The house mouse is the most commonly encountered and economically important of the commensal rodents, the Norway and Roof (Black) rats being the other two. House mice are not only a nuisance, they damage/destroy materials by gnawing, and eat and contaminate stored food. They are also of human health importance as disease carriers or vectors. The most common way mice transmit disease organisms is by contaminating food with their droppings and/or urine. Rats can also introduce disease-carrying parasites such as fleas, lice and ticks into your home. Each rodent can contaminate 10 times more food than it eats.

The most threatening organism spread by mice is salmonella, a cause of food poisoning, spread via droppings. Other transmittable organisms include tapeworms via droppings, rat-bite fever via bites, infectious jaundice/letospirosis/Weil’s Disease via urine in food or water, a fungus disease (Favus) of the scalp either by direct contact or indirectly via cats, plague and murine typhus via fleas, Rickettsial pox via the mite Liponyssoides sanguineus (Hirst), lymphocytic choriomeningitis via droppings, and possibly polio. Another problem is house mite dermatitis which is caused by these mites when they feed on humans.

HOUSE MOUSE

• Appearance: Small and slender, three to four inches long, with large ears, small eyes and pointed nose; light brown or light gray; droppings are rod shaped.
• Habits: Nest within structures and burrow; establish a “territory” near food sources, generally 10 to 30 feet from nest; inquisitive, but very wary; excellent climbers.
• Diet: Omnivourous, prefer cereal grains
• Reproduction: Prolific breeders at 2 months. Pregnancy lasts an average of 19 days.
• The average litter size is 6, with about 8 litters per year, averaging 30-35 weaned females per year. Therefore, a female can have a new litter about once every 40-50 days.
• More than 1 litter may be present in the nest at one time. Life expectancy is normally less than 1 year, but mice have been known to live as long as 6 years.

Other Information: Feed 15 to 20 times per day; can squeeze through a home 1/4 inch wide; carry many serious diseases.

There are 4 basic steps in eliminating a rodent population. These are

1) Inspection
2) Sanitation
3) Exclusion
4) Population Reduction.

In order for a rodent control program to be successful on a long term basis, all four basic steps should be implemented.

Effective rodent control requires good customer cooperation. Proper storage of possible rodent food, removal of grass, weeds, etc. and taking care of rubbish, lumber piles or old equipment are just a few examples of good sanitation. Pet foods and wild bird seed are tasty meals for rodents. If rats have easy access to an abundance of dog food (especially at night when feeding time is heaviest), they are less likely to be attracted to rodenticides or baited traps.

At EXPEST EXTERMINATING, we offer a FREE inspection. Our skilled technicians know the signs to look for and the most effective treatment for your individual needs