Mice are such a part of our everyday lives that we sometimes underestimate how dangerous they can be. It doesn’t take a filthy home to attract mice; all they need is a way in and a reason to stay. Perhaps you’ve done your best to try and get rid of mice on your own, but they keep coming back. This could be happening for a few different reasons. Keep reading to learn more about the dangers of mice in homes, why it is so hard to keep mice away from houses, and how to get rid of mice for good.
The Dangers And Damage Mice Create In Homes
One of the most common home invaders is the house mouse. While it’s one of the least threatening in terms of rodents you can have in your home, it still poses significant health and safety threats.
House mice may carry fewer and less threatening diseases than other common rodents, but they are still potentially life-threatening when contracted. Common diseases house mice are known to transmit include lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCM) and salmonellosis.
LCM causes a neurological disease that commonly results in fever, muscle aches, and nausea. It is spread through contact with the urine, feces, saliva, or blood of mice. In some cases, it can lead to meningitis, encephalitis, or meningoencephalitis. In rare instances, this can lead to paralysis.
Another commonly transmitted bacteria is salmonella which, when transmitted, results in salmonellosis. Many people equate salmonella with a quick and easy case of food poisoning. While salmonella is commonly transmitted through food, it can also be spread by mice. This infection actually results in around 26,500 hospitalizations and 420 deaths every year.
With each of these diseases, infants, the elderly, and immunocompromised people are particularly vulnerable to complications and infection. Mice can also worsen allergies and asthma, particularly in these same vulnerable populations.
Why Mice In Are So Hard To Keep Out
The house mouse is small at only 3¾ of an inch. They can fit through holes the size of a dime around your home or the width of a pinky. Holes that small often go unnoticed, especially around pipes entering your home. Even a door that’s not properly fitted can let in a mouse.
Another reason mice are hard to keep out is that they can make formerly too-small holes large enough through chewing, especially through wood or even aluminum mesh window and door screens.
Keeping mice out is one problem, but getting mice away is another issue entirely. Once mice get indoors, if they find enough reason to stay through food, water, and shelter, it will be rather difficult to evict them. To get mice out of your home, thorough sanitization will also be necessary. While mice aren’t necessarily more attracted to filthy homes, having crumbs, spills, and food laying around is a great reason for them to stick around.
Another reason you may be having issues with keeping mice away is because of mice ignoring traps. This is a common issue with home pest control. Not only are mice smart creatures unlikely to be fooled often by the same traps, but they won’t be enticed by a trap that’s caught mice previously due to their sensitive noses. Techniques like this won’t be effective in the long run, not just because mice learn, but because mice populations can be quite large, and they reproduce quickly. Handling an entire infestation with store-bought traps isn’t only unlikely, it’s also probably going to make your pest problem worse.
How To Get Rid Of Mice In Your Home For Good
If you’ve got mice that you can’t get rid of because of mice ignoring traps, or it seems like they keep coming back again and again, there’s a root issue attracting them to your home that needs to be addressed above all else. Whether it’s home maintenance issues like holes, window screens, or an overgrown lawn, or it’s a sanitization issue, if the root cause isn’t dealt with, the mice won’t be either. We can help you rid your Fuquay-Varina home of mice.
To get rid of mice in your home permanently, you can trust Innovative Pest Solutions. We offer multiple service plans to suit your needs, but no matter which plan you choose, Innovative Pest Solutions will guarantee a pest-free home now and in the future. We want to help you fortify your home against pests so that having pest control is insurance against pests, not a weapon to be used to beat back waves of pests over and over again. Call Innovative Pest Solutions today for a free estimate.
