Let's Talk About House Mouse Control In Houston

There are many misconceptions about rats and mice. For example, it is a common misconception that these two kinds of rodents are so similar that they can mate with each other and reproduce. But rats aren't able to mate with mice. You also won't find them living in the same area together. You'll have rats or mice infesting your Houston home, not both. Misconceptions like these can create confusion if you're trying to keep mice out of your home or arrest a mouse infestation. Join us as we examine a few facts every Houston resident should know about mice. We'll also give you tips to help you get rid of mice naturally and keep them away from your home. If you want to speak with a professional about mouse control, remember that you can reach out to us for immediate assistance. All-Safe Pest & Termite may specialize in termite control, but our technicians have the training and experience to provide exceptional mouse pest control in Houston. Do you have mouse questions? We have mouse answers.

How Mice And Rats Differ In Appearance

When you see a rodent waddle along your exterior wall and disappear beneath the vegetation in your landscaping, you may only get a short glimpse of your rodent pest. You'll also likely see the rodent at dusk because rats and mice prefer nocturnal behavior. If you glimpse a rodent, look for these visual characteristics.

• Mice are tiny rodents. The body of a typical adult mouse is 2 ½ to 3 ¾ inches long. Rats are much larger than this. A roof rat is 6 to 8 inches long and Norway rats are slightly larger than that.
• Mice and rats have tails that are about as long as their bodies. The difference between mice and rats is that the tail of a rat is thick.
• The ears of a mouse are larger and perkier than the ears of a rat. If you don't clearly see the ears, it is likely a rat.
• Mice are usually gray because the most common mouse pest by far is the house mouse. You may also see deer mice, which have a tawny coloration, like that of a deer. Roof rats are black, and Norway rats are brown.

It is rare to see a rat or mouse, so it is helpful to know a couple of ways to tell which of these rodents you're dealing with on your Houston property when you don't see them. Search for rodent droppings. The droppings left by a mouse are just about the size of a grain of rice, or a little smaller. Rat droppings are twice the size of mouse droppings. As you look for droppings, check for holes. Rats will create holes that are larger than a quarter. A little mouse only needs a hole the size of a nickel and can fit through a gap the size of a dime.   

Can Mice Make You Sick Without Touching Them?

When you find evidence of a mouse infestation, there is another misconception you need to dispel. Mice don't need to touch you to make you sick. They also don't need to get into your food to make you sick. When mice climb on counters or cross over dishes in your cabinets, they can deposit microorganisms that can make you sick. We won't spend much time on this topic today, but it is important to understand the dangers of having mice in your home. Not only can they make you sick, it is not good to have mice chewing wires in your walls. This can lead to a house fire. At the first sign of a mouse infestation, contact a pest control service provider. If you're in Houston, let All-Safe Pest & Termite help. We use field-tested methods and industry-leading solutions.   

Factors That Attract Mice To Your Home

Before mice find their way into your home, you have options. If they're exploring your exterior walls, you may convince them to go away. You can also take steps to make it hard for them to get into your home. Here are our best tips for applying natural mice deterrents. 

Remove Ground Clutter: Mice use objects on the ground to navigate. If you remove ground objects, you make it difficult for mice to move about in your yard.

• Pick up dead branches, leaves, and other organic matter.
• Store wood on an elevated platform.
• Pick up toys.
• Store lawn furniture that isn't needed.

Address Smells: Mice have an incredible sense of smell. They can pick up the scent of decaying matter from a distance.

• Keep your trash receptacles covered.
• Clean your receptacles if they start to have an odor.
• Get your trash to the curb weekly. 

Remove Ideal Food Options: If you grew up watching cartoon mice eat cheese, you may have a misunderstanding about what mice eat. They actually prefer seeds and nuts.

• Rake nuts up underneath trees that produce them.
• Refrain from feeding peanuts to the squirrels, even if you bring the nuts in at night. Squirrels bury nuts in your yard and mice can find them.
• Move bird feeders well away from your exterior walls or remove them altogether.
• Keep in mind that mice eat grass seed. Take extra measures to exclude mice from your home when planting grass seed in your lawn. 

Seal Openings: A mouse can fit through a very small hole, and it is equipped with teeth that can make tiny holes large enough to fit through. Not only are mice capable to fit through small entry points, they're attracted to tight spaces. It is best to get rid of potential entry points so that you aren't accidentally putting out the welcome mat for mice.

• Replace rotted wood or fill in rotted wood holes with expanding foam.
• Seal the gaps around your water main and other plumbing that penetrates your foundation wall.
• Repair rips in your door and window screens or install new screens.
• Pull old weatherstripping out and insert new strips that create a complete seal.
• Install door sweeps on exterior doors that don't have them.  

Block Routes: A mouse can scale a tree and climb up the side of most homes. It can work its way up a pipe or the inside of a downspout. It can leap several feet from a tree branch and move its body to avoid terminal velocity and survive falls from extreme heights. It can run across power lines. Consider blocking these routes. 

• Trim branches on trees that are within five feet of your home.
• If you're unable to trim branches, consider installing metal flashing around the trunks of trees that are within five feet of your home. Mice can't get a foothold on sheet metal.
• Install guards on pipes to stop mice from climbing them like a ladder.
• Insert something in your downspouts that is porous. Doing so will allow the water to run out but prevent mice from running up.

If you have the skills, energy, and time, these tips can help you deal with mice on your property. When more control is needed, or you're not able to apply these methods, contact All-Safe Pest & Termite for exterior rodent control. We use tamper-resistant bait stations to help with reducing mouse populations. 

How Do I Get Rid Of Mice In My Home For Good?

Mice are frustrating pests to remove. They are skilled at avoiding traps and can live inside a home quietly after mouse traps are applied. If this happens, they can continue to impact your health and present a danger to your property without you knowing it. The best solution is to let a trained pest control technician systematically apply control and monitoring methods to remove mice and make sure no mice remain. Once they're gone, you can keep them out of your home for good by getting an ongoing pest control service plan. Routine visits from a technician will provide many benefits. Your technician will perform inspections to identify potential entry points, routes, warning signs, conducive conditions, and other factors that can lead to a mouse infestation. When warning signs are seen, your technician can quickly get to work addressing your mouse problem before those little critters are able to accidentally cause harm. Along with mouse control, your pest control plan will include other forms of pest protection. Mice are far from the only pests we have in our Houston service area. Pests can carry viruses and diseases and spread disease-causing organisms. Pests can bites and sting. Pests can chew holes in your stuff. Some pests cause considerable damage over time and can literally eat you out of house and home. Get protection from all of Houston's pests. Contact All-Safe Pest & Termite and request a service visit. We'll take a look at the conditions in and around your home, listen to your pest concerns, and guide you toward an effective and sustainable solution. You don't have to let mice, bugs, and stinging insects have free reign on your property and in your home. Get your protection in place today.