Mice are one of the most common pest nuisances that home and business owners in the Hamilton area find themselves dealing with.

Mice need just a tiny hole to gain access inside a home or business, and can also enter through sewer lines. Once you have a mouse infestation it can be very stressful and upsetting for home or business owners.

Mice prefer to make their home in close proximity to known food sources and usually build their nests in quiet areas of buildings that are free of human activity and predators.

The spaces behind walls and ceilings are a favourite. These are places where mice are able to store food, mate and raise their young. Mice will only venture out into the open spaces of a home or business if they’re desperate for food.

Attics, walls, garages and basements are some of the most common nesting sites for mice.

Here’s what you should know about mice

-Mice are communal animals and aren’t the type to go it alone. If you see even a single mouse inside your home you can be sure there are more you aren’t seeing.

-Female mice give birth 5 to 10 times in a single year with each litter containing as many as 12 young.

-Mice are tiny, ranging in size from 65 to 95 mm. They can make themselves incredibly small and squeeze into any gap or hole larger than a dime.

-Mice are also excellent climbers meaning they can enter a home at any point from the ground up.

-Mice are constantly urinating and defecating as they travel. A single mouse can produce 40 to 100 droppings a day. Mice carry a host of germs and diseases that they spread as they travel in search of food. If you have mice in your attic, think of it as a giant litter box above your head

-Mice can cause property damage by chewing through drywall and wires that can then spark an electrical fire.

Common food sources for mice include:

Bird and Garden Seed. Backyard bird feeders are a favourite food source for urban mice. All the seed that falls to the ground below is snapped up and taken back to the nest and that old bag of grass seed inside your garage could be a food source for mice living in or near your home or business.

Pet Food. We often find pet food in inside attics that mice have brought there from other places.

Garbage. All organic waste should be properly secured until and taken to the curb as close to pick up as possible.

Nuts and Seeds. Any fallen seeds and nuts from trees are a mouse favorite.

The dangers mice present

Mice are a serious problem, not only due to the damage they inflict on property, but because they can ruin a restaurant’s food supplies with their feces and urine.

Consumption of rodent-polluted food has been associated with contraction of lymphocytic choriomeningitis, which can cause fevers, muscles aches, fatigue, and nausea. Quickly getting rid of mice at the first sign of detection is the best way to make sure that a building is safe from the threat of various dangerous rodent-transmitted diseases.

Rodent infestations inside restaurants can lead to sanctions from City of Hamilton public health inspectors. This is certainly bad for one’s business and even worse for its reputation. Before things get out of hand, business owners should take initiative and deal with any detected mice problems as soon as they are discovered. The longer you wait, the worse the situation can get.

What to do if your home or business has mice

Aside from keeping your home or business clean, the best way to deal with mice is through exclusion, which requires sealing up all potential entry holes on the outside of the building. You can take a tour around the outside your home or business and inspect all possible entry points. Look for areas where pipes or electrical wires lead into the home. Sometimes they have small gaps or holes that can be sealed up.

It is recommended that you also have a professional pest control company out to do a tour of the home as well, as it often takes a trained eye to find hidden spots and entry holes.

If you locate a mouse infestation, the best course of action is to call your local pest control expert.

If you have mice in Hamilton, call Truly Nolen Pest Control today for a free inspection: 905-548-7679.