Do you think you have mice in your home? Hearing strange sounds at night? The presence of mice in your home is never obvious until it becomes a full-blown infestation, they are very subtle pests. The key to a quick and cheap fix is to become aware of them as early as possible. Mice breed very quickly and within a few short months, your problem will multiply exponentially. A great way to detect a growing mouse population is to keep an ear out for strange sounds. Once you start seeing signs of their presence it’s often too late.

SOUNDS MICE MAKE

  • Scurrying
  • Scratching
  • Chewing/Gnawing
  • Squeaking/Vocalization 

These are the sounds typically associated with rodents. If you hear any of these noises in your home there is a very good chance you have a pests problem.

Scurrying

rat on a plateOne of the most common sounds you’ll hear coming from mice is scurrying. These pests are notorious for making a light, soft scuffling sound as they move around behind the scenes. These sounds are caused by their bodies brushing up against surfaces and their nails digging in to gain traction.

The first time you hear these noises you may think its a creature much larger than a mouse. Sometimes our imaginations can run wild especially if the sound is heard at night. Also, oftentimes the sounds made by mice will echo, giving the impression of a much larger footprint. You will be surprised at just how loud mice can sound.

Scratching

Another very common sound that mice make is scratching. As mice climb and crawl around your walls, ceiling and attics you will hear a scratching sound. They are also constantly scratching around for nesting materials. Mice will travel through the insulation in your walls, ceilings and attic but they typically will nest up in the attic. It is isolated from the rest of the house.

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Chewing/Gnawing

A mouse’s four incisors never stop growing in its lifetime. Because of this, the mouse must gnaw and chew constantly in order to keep these teeth to their proper size. As a result, you might hear sounds like gnawing coming from your attic or behind your walls. This is particularly troubling when you consider the size of the average mouse population in an urban home. You are most likely dealing with hundreds, if not thousands of these unwanted guests. Now, consider hundreds or thousands of little critters chewing on wires, support beams, joists etc. Over time, this can become a costly issue and a safety hazard.

Squeaking

Many homeowners don’t realize that mice actually speak to one another. To us, this chatter sounds like squeaking. Though you’ll likely hear skittering across the ceiling before you hear squeaking, this is another telltale sign you have mice in the attic. Squeaking typically occurs during mating season for mice.

Mice will also use vocal sounds to relay the location of shelter and food as well as to express emotion. The frequency and pitch of the squeaks will vary depending on what the mice are trying to communicate. For example, the squeaks will be louder when they’ve found food and faster during mating.

Mice Sounds at Night 

More often than not, you’ll hear mice in the dead of night. Mice have nocturnal behaviours. They will typically lie low during the day and come out at night to forage, build nests, and search for food.

However, because it’s so quiet in the dead of night, the sounds you hear as you’re lying in bed will likely be amplified. This can make you believe you have a larger wild animal in your home, such as a raccoon or a squirrel.

A good way to confirm the sounds you are hearing are in fact mice is to tap on the wall or make noise when you are hearing these sounds. If the scurrying, scratching or chewing stops. Then congratulations, you have a mouse problem.

Daytime Activity?

A common misconception about mice that many homeowners have is the belief that they are strictly nocturnal. While it’s generally true that they’re typically most active after dark, mice can and will come out during the daytime, too.

Mice will come out during the day if food is scarce and they have determined they must risk their safety to find more. They’ll also be active during the day if a dominant mouse doesn’t allow them to hunt for food or mates at night. In addition, mice will be active throughout the daytime if your home is quiet and the mice feel it’s safe to come out. You might be surprised to find a mouse in your view when you’re just quietly reading a book in the middle of the day!

OTHER SINGS YOU HAVE MICE

Hearing strange sounds is the most common early indicator that you have a rodent issue. However, there are other warning signs of you know where to look:

  • Dropping and Urine. Move some appliances in the kitchen, look in the back of cupboard and drawers or pop your head up in the attic. If you have a large mouse population in your home you will find evidence.
  • Seeing Mice. Occasionally, when the house is very quiet you will see one scurry across the floor. This is rarely an isolated incident. As a general rule of thumb for every mouse you see there are another hundred critters hidden.
  • Nesting/Tunneling. Mice will tunnel through your insulation, in effect using this as a highway of sorts to travel throughout your home. They will also build nests in isolated areas. If you have access to your attic take a quick look and you should be able to see evidence they have been here.

Take a look at this video to see what mouse activity looks like in your attic:


Outside of your attic, the other most common places you will find mice is in crawl spaces, in the basement, garage and kitchen (when the house is quiet). Outside of the kitchen which is where they find their sustenance, mice will stay out of the way and in isolated areas of your home.

Mice removal is a complicated process that should only be done by professionals. Although there are plenty of DIY solutions out on the market, they are a waste of time and money. Mouse prevention and eviction is a process that takes trained professionals up to 6 weeks to complete. A few traps and a few gadgets will never seal up your home and prevent future intrusions.

Call us today for an inspection 1-877-221-2999. Our licensed and certified technicians are waiting to help.

Do you need wildlife removal services? Request a quote today!

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