Mice & Rats
Appearance:
Two types of mice are common in
Colorado. The house mouse is a smaller rodent that has a
slightly pointed nose; small, black, somewhat protruding eyes;
larger ears; and a nearly hairless. They are generally greyish
brown with a gray or buff belly. The deer mouse has white feet,
usually white undersides, and brownish upper surfaces. Their
tails are relatively long, sometimes as long as the head and
body. Their tails are also sharply bi-colored. In comparison to
house mice, Deer mice have larger eyes and ears.
Concerns:
Having rodents in your home can be
a potential health risk. Hanta virus from deer mice can
sometimes be contracted when the dust from cleaning droppings,
urine and nests is stirred up and breathed in.
Habits:
Mice are commensal, that is, they
share space with humans and partially depend upon us to survive,
so that loaf of bread on the counter you forgot to close? Well,
mice love a free meal! When running with a mouth full of freshly
acquired food, a mouse will sometimes stop at another food
source & drop what he's already got & pick up the new food. Mice
gather nesting materials from various sources, creating a nest
for the "pinkies". The reproductive cycle is prolific, with
litters ranging from 4-8, and gestation periods of about 30
days.
Control:
Inspecting the home to see if we
can find areas where mice & other pests may be entering is
probably the most important part of the entire service. Small
areas will be sealed with Stuff-It, which is a steel wool like
substance, but is made of copper and designed to stay tight and
not rust in the area it is installed. Recommendations will be
made for larger entry points. Also on the exterior of the
structure, a small amount of rodenticide bait is placed to
reduce the general exterior rodent pressures. The bait is placed
in heavy duty tamper resistant bait boxes, which prevent
children and pets from reaching the materials inside. The
technician may make recommendations for structural repairs that
may need to be done to more permanently keep the rodents out.
Professional grade snap traps are used inside to capture and
remove any mice inside.
Rodent-proof construction is the best and most permanent method
of preventing rodents from entering homes, cabins, or other
structures. No openings larger than 1/4 inch (0.6 cm) should be
left unmodified. Mice will gnaw to enlarge such openings so they
can gain entry.
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