House
Mouse
(
Mus musculus )
The
house mouse originally from Asia, spread through Europe and was introduced to North America by the
early settlers as they traveled here by ship. The name rodent comes from the Greek word rodentsha, to gnaw. Mice do not only
damage materials by gnawing, but eat and contaminate large amounts of stored foods and grains. Mice are also responsible for
cases of salmonella, a cause of food poisoning contracted from droppings, which makes their presence a human health concern.
Tapeworms are another transmittable organism transmitted through droppings. The house mouse lives outside in fields and pastures,
but as the name implies, likes living in homes and buildings where people live. An adult mouse is grayish-brown on top, and
light gray or cream on belly. These colors can vary depending on area, location and living habits. A house mouse
weighs 1/2 to 1oz (12 to 30 grams), body length is 2 ½-3 ½”, tail 2 ¾-4”. The house
mouse has large ears that stick out from head, a pointy nose, small eyes, and a upright tail that is longer then the body.
The droppings of a house mouse are 1/8 to 1/4 inch long and pointy. Each mouse produces 40 to 100 droppings and
3000 micro drops of urine daily. The urine protein of a mouse can trigger of asthma in people and last for up to two
weeks.
Life Cycle
The gestation period for a house mouse is 18-21 days. Mice are born
blind and hairless. Sexual maturity is reached in 35 days. The female will average 8 litters per year,
each litter averaging 5 to 8 pups. 24-48 hours after giving birth the female again is in heat.
Habitat
The house mouse is very social and lives in groups or colonies, much
like people. The mouse is a commensal rodent, living at mans expense without contributing to the relationship.
Mice live in territories marked by urine that can vary from 5 to 25 feet depending on available food and shelter. They
will show aggression to strange mice that enter that territory. Nests are made of shredded paper, string, cloth, and insulation
in wall voids, attics, under cabinets, in furniture, closets, etc. A mouse consumes 3 to 4 grams of food each day and can
generally get enough water out of the food to survive if no water is present. Mice tend to come out of hiding when all activity
quiets down. Mice have poor eye site (the three blind mice) and are color blind, but will memorize their
territory so getting around is easy. They are excellent climbers and will use rope, telephone and computer wires to travel.
Mice can jump up 12 inches and jump down 6 to 8 feet without injury. Mice also like investigating and exploring
for opportunity anything new that is placed in their territory.
Inspection
Inspecting for mice starts with a good flashlight. Signs of mice include
droppings, urine stains, rub marks, knaw marks, damaged products, and nesting material. Inspect under cabinets, behind refrigerator,
inside closets, attic spaces, drop ceilings, crawl spaces, and foundation ledges. Checking around
the outside of a dwelling is also very important. A mouse needs only
¼ inch of space to enter a structure. A garage door not sealed properly is a very common access way for mice to enter
a home. Cable and air conditioning lines are sometimes not sealed after installation is complete. Broken windows and general
bad property conditions can be all that a mouse needs to enter their new environment.
Sanitation
Sanitation is always a major part of pest elimination. The less food
available to the mouse, the more likely they are to consume your baits, and hit your traps.
The outside of a dwelling is where a problem begins. Garbage that is not kept in sealed disposal containers is the
beginning to a rodent problem. Dog food left out daily will attract mice and rats as they
hoard the food while the dog is asleep. Bird feeders that spill over will make any mouse smile. Any debris, wood piles,
compost piles, high grass around property all create harborage for mice. Once the mouse is living on your property, curiosity
and opportunity will lead them inside.
