I Found Mouse Droppings But No Mouse

You might not have spotted a mouse in your house, but that doesn’t mean they haven’t moved in. There are several other signs that you have a rodent problem that needs immediate attention.

Sudden Appearance of Pellets

A sure sign is droppings around food, in drawers or cupboards (especially in the kitchen) and under a sink. Not everyone is quite sure what they are seeing when they spy droppings in their home, so it’s important to know what mouse droppings look like. What you are looking for are smallish dark pellets, about one-eighth to one-quarter of an inch long, with pointed ends.

It can be easy to want to believe it’s just food particles or something else, but the reality is you have unwanted guests if you are seeing these droppings. You can get a flashlight and take a peek behind cabinets and under sinks and appliances to see if you can spot any of these critters.

Sometimes, mice do come out during the day, but generally, they like to do their business around the house at night. However, if you do see them, the infestation is generally severe. To be absolutely sure about an infestation, call in a licensed pest professional to do an evaluation and help you formulate a plan for kicking those mice out.

Your Home Becomes a Chew Toy

Mice are, of course, rodents. And rodents’ teeth never stop growing, so they must constantly chew on things to wear them down. Mice will make a meal from quite a few things in your home.

If you are suddenly seeing unexplained holes in your cereal box or drywall or have spotted shredded paper that you know you haven’t shredded, that is another clue. If mice are gnawing through your walls, you will probably also hear them running around as they go to and from their nest in search of food and water. The paper shreds indicate that mice are using your recycling to build their home somewhere, usually in a sheltered location.

Mice are more wily than you might expect. Knowing what house mice eat can help you make your home less attractive to them. House mice eat just about anything they can find, and they eat often. They have a great sense of hearing, smell, taste and touch. And they don’t just run along your floors. Mice are great at climbing and can run up any rough vertical surface, like a tree. They can also run along wires or ropes and jump up more than a foot from the floor onto a flat surface like a table or counter. Even a crack just a quarter of an inch is enough space for mice to get through! If you see the signs of their presence, know they have probably run all over your home.

Will a Mouse Attack You?

With their long incisors and desire to remain unseen most of the time, you might wonder if a mouse will come after you if you disturb them. In general, the answer is no. They will see you and take off running as fast as they can. But that isn’t always the case.

If you get too close, a mouse might feel cornered or threatened by you and give you a bite. Generally, this would only be an issue if you were trying to handle them for any reason. Because their teeth are so long and sharp, you would feel a sharp pinch and see blood. A mouse’s bite generally leaves just one puncture mark on your skin.

A mouse bite doesn’t just hurt a bit: It also exposes you to infection. Mice carry all sorts of diseases, including hantavirus, lassa fever, leptospirosis, lujo hemorrhagic fever, lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCM), monkeypox, Omsk hemorrhagic fever, bubonic plague and salmonellosis. Mice are also linked to a higher incidence of asthma. Of course, getting bitten by a mouse isn’t the only way that they can spread disease to humans.

Breathing in air contaminated by their urine, feces or nesting materials can also transmit droplets of these viruses. That’s why it is so important to make sure you do more than just get rid of the rodents themselves. You will need to completely clean the infested area or areas to ensure you rid your home of all traces of the infestation.

Dealing with a mouse infestation is not something that should be taken lightly. Contact a professional as soon as you can. A licensed pest control expert can ensure mice are properly evicted.

What Does a Mouse Nest Look Like?

When you see the word “nest,” it probably brings to mind a bird’s nest. Whereas birds will gather twigs and other outside materials to make their home, mice construct their home out of scrap material. They like to use paper, cloth, cupboard, wood sticks and softer items like fabrics, stuffing from mattresses and pillows. That makes it the perfect place for them to bunk down during the day and hide from predators and also humans.

Their nests are usually a sort of ball with a hold in it where they can come and go. It also provides a soft and safe place for mice to have their litters. Newborn mice have to spend their first few days in the next, depending solely on their mother for food.

If you spot something like this in your home or garage, it’s time to call in the professionals. Getting rid of the nest will prevent more problems later since mice reproduce at an alarming rate. In just one nest, you can find at least five mice. Female mice produce eight litters a year, and each litter averages about six little pups.

A nest with mice from a previous litter still living in a nest where another litter is born means the number of mice in your space will practically explode. Just one nest could be the sole source of the entire infestation in your home. Leaving a nest alone if you find it is bad for the mice in the end, and it is certainly bad for you and your family! They will eventually create a huge health hazard for you and those around you.

Getting Rid of a Mouse Nest

If you plan to get rid of a mouse nest yourself, don’t throw it in the trash can! Put it in a special disposal container. This can be considered toxic waste if there is any mouse tissue remaining.

The next step is to get rid of any and all material that is soft and would be attractive to the next pack of mice traveling through. Be sure to keep such items off the ground so mice can’t chew on them and use it for their next home.

Another thing you might not have considered is the attractiveness of things that might bring you happiness. If you have bird feeders in your garden, get the seed and water out of them. Mice also love birdseed and need water. This is particularly an issue if you live in a rural or semi-rural area where the infestation risk is higher.

Your car’s engine is also a hot spot for mouse activity, pun intended. The engine’s warmth attracts mice, and they love to nest there. If you haven’t driven your vehicle in a while, it’s a good idea to check your engine and ensure there are no rodent nests. Mice will not only nest there. They can also cause an incredible amount of damage.

Mice will chew through wires and other materials and cause thousands of dollars of damage and make your vehicle undrivable! A nest under the hood will also transmit its foul odor throughout your temperature control system. The best bet is to call in a pest control professional to examine your home and other spaces, evaluate the extent of your problem and take care of mice before they wreak havoc.

ABC Can Get Your Rodent Problem Under Control

Dealing with mice can feel like a disgusting chore that never ends. Instead of wasting time and money trying to deal with a pest problem on your own, contact ABC Home & Commercial Services. Our licensed professionals will evict these pests for good and can provide ongoing pest control services so you don’t have to deal with any more unwanted rodents.