Mice in Raleigh aren’t special. The mice that will get into your Raleigh property are the same mice that get into properties all across the country. What they do inside your property is also the same. They bring ticks and fleas inside. They contaminate food, dishes, surfaces, and storage areas. They chew holes in building materials, stored items, food packages, as well as wiring and gas lines. It is not good to allow mice to get into your home. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to keep them out. Here’s why.
Mice Are Great Jumpers
Mice are incredible athletes. A mouse can jump as far as 13 inches straight up. This ability to jump allows mice to get to places you wouldn’t expect. If a mouse is motivated, it can use this jumping ability to great advantage.
Mice Are Great Climbers
A mouse would put a mountain climber to shame. It doesn’t take much of an indent or bump for a mouse to get a grip. Some surfaces are so porous or bumpy that a mouse can climb all the way up. You should watch a video of mice climbing bricks walls sometime. It may startle you.
Mice Are Great Squeezers
An adult mouse can fit through a hole the size of a dime. This is because mice are able to rearrange their internal organs as they squeeze through. And mice are prone to get into holes and tight spaces. They like to be squeezed between a rock and a hard place, so to speak. If you have entry points in your exterior, mice will use them to get into your home.
Mice Are Great Chewers
Mice are equipped with strong teeth. With those teeth, they can make short work of the weatherstripping around your exterior doors or the door sweep underneath. They usually do this when they sense heat coming out of a tiny gap or when there is a scent of food within. Mice can also chew through wood. They’re attracted to wood that is rotting, but a little mouse is more than able to chew through a 2×4 that is undamaged by water. They’ll chew through plastic vent covers and plastic ventilation ducts. They’ll chew through eaves and soffits. They can even chew through thin aluminum. But this is rare; they have to have a good reason to make the effort.
Mice Are Plentiful
We have a lot of mice in our area. It is only a matter of time before they start exploring your exterior and exploiting entry points, assuming they haven’t done so already. One of the ways you can prevent a mouse infestation in your home is to make your exterior less inviting to mice. Here are some ways you can do this:
- Remove unnecessary vegetation and make your landscaping less dense. Mice don’t like to be exposed.
- Remove objects that sit near your home. Mice use these for cover. Wood piles are a particularly inviting hiding place.
- Address any conditions that cause standing water near your home. Mice will use these as drinking holes.
- Rake leaves, sticks, wood, and other organic material away from your exterior walls. This reduces bugs (a food source for mice) and moisture (a potential drink).
- Keep trash in sealed containers and keep containers as clean as possible. This reduces the scent of food and keeps mice from getting into your trash.
- Move bird feeders away from your exterior walls. The seeds that fall on the ground are an ideal food source for mice.
The Best Way To Keep Mice Out
There is no better way to protect your health and property from mice than to invest in ongoing pest control services. Routine visits from a licensed pest professional will provide your exterior with essential maintenance and targeted treatments to reduce pest activity. Together, these work to reduce bugs that mice will feed on and alter conditions that may attract mice. Your technician will also keep you informed of rodent activity and offer solutions if mice or rats become a problem. It pays to have routine visits from a knowledgeable pest professional.
If you live in Raleigh, reach out to us today. The team here at Innovative Pest Solutions looks forward to helping you protect your health and property from mice and other pest threats.
