Mice are common house guests. In fact, they are one of the most common home-invading pests in the world. When they get in, they present many issues. They spread harmful bacteria and parasitic worms. They leave urine and feces everywhere. They chew holes in stored furniture and damage items stored in boxes. And they don't come in alone.
Mice carry fleas and ticks into Mooresville homes. One mouse can have as many as a hundred seed ticks on its body. If all of this isn't bad enough, one little mouse can burn your home to the ground. Rodents are known to chew on wires and gas lines. This can lead to a house fire. We don't need to tell you how bad that can be. That is why it is important to understand the topic we are presenting today. Why is it so hard to keep mice out of your Mooresville home? Here's what you need to know.
Motivation
If we look at the heart of the matter, it comes right down to motivation. Mice, particularly house mice, desire to be in your home. When a house mouse explores your exterior, it may already know that your home is where it wants to live. It could have come from your neighbor's home or from a business down the street. If it has tasted the good life, you'll have a hard time convincing it to live in a hole in the ground. House mice have grown so accustomed to living off the benefits of humans that there are currently no known population of this species living in the wild.
Ability
Motivation is not enough on its own. A mouse has to have the ability to get into your home. Unfortunately, it does. In spades.
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Mice can scale most walls like Spiderman. All a little mouse needs is tiny imperfections or small bumps. If it can get a grip, it can climb to many places on your exterior walls or even scale your exterior and get up onto your roof where there are many vulnerabilities. If there is no suitable surface to climb on, mice can work their way up the downspouts on your gutters. We recommend putting wire mesh in your downspouts to prevent this.
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Mice can jump a foot in the air. This allows them to gain access to places you would never expect. As you inspect your exterior, be aware that a gap or crack that seems inaccessible may be vulnerable to mice.
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An adult mouse can squeeze through a hole the size of a dime. If you have a gap around a pipe, a crack in your foundation, or a missing door sweep, a mouse can squeeze into your home in a matter of seconds.
Equipment
Mice are rodents, and rodents are equipped with strong teeth that are able to chew through wood timbers, weatherstripping, door sweeps, sheetrock, baseboards, and other building materials. If a mouse can't find a tiny, dime-sized hole to squeeze its way into your home, it has the ability to make one. Worse, a mouse is inclined to make holes. The incisors of a mouse never stop growing. They have to chew on things to file their teeth down. Together, these add up to big trouble if mice start exploring your exterior.
How Can You Possibly Keep Mice Out?
The secret to keeping mice out of your Mooresville home is to reduce the number of mice around your exterior. There are several ways you can do this.
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Remove objects that sit next to your home. Mice hide in these.
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Trim vegetation, remove weeds, and create open landscaping. This makes it more difficult for timid mice to explore.
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Address any conditions that create standing water. Mice need water more than they need food.
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Keep bagged trash in covered containers and keep your trash containers clean. This will reduce smells that attract mice.
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Bird seed is an amazing attractant. Remove bird feeders or move them away from your exterior to prevent seeds from littering the ground near your home.
When you remove attractants and seal openings in your exterior, you can keep mice out. But in some circumstances, this isn't enough. If more is needed, or you have a mouse infestation already, contact Lake Norman Pest Control for assistance. We provide rodent control services in Mooresville and the surrounding area. We can solve your mouse problem.
