Rodent invaders are one of the most common and unwanted house guests in the world. This article will explain the process of getting rid of mice once and for all.

1. Mouse identification

Baits for wild mice are slightly different than those used for common house mice so you should make an effort to figure out which you have. Use the following two lists to determine the origin of your visitors. Wild mice prefer seeds, oats and unprocessed foods while house mice will eat nearly anything. If your rodents are larger than 5-6 inches in length (tail included) it’s likely that they are rats, not mice. If this is the case, read How to get rid of rats.

Common house mouse characteristics:

• Head and feet are proportional to body
• Tail is as long as head and body combined
• Back, feet and belly are all the same color (there are exceptions to this)
• Flat upper incisors (you know, the two mouse-teeth that always stick out in the cartoons)

Common wild mouse characteristics:

• Head and feet are disproportionately large for body (sewer rat)
• Short, hairy tail (meadow mouse)
• White belly and multi-colored tail (deer mouse)
• Grooved upper incisors (harvest mouse)
• Large ears and protruding eyes along with a dark brown back and silver belly (field mouse)

Signs of a mouse infestation include:

• Unexplained holes in walls or food containers. Mice have the ability to gnaw amazingly precise circles.
• Spherical droppings up to 1/4″ long. (Rat droppings range from 1/4″ - 3/4″ long)
• Scampering and rustling noises in the walls and ceilings (Pay attention, this could help identify a nest or point of entry!)
• Dirty smudges and urine dribbles on floors along walls. Mice have poor eyesight and tend to run along the sides of objects instead of charging out into the open.

If you’re still not sure if you’ve got ‘em, sprinkle some talcum powder or flour on surfaces along the walls where you think your infestation is centered and wait a few days. If you have rodents in that area you will see tracks appear in the powder. Mice leave tracks that are approximately 1/2″ wide while rats leave tracks up to 3″ wide.

2. Eliminate the source of the mouse infestation

This section will walk you though the process of determining what attracted the mice into your home in the first place, eliminating the attraction and then eliminating methods of entry into your home.

Remove mouse-friendly food sources

House mice will eat almost any available foods (including pet food) but they prefer nuts and grains. Some varieties of wild mice eat seeds, insects, and fruits. Start your food-search in the kitchen, beginning on one side and scouring every nook and cranny for unprotected food, crumbs, spills and trash. Keep your food elevated if possible, in metal or glass containers. Keep your trash in strong, odor-proof containers with tight-fitting lids. If you have animals, purchase elevated pet food dishes and keep an eye out for spills. If you come across anything you think may have been touched by mice, through it away. Even though it has not yet been proven that mice transmit diseases to humans, they are known carriers of several virii that are very dangerous to us. On top of that, their parasites do transmit diseases to us. Rat parasites are how the Bubonic Plague was believed to have been transmitted.
Work your way through your entire house in this fashion; closets, pantries, dining rooms, bars, living areas, children’s rooms, and anyplace that food is known to go. Take careful note of any areas that appear to have been visited by mice, they will steal insulating materials to build nests so check soft furniture for gnawing damage near the floor.
Next, go outside and search a 50ft radius around your home. Look in exterior storage closets and sheds for pet food, seeds, ripe or rotting fruit, and any organic material that shows signs of feeding. Move compost heaps away from the house. Seal up bags of pet food or sacks of seeds and elevate or store them in metal trash cans. Keep an eye out for bird feeder spills and refrain from leaving easily accessible food supplies for pets and other desirable animals.

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