Imagine trying to fall asleep at night. There’s a sound coming from the corner of the room. You look, but there’s nothing there. You turn over, attempting to close your eyes again, but there it is again — louder this time. You get up, searching for the source of the noise. Nothing. But before you can lay down again, the noise, a scratching sound, can be heard in the walls. You shake your head, realizing you have mice in your Nassau County home, and knowing you will need to call the pest control experts at Parkway Pest Services in the morning.
About House Mice
A mouse is a rodent that can grow from 5 1/2 to 7 inches in size, with a round body shape. Some people consider these pests to be cute and fuzzy, with very large ears, tiny dark eyes, and fur ranging in color from brown to grayish-black.
They tend to be found living and nesting inside homes, venturing forth when looking for food, water, and sometimes shelter. They prefer dark, secluded areas where they won’t be disturbed and look for plenty of nesting material in the form of paper, fabric, insulation, packing materials, and cotton.
Mice are so small that they can fit through the tiniest of holes and have been known to chew through wood, plastic, and drywall.
Can Mice Be Dangerous?
Mice are dangerous, as they pose some serious health threats. They can contaminate food and have been implicated in the spread of salmonella through their feces. Some of the diseases mice spread include hantavirus, leptospirosis, and even rat-bite fever, though this tends to be an uncommon occurrence.
Allergies and asthma occurring in adults and children of a mouse-infested home are more common. Microdroplets of urine and feces carry bacteria, and when they are inhaled, they can cause a severe flare-up of both. It’s also normal to have these pests bring fleas, mites, ticks, and lice into the home, leading to a more serious pest problem.
How To Prevent Mice From Entering Your Home
- Introduce deterrents like cats, mouse repellants (mint, bay leaves, mothballs), and traps.
- Thoroughly clean your home, remove clutter, and wash floors.
- Keep food in containers, use a trash can lid, and clean spills right away.
- Seal your house by keeping doors closed, using window sealant, having the foundation inspected, and sealing cables, drain outlets, vents, and chimneys.
How Do You Tell If You Have A Mouse Infestation In Nassau County?
Mouse droppings are the most common way to determine if you have a mouse infestation. If you see mouse droppings, this more than likely means you have unwanted guests. Droppings are easy to spot because these small black fecal pellets are left wherever mice go. Another clue to having mice in your home is when you see chew marks on food items, cardboard, fabrics, or even soap.
Mice are nocturnal and tend to be busiest at night, so you might actually see a mouse darting from one hiding place to another as they search for food. Even though it’s rare, you could catch a glimpse of these pests during the day, darting behind a piece of furniture or along the baseboards of your home.
How To Rid Mice From Your Home
The first thing you need to know is that it’s not recommended to go it alone. You don’t want to try to rid yourself of a mouse infestation yourself by using traps. You’re unlikely to catch all the mice this way. As for using poisons? Not only is this unsafe for children and pets, but if a mouse ingests the toxin, it might die in your walls, presenting a whole new problem to deal with.
The safest thing to do is call the rodent control professionals at Parkway Pest Services and allow us to eliminate the rodents. Not only are we a Green Shield Certified company, but Parkway also understands that time can be of the essence if you see a mouse in your house in Nassau County, so we offer same-day and emergency services.