While math has not always been my favorite subject, I’ve become pretty good at what we call around The Bug Man office Mouse Math. It’s a real thing — swear! And around these parts, knowledge is power. Let me drop some knowledge on you about mice.
The house mouse is BUSY! The mouse has become the most effective mammalian invasive species in the world. While they are not indigenous of North America they have pretty much made themselves a household pest round these parts. Their achievement may be led for their capabilities in the reproductive department. Which, in contrast to other mammals is RAPID. Are you ready for this? Approximately 6 mice may grow into over 60 mice in a few, short months. Mice achieve sexual maturity at about a month old. So, it’s clear to see that a mouse population inside a house can grow-out-of-hand FAST! The common house mouse, no matter how cute people think they may be (I am not one of those people), can have a devastating effect on your house as a pest in a surprisingly short amount of time. Often, a do it yourself treatment can only lead to more problems. This is the time when you call in a professional. Rodents are very smart and will quickly become aware of something new in their environment. This is why do it yourself treatment is not as successful as a trained professional handling the job. Our highly trained team knows where to place traps based off rub marks rodents leave behind as well as how and with what to bait the traps with. We are also able to identify the type of rodent by their droppings to determine the best method of treatment based of their food preferences.
The Facts
Just one female mouse produces between 5-10 litters a year. Each litter consist of 5-6 babies which can breed at approximately 30 days of age. Their gestation period is approximately 20 days, so mice create a great number of young, but possess a substantial mortality rate. Even so, breeding can occur throughout the year and thus if a pair of mice enter your home they can produce hundreds of mice in just one year. The lifespan of the house mouse is about 1 year. During that time, they will stay in their nests which are inside wall voids and insulation.
They will follow the trails they create towards food and water and will only rarely be visible. If you see a rodent out and about in your home, that generally means it has been there awhile and is comfortable enough in the environment to venture out of his normal path. Mice choose to live in places where they can find both a good supply of food as well as a place where they have access to moisture or water. Plumbing lines are a great place to inspect for a rodent infestation due to the constant condensation water supply. Left over pet food, other food scraps and waste bin bags act like magnets for these pesky critters. And due to their prolific reproductive abilities, if one female mouse moves into your house, then it means that within four short months you could have over two hundred mice making a mess of your house. YEP!
And also keep in mind that they are active year-round. The incredible birth-rate is kept in check normally by their natural predators in the outdoors. Predators like owls, hawks, cats along with harsh winter and summer conditions can help keep the rodent population in check. Indoors, however, is a totally different story. Once mice find their way indoors they have access to shelter, water and food. They will slowly make their way from one room to another while creating tunnels inside insulation and behind walls and drywall. Rodents also leave behind a urine trail almost the entire time they are moving. They use this to follow the same path to and from their food source. While this image is DISGUSTING to think about, it is also a great way for trained professionals to find the rodents daily route by using specialized equipment to show urination stains in a property.
The house mouse is not just a threat to your pantry either. The house mouse carries pathogens and can transmit deadly diseases like typhus and the bubonic plague. House mice can also be particularly devastating for your linen, furniture and other home furnishings because the house mouse is known for gnawing and burrowing and not even walls are safe from their ferocious teeth. Knowing how prolifically these pests reproduce should make you realize that it can be devastating to ignore one little house mouse, because that mouse could multiply in no time and at all and before you know it, you could have a devastating infestation on your hands.
Keep Out
The best way to not have to deal with mice is to not let them get in in the first place. Limiting their food and water sources will slow down their multiplication rate. But if they are in already, then the second-best way is to get rid of them in rates faster than their reproduction. Mouse traps work, but to get rid of a problem you will need many. By many we mean dozens. You will need to check them daily, empty the dead ones or if you use live catch the live ones and reset the traps. The best way to deal with a mouse population, however, is to hire a pro. We not only provide a rodent program to eliminate any issue, big or small in your home, but we can also provide exclusion work to the entry points to prevent future fury friends. The Bug Man is trained at this sort of thing. We are licensed exterminators and have access to tools and products that the general public does not.
Very potent rodenticide that will stop rodents in their tracks. If you think that you may have a pest issue and Mouse Math is not your thing, I know a guy! The Bug Man offers some of the most comprehensive treatment options in the region. Give us a call to make an appointment for a trained technician to visit your home. For more information, please call 923.BUGS or visit our website and request an estimate. We offer worry free pest control solutions, so you can rest easy knowing that your family, pets, home, and property are in good hands. We hope you enjoyed reading our blog. Until Next time! Remember, if you suspect you are having an issue, call The Bug Man and keep your peace of mind intact. You’ve got our Bug Man Guarantee! Thanks for checking out our blog.
See you soon!!!
* The Bug Lady, Layne Salvant