Mouse is the most common nasty rodent substantially distributed throughout the world. Mouse is a generally applied name for organisms belonging to the genus Mus, which are arranged over 38 species. The common household mouse is an inhabitant of Central Asia and is named Mus musculus.
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Interesting Facts about Tiny Rodents
Though almost all of us are well aware of this filthy creature, yet we know very little about this pitiable rodent. Very few of us know that mice and rats are two similarly distinguished terms. Mice are smaller as compared to rats.
Orkin wrote a great article to distinguish between mice and rats, You can check it out here.
Surprisingly mice are nocturnal. They have under developed eyesight but possess strong hearing and sense of smell as compensation. Length of mice usually ranges between 3-20 cm.
Mice dig burrows for living and make separate borrows for their temporary summer and permanent winter settlements. They are awful little brainiacs that specify each area for their food, kitchen and shelter in their burrow homes, as we do in our homes. Mice are not found inhabiting mountains.
Maximum life span of mice is 4 years. Mice have interestingly short reproduction period. Female mouse is fertile within weeks after birth. And can become impregnated again after 48 hours.
Are Mice Harmful?
Mice are not only eye sickening, yet they possess many other concerns for human settlements. Mouse body is home for fleas, and different bacteria like Yersenia, Salmonella, Plague and Typhus. Mice are known as vectors of serious diseases.
World has still not forgotten record-less deaths that occurred due to ‘black death’ in the middle ages. Mice carry stimulators for allergy and asthma too.
List of Diseases directly transmitted by rodents.
Mice are associated with nibbling of electrical appliances that may result in short circuiting and many other hindrances.
If you want to get rid of mouse infestation, then you should immediately take the following actions to see immediate results.
Remedies For Immediate Results
1. Know source of mouse infestation
Knowing source of mouse infestation seems most common yet most overlooked thought right? But for complete deratalization it is core to know hiding spots of mouse gangsters. You might have tried all available remedies to get rid of mouse infestation.
But if you are still unaware about dwelling places of mice, then all the remedies you apply will give you temporary peace. Once you track their hiding places you can easily have a crackdown on them . This will give mice no place for hiding and their breeding area will be taken away.
Eventually, mice will be left with option no other than to leave. After wiping them away it is necessary to seal all possible entry points of mice. Steel wool and caulking are great for this purpose. They are rigid enough to resist powerful gnawing abilities of mice.
2. Proper storing of food
Mice take full advantage of their strong olfactory power to trace their beloved food. To prevent these uninvited guests it becomes necessary that you become a little cautious with your hygiene. You should use air tight containers for storing food items.
You should clean your house on a regular basis to ensure that there are no residues of edible particles left on the floor that will provide mice with a party. To ensure perfect deratization you should also take care in dumping garbage regularly as these clever creatures don’t miss any chance for celebrating their victory.
3. Ultrasonic Mouse Repellers
With advancements in technology old traditional ways of getting rid of mice have shifted to more efficient and modern methods. One such method is using Ultrasonic Mouse repellers. Ultrasonic radiations have found huge applications since their discovery. They are applied from ultrasound tests to air jets, and now this technology is the most effective way for repelling mice.
Ultrasonic pest repellents work by producing ultrasonic vibrations that are obscure for humans but are intolerably high and irritating for rodents.
Read More: Side Effects of Ultrasonic Pest Repellent
This idea was adapted by Chinese, which derived pests away by producing noises of particular frequencies. Ultrasonic devices repel mice by producing sound of frequency that is higher than 20,000 Hz. This frequency is insensible for human beings but it induces stress in rodents.
In severe cases, this may even result in the death of rodents which is known as audiogenic seizure response. Mice become frustrated on hearing such type of noise and move to other areas in order to find peace.
Studies have supported the effectiveness of this device. Frequency of sound waves keep on changing so that little rodent doesn’t gets comfortable with noise.
Another study done by Scientist at the University of Nebraska tested ultrasonic pest repellers to see if it helps in repelling rodents. They noticed a 30-50% reduction in movement activity which is pretty significant. Source TownHustle About Ultrasonic Pest Repellents
In a study by Victor Pest Control, ultrasonic pest repeller showed rodent repulsion was observed from 13 out of the 17 areas under study. As this is inaudible for humans thus it causes no consequential harm to humans.
Price of this power tool ranges b/w $ 10- $ 100. Working range of pest repellent is not so wide. So you may need to purchase more than one ultrasonic pest repellers to completely get rid of mice. With this device you may also be saved from the hassle of throwing dead mice away.
4. Chemical Treatment
Poisoning mice is among other effective methods. Such baits are sold in the form of granules, suspensions, or gels.
The majority of available baits are anticoagulants. They contain brodifacoum as the active ingredient. This causes haemorrhage and suffocation to the mouse which results in on-the-spot death of the mouse.
