Mice survive and thrive by being stealthy. When they are outdoors, stealth allows them to avoid predators, and when they are indoors, they use stealth to go unnoticed as they grow their infestation. They do leave signs of their presence however, and you can use some unconventional methods to detect an infestation.
Sound
You wouldn’t think it by looking at them, but mice can be noisy animals. However, you will probably not hear them squeaking around during the middle of the day, partly because the mice are asleep and partly because of all the other background noise. At night on the other hand, when it’s very quiet and the mice are more active, you might be able to hear the mice squeak and travel through the walls.
Smell
Mice will defecate and urinate all over the place. As they grow in number, their unsanitary habits lead to a specific odor of ammonia in the home. So if you have mice that are particularly stealthy, eventually you will have this smell to tip you off, and then you can start the ball rolling on the removal process.
The usual signs
Some of the more common signs used to detect a mouse infestation are droppings, gnaw marks and trails. Droppings are easy to spot in areas that are used by mice often. You might find them behind furniture and appliances, or inside of a drawer. They may also be located in the basement or attic.
Mice will also gnaw on objects and surfaces throughout the home. You may start to see these marks on your furniture, or on the baseboards. As they travel around, mice will also leave trails on the walls and floors that they touch repeatedly.
Removing a mouse infestation
In order to get rid of the mice once you’ve detected them, you will likely need the help of a pro. Removing an infestation completely requires experience and sometimes specialized equipment, which is why DIY efforts will mostly fail.
This is why it’s best to work with a pest control company when you want to remove a mouse infestation. Professional mouse control services will ensure that all the mice in the home are removed and that the odds of reinfestation stay low.
Contact us today for more information about how to detect a mouse infestation, or if you have a mouse infestation in your home.