Do Mice Leave On Their Own?

Do Mice Leave On Their Own?

A rodent infestation can be stressful and annoying. While many homeowners are scared of rats, mice can be equally irritating and dangerous.

As mice populations are forced to live in closer proximity to people, mouse sightings are becoming more common. You may also find fresh mouse droppings or other signs of mouse activity.

Many homeowners wonder: do mice leave on their own? Unfortunately, as great as the idea might sound, mice will not leave a property that offers them shelter, warmth and a reliable food source.

The only way to get rid of a mouse infestation is to carry out professional mouse control, followed by pest proofing to ensure they can’t return. If possible, it’s better to prevent mice from entering your property, but once they’re inside, you need to be proactive.

If you think you have mice in your home or business premises, keep reading to find out more about why they’re there and how you can remove them safely and quickly.

What Attracts Mice?

Mice have simple needs, and they’re usually looking for either shelter, food or both. They will enter at any time of year, but more often in the autumn and winter, when the seasons change and the weather gets colder.

While some people think that mice are attracted to dirty homes, the reality is that they will come inside looking for food and warmer places to sleep. Even if your home isn’t dirty, but you do have dried goods or pet food stored in unsealed containers that can easily be chewed through or household waste that is left in unsecured bins, then mice will have a plentiful food source. If you or your family eat food that was contaminated by mice, then you could get food poisoning and become seriously ill.

Once one mouse has entered your home, they will leave a pheromone trail to signal to other mice that they have found a safe home. This will attract more mice and turn a minor inconvenience into a major infestation.

How Do Mice Get Into Your Home?

Mice can enter your property through a number of ways, including:

• Cracks And Holes: Mice can slip through gaps as small as 10mm, so they can use gaps in poorly fitted doors, air vents, pipes and even holes in the foundations of your home as entry points.
• Exciting Entry Points: If larger vermin, such as rats, are already inside, then they may have left a gap that mice can use.
• Plastic Covers: Plastic is easy for mice to chew through, and since they have a compulsive need to gnaw, they may eat through plastic air vent guards or rubber reducers that connect your larger outside pipe to your smaller indoor water pipes.
• Open Doors Or Windows: In some cases, mice may simply walk into your home through any doors or windows that are left open.

Signs Of A Mouse Infestation

While mice are relatively large pests and braver than rats, they are more active at night and incredibly quick. As a result, you might not actually see mice in your home, even if you have an active infestation. Here are some other common signs of mouse activity.

• Mouse Droppings: Mouse droppings look like dark brown grains of rice, and you often find mouse droppings in clusters throughout your property, as mice defecate as they move.
• Nests: Mouse nests are around 3-5 inches in size, usually comprising various soft materials such as loft insulation, fabric scraps, twigs and leaves.
• Gnaw Marks: Small chew marks throughout your property, particularly on hard materials such as wood or plastic, can be a sign of mice.
• Noises: You might hear running or scratching noises coming from within cavity walls or your loft space, especially at night when mice are most active.
• Bad Smells: A large infestation can cause bad smells throughout your property, particularly the stench of ammonia from mouse urine.

How To Get Rid Of Mice For Good

Once they’ve made your house their home, mice are unlikely to leave of their own accord. Like other rodent pests, such as rats and squirrels, mice have incisors that have no roots and never stop growing. To keep them at a constant length, mice have to gnaw regularly on hard materials, such as wood, metal and plastic.

By doing so, mice can cause structural damage that is expensive and time-consuming to repair. They can even cause electrical fires if they chew through live electric cables. Mice also spread diseases to humans and carry parasites, such as ticks or fleas, which can infest your property and your pets. Mice breed rapidly, and a female mouse can have up to 6 pups every 3 weeks. So, what starts as just one mouse can quickly spiral out of control.

DIY mouse control solutions can be ineffective because mice are highly resilient and intelligent. They are small and skilled at finding hiding places that are difficult for humans to access, such as inside cavity walls. They are not likely to leave a comfortable, safe home, so you will need professional pest control support to get rid of mice and stop them from coming back. Flytech offers expert mouse control services to homes and businesses throughout Belfast, Lisburn, Antrim, Newtownards, Bangor, Carrickfergus, Newtownabbey, and the surrounding areas.

With our solutions, you can be sure that your mouse infestation is completely gone and protect your property with our mouse proofing services. For more information on our mouse control services, contact us today on 07955 008274.