Mice are woodland creatures. Though they tend to prefer forested areas, they’ll take up residence inside man-made structures for easy access to safe shelter, warmth, and food. As a homeowner, it’s important for you to get informed about mouse season in order to protect your home from these small but dangerous pests.
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Here’s what you need to know about mouse season.
When Is Mouse Season?
The mouse mating season typically starts in the early summer and ends in the late fall. This would be known as the “mouse season.” However, it’s important to note that indoor mice will breed all year round.
Mice breed quickly—giving birth after only a short gestation period of approximately 20 days and producing an average of five to six babies per litter. Mice can produce up 12 litters per year. As a result, you could say that there’s no such thing as mouse season. They’re pests that will live in your home and breed all year long.
Common Mice Found in Homes
In North America, the two most common species of mice you’ll find in your home during an infestation are house mice and the deer mice.
The house mouse is characterized by its brown or grey appearance, with lighter colouring on its underside. The deer mouse, while also brown or grey, has a white tail bottom and belly as well as white colouring on its feet. They both have oversized ears and are 150 to 170 mm in length, though the house mouse has a longer tail.
It’s important to note we’re currently in the midst of a deer mouse epidemic in Southern Ontario, which poses significant risks.
Problems Caused by Mice
One of the top problems caused by mice comes from its rampant surge in colony size. If a mouse problem isn’t taken care of immediately, a few mice in the home will lead to a widespread infestation quickly.
Another problem caused by mice in the home comes from their natural inclination to chew, burrow, and bite. Mice can cause significant structural damage to the home. They’ll destroy insulation by burrowing to get around. They’ll chew on electrical wiring, which leads to fire hazards. They’ll chew on wood, drywall, siding wallboards, aluminum, soft concrete, and just about any material. The longer mice are living in your home, the costlier the damage you can expect.
Mice also pose significant health risks because of the urine and feces they leave behind. They are well-known for contaminating surface in living areas as they forage for food. They can transmit many diseases, including tularemia, murine typhus, chorio-meningitis, and hantavirus.
Signs of Infestation
Because mouse season lasts all year long, it’s important to be vigilant when it comes to detecting signs of infestation. Mice can enter your home at any time—during the summer when they’re mating all through to the winter when they’re seeking warmth and shelter.
Signs of infestation to look out for include nests, droppings, mice in living areas, scratched or shredded possessions or structures in the home, or sounds of mouse activity in the evening or when the home is quiet.
Got Mice? The Solution to the Problem
Prevention is the best solution during mouse season. Inspect your home for cracks and holes. Patch holes in walls and in your roof to prevent entry. Mice can get into your home through a hole the size of a dime, so be extra attentive during your inspection. Basic sanitation can also dissuade mice from entering the home.
If mice have already made their way into your home, call a humane wildlife removal company immediately. Using a five-part process, technicians will inspect your home, humanely evict the pests, prevent future reentry, restore damage, and decontaminate to solve your mouse problem once and for all—guaranteed.
Do you need wildlife removal services? Request a quote today!