The signs that your home is playing host to mice are usually unmistakable: scurrying sounds at night, droppings left behind, unpleasant smells, and crumbs in the cupboards. Having mice in the home is a nuisance that no one wants to experience, but it is also a health hazard to your family and a risk to the structure of your home.
With winter on its way, mouse season is approaching, as the creatures start to make their way indoors out from the cold. Southern Ontario is currently experiencing a deer mice epidemic. With increased development of rural areas, mice turn to homes for shelter and food. Deer mice live mainly in rural and semi-rural rural areas, and they’re distinct because of their light grey fur with white fur on their bellies.These animals pose a series of risks to your health and home: they carry the rare but serious hantavirus, they can enter easily into your home, and they multiply quickly. Luckily, these rodents can and should be removed from your home. Here’s what homeowners need to know about the deer mice epidemic in Southern Ontario.
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Hantavirus
Mice may look sweet and cute, but they are an unmistakable nuisance. Rodents are known historically to have carried diseases that are harmful to humans. The current deer mice epidemic is no exception to the rule, with an estimated 6% of deer mice carrying hantavirus, a rare but serious virus that can cause a severe lung disease called hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). With an unchecked mouse problem in your home, the diseases carried by these tiny animals can infect members of your family.
It’s important to remember that hantavirus can be transmitted several ways. You can be exposed to hantavirus through breathing air contaminated by deer mice feces and urine, by being bitten by an affected mouse, or by touching a cut or wound after contact with infected material. For these reasons, it’s important to be aware of the dangers these animals pose and take precautions to ensure your home is safe from an infestation.
Easy Access
You may not know that a mouse needs a hole no larger than a dime to invade your home. It’s true: mice are clever creatures with a knack for finding access points and maximizing their presence in your home. These creatures—especially in neighbourhoods in Southern Ontario with close proximity to wooded areas—can enter a home through a crack in a wall, floor, or foundation.
Once in your home, mice begin creating tunnels and networks leading to nesting sites and food storage. The problem can grow at an alarming rate, so early detection and permanent prevention is key to ensuring the problem is gone for good.
Deer Mice Multiply Quickly
It’s no secret that mice multiply quickly: a small rodent issue can turn into a full-blown infestation over a short period of time. Mice breed so quickly that one pair can have five to six litters per year with six to eight babies in each litter. In one year, a two-mouse situation can turn into a serious rodent problem with over a hundred mice. To ensure your home doesn’t become host to a large population of potentially disease-carrying critters, it’s important to stay informed about the potential risks and consider your options for permanent wildlife solutions and prevention.
Humane Removal Is Possible
Fortunately, mice can be removed quickly and humanely. With potential risks to your health and your home, a mouse problem should never be left unaddressed. Traps and poisons may offer temporary relief from the critters, but only the experts can assess the situation ethically and with confidence. With professional removal services, you can be sure that feces and urine will be cleared out with the creatures, eliminating the rodents and the problems that come with them.
Do you need wildlife removal services? Request a quote today!