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How do I know if I have mice and what can I do to get rid of them - Tips from a pest control qualified

By: robert jeffries

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The major key to successful control of any pest is early discovery of that influx. If an plague of mice is detected then control is far easier than it would be in the latter stages.

If one single pregnant female mouse gained access to your property and was left concealed, in one single year that female mouse would be responsible for 3500 offspring!
Therefore early discovery is paramount and this coupled with effective use of rodenticides and traps will ensure the plague does not become deep seated into your property.

The house mouse originated in Central Asia and was reportedly found in the UK as early as the 9th Century.
They very are harmful, as they need to constantly gnaw to stop their teeth from growing. They also can carry germs such as tb so that is a good explanation for killing these pests.

One of the first clues you will see are their droppings or poo. Each mouse will generate up to 80 droppings a day. These are black in colour and about the same size as a grain of rice. The mouse will disperse these around as they move so it is likely that you will start to see one or two of these droppings around the place early on.

An additional sign is the appearance of a 'smear mark' . This is a black grease mark which is made from the natural grease off the rodents fur. The smear mark is caused by the mouse using the same trail each spell it goes out to hunt for food and the layer of grease builds up over a short period of time. This is also a good clue of where the mice are running. This smear mark can be around the skirting of wall floor junctions or over pipework that is generally used by the mouse.

You may also start to see the build up of urine trails. A normal myth is that mice are incontinent - They are not! Mice constantly urinate as they move to mark out territory and food trails. This urine builds up over time to for a yellow trail which smells.

The house mouse is brown or grey in colour with a lighter underside and their tail is ¾ the length of its body. Mice reach sexual maturity after 6 weeks and they can next reproduce at an alarming rate. Every 6 weeks a mouse can give birth to a litter, which can consist of up to 14 young.

In the wild their average life expectancy is around 12 months but they can continue to exist for much longer periods in your house as they have all they need in terms of warmth, shelter and food. Each mouse needs to consume only 3g of food per day to live. This is equivalent to just a few crumbs!

Now you have established that it is mice, after that comes the control. First estimate the size of the population by the number of droppings. This will give a good indication of the extent of the problem.

In domestic properties the usual entry points are under doors and through gaps around pipe work under sink units. An adult mouse is capable of entering through a gap of around 6mm. This is the same as the end of a pen! Check all doors and incoming pipe succeed for gaps greater than 6mm. Fit a brush strip to the outside edge of doors with gaps. Close any hole you find with a coarse grade wire wool. Do not use expanding foam to block hole as mice can without difficulty chew through this.

1. Use poisons in safe locations away from children and animals. Pre baited mouse station are ideal in a domestic property as they offer a potent poison in a tamper resistant box. You can also use cut wheat bait or paste formulations, which can be placed in secure bait points.

2. If you do not want to use poisons, after that use a multicatch metal reside catch traps or snap traps. Place a broken chocolate biscuit in the trap to increase its effectiveness. These traps can be reused and have proven effective over several years. If using snap traps, place them at right angles to the wall floor junction.

3. For real chemical free control of your problem, use an Ultrasonic Deterrent.

A recipe of all three methods of control will give the best results.

Article Source: http://depositarticles.com/

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