of toxic baits containing seeds or grain are available, as loose bait or molded extruded blocks. Most over-the-counter rodenticides are anticoagulants which interfere with normal blood clotting and cause internal bleeding.
Extreme care must be taken to position baits in areas inaccessible to pets, children, and wildlife. Dogs in particular, find baits in seemingly inaccessible areas. For the safest use, mouse bait should be confined in an enclosed plastic bait box or station. Pets that roam freely may find rodenticide baits in storage buildings, garages or other locations. Symptoms of poisoning-weakness, coughing, difficulty breathing or pale gums-may not be apparent until several days after ingestion, but can quickly turn fatal. Early recognition is critical to survival. A blood test can detect rodenticide exposure, but an alert owner is just as important. Unfortunately, the rodenticides used for mice do the same harm to all mammals.
Copyright © 2007 A Woman's View. All rights reserved.
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