Another common kinds of baits are metal-phosphide laced baits. Zinc phosphide reacts in them reacts with acid in mouse stomach, which results in the formation of phosphine gas that proves to be fatal for mice.
Another great rodenticide is Vitamin D. Vitamin D is beneficial for humans but poor mouse can not bear nutritious benefits of the Vitamin. On intake of vitamin D mouse begins to absorb more calcium from food and becomes hypercalcemic. This damages organs of mouse specially heart and kidneys. And mouse is unable to survive for a longer time.
It is very important to use all the precautions of hazard while using poisons. They are dangerous to humans as well as pets if ingested. Using mice poisonous may seem to be a big no no at first but their efficacy against disease causing mice makes them an ideal choice to finish mice hide and seek.
5. Strong Mouse Repellent Solutions
Mouse are distasteful for many strong smells. If you wish to ban entry of food thieves in your home, then you should consider placing strong odors at entry points of your house, that show mice a way to your home.
There are many commercial solutions available but you can also achieve good results by using ammonia. It is one of the best mouse repellent solutions. Rodents compare ammonia’s smell to that of their predators urine thus they are frightened in crossing boundaries of your home.
Ammonia can be poured in jars and kept at susceptible places of mouse visit. When mouse enters home, then other members of its tribe have ability to chase that mouse by smelling its footprints. By wiping of area with ammonia smell of mouse is vanished. It involves to be little cautious when dealing with ammonia solution.
Read Safety Instructions for Using Ammonia.
Natural extracts of oils are formulated in the form of gels. Smell of gel is unendurable for small creatures and the mixture is viscous enough to stick to mouse. Effect of mouse repellent gel can last for two years.
Using fabric softener sheets is also a good remedy for keeping mouse families at bay.
6. Mouse Traps
Though this is the most traditional way, but it’s effectiveness can not be denied till this modern age. According to Jim Friedrick, Director of Technical Services for the National Pest Management Association “Mice are very curious about new things in their environment”. This makes mouse traps an interesting option for mice.
Traps comes in three basic basic forms. First form is the classic snap trap. Its invention dates back to 1894. Trap is usually a wooden holding device that consists of spring and hook. Chunk of food is placed inside device as a trap. Mice love seeds, chocolate, peanut butter and bacon. They can serve as ideal greed for mice. When mouse comes to get food. It comes in contact with device. Hook releases the spring and mouse becomes engulfed and dies on the spot.
Modernized form of traps are available today that are electronic mouse traps. Mouse bait is placed inside. When mouse enters device it is killed by high voltage electric shock.
Glue traps are the third kind of traps. Glue is pasted on cardboard and kept in locality of mouse. When mouse passes through it, it gets stuck. It is simple but a bit messy method.
7. DIY Mouse Trap
If you are a person like me who can’t get out of home so easily than you can adapt to this diy technique. All you need is a tin box and three rubber bands. And you are all set to go.
Peanut Butter Trick: Got some peanut Butter ? Let me share a great little method to catch mouse pretty easily . Smear some peanut butter inside the glass (on the bottom) and turn it upside down so it rests on the nickel. As soon as the mouse enters and starts eating the peanut butter, the nickel will get displaced and the glass will trap the mouse.
Place rubber bands on closed tin box. Then slightly open the box and place some food in it. When upon sensing food mouse will form its way to container then it will mingle with rubber bands . This will close the container and mouse will get trapped.
DIY Home Remedies
Effectiveness of DIYs is debatable, yet at the end some interesting DIY’s would be worth sharing, that can have an instant effect on mice.
1. Fizzy Drinks
We all love to get opportunity to have carbonated fizzy drinks, but these harmful drinks are not only harmful for us, they are also detrimental for mice. Carbonation will cause chemical reaction in stomach of mice and mice will get no more time to live.
2. Candy
You can kill mice by tempting them from DIY candy made by mixing flour and dry cement. Mice will be bewitched with smell of mixture but it will make them thirsty, and as a result they will intake of lot of water. Cement will become dried in stomach of mice resulting in its death.
You can present another candy to mouse by taking equal proportions of sugar, flour, and baking soda. ( Which you can easily buy on Amazon) This will react with the gastric juices of the mouse and will bloat it leading to his death.
Dirty houses can attract not just mouse but a lot of other type of pests. Finding it difficult to clean your house? Read this awesome guide put up by house Mix Blog.
3. Potatoes: Enemies of Mouse
Potato is our favourite vegetable, so is it with mice. But unfortunately unlike humans when mouse eats potato or sweet potato it is insufferable for mouse.
4. Onions
Onions smell is repulsive for rats. Next time they won’t be seen in premises where you would have placed onions. So finally it will be goodbye to mice.
Bonus Tip: Mouse infestation has a lot to do with how you build your house. If you keep Integrated pest management’s basic principals in mind and design your kitchen properly you can reduce the chances of infestation big time.