No one wants to learn they have a mice infestation in their home. These rodents not only cause severe damage to houses but also carry health risks. Leptospirosis, Rickettsialpox, and Hantavirus are just a few examples.
Below, we’ll discuss the damage mice cause in McKinney homes. The sooner you recognize this damage, the sooner you can get rid of these pests.
Mice Identification
The common house mouse is identifiable by its small body, pointed snout, and grey-brown fur. Mice have long tails, large ears, and big, black eyes. They are also nocturnal creatures who are very active at night.
Mice Diet
A mouse in the wild is omnivorous by nature. Mice will eat anything from seeds and plants to insects like caterpillars and roaches. However, when a mouse lives around people, it eats anything it can find. Mice will snack on any food they find in your home, from trash to pantry items and dog food. Mice also like to chew. They gnaw on various household items like soap, books, cardboard, wiring, paper, and more.
More About Mice
Mice multiply at an alarming rate. Male mice mate with several females at once, and females can reproduce immediately after giving birth. Since the gestation of a mouse is only 21 days, they produce a lot of babies very quickly.
A lot of the damage you see from mice comes from gnawing and chewing. Mice have to chew continuously because their teeth never stop growing. Gnawing keeps them at a functional size.
Damage Mice Cause in Your McKinney Home
Let’s talk about the damage mice cause in homes. These animals may be tiny, but they are considered pests for several good reasons.
Contamination
Did you know that at least 20 percent of the world’s food is eaten or contaminated by rats and mice each year? Contamination is a huge problem when it comes to mice. These rodents are infamous disease and parasite carriers. Anything they contact can quickly become contaminated.
Health Risks
Many people write house mice off as simply being dirty. The truth is that they can pose serious health risks through the parasites and diseases they often carry.
A few of these include:
- Hantavirus
- Leptospirosis
- Ringworm
- Salmonellosis
- Rat Bite Fever
- Tapeworms
Mice also leave droppings and urine that can trigger asthma and other respiratory diseases in some people.
Landscape Damage
Because mice are often chewing or eating, your landscaping is up for grabs amid an infestation. Mice eat any fruit or vegetables they can find, including ones in your garden. They will also gnaw on tree bark and other wooded plants and objects in your yard. Additionally, mouse feces makes crops like fruits and vegetables unsafe to eat.
Structural Damage
Perhaps the most obvious signs of mice damage in homes come in the form of structural damage.
Mice like to stay out of sight, so they often live in your walls, attics, and basements. They build nests out of any soft materials they can find and are happy to chew on wooden beams, insulation, baseboards, and furniture.
Mice also chew on wires, which causes electrical outages and increases your home’s risk of fire. They can ruin large appliances and leave dangerous, exposed wires in places you can’t see them. Because mice chew on almost anything, there’s are innumerable items they can ruin, including antiques and paperwork.
Mice Control & Prevention McKinney TX
An uncontrolled invasion of mice in a McKinney home will only grow and get more severe. Not only do mice leave droppings, urine, and gnaw marks everywhere, but they also leave scent trails that attract more mice. Their nesting also means that they are breeding and multiplying.
While DIY methods are popular, they often fail. When it comes to mice control and prevention in McKinney, TX, it’s best to leave it to professional pest control technicians.
Getting Rid of Mice? Call the Experts!
Once you know all of the health risks and home damages that accompany a mice infestation, it can be alarming to find mice in your McKinney home.
Don’t wait until things get severe before calling for help. Our experts at Stampede offer guaranteed, dependable, and prompt pest control services. Call us to handle your mouse problem right away!