With the weather getting colder, mice are becoming more active. In Buffalo, NY, this means that mice are looking for ways into houses to keep warm and find food. This can quickly lead to mice problems in your home. If you are struggling with a mice problem, keep reading to find out more about mice and how to prevent and keep them out of your home!
What Do Mice Do in the Winter?
Mice are not comfortable in the cold, instead preferring temperatures of at least 65℉. Since they are so small, mice lose body heat easily and must use adaptive behaviors to survive. Instead of hibernating like bats and other animals, mice become more active in the winter as they search for food, warmth, and shelter. Outside, mice will burrow into the ground for warmth and to avoid predators. They build nests with insulating materials, store food, and huddle together to stay warm. However, warm buildings are very desirable to mice during the winter and they will often try to move indoors.
How Do Mice Get In Your Home?
In their quest to survive the winter, mice can be very determined to get into buildings such as your home, drawn in by the warm shelter and food. In Buffalo, NY especially, cold and snowy winters make homes very inviting for mice, which can cause an increase of rodent issues in the fall and winter months.
Because of their small size and flexible rib cages, mice can squeeze through small holes or entrance points into your home. Similar to cats, a mouse’s head is the widest part of their body, so any space that their head can fit in, they can enter. Mice also have very strong teeth which continuously grow throughout their lifetime, meaning that they must constantly gnaw on things to grind them down. Mice are able to chew through materials like wood, plastic, and drywall, widening small holes until they can fit. Both their flexibility and powerful teeth make it easy for mice to enter homes. Mice can enter your house in several ways:
- Foundation: Common entry points for mice in the foundation of your house may include cracks, pipes, vents, stairwells and porches, and the gap between the siding and the foundation.
- Walls: If there are small cracks or gaps in your walls, mice may be able to enter your home through the walls. They are able to chew through drywall and wood, making small openings big enough to pass through. Once inside, mice can use passageways in the walls to travel through your house.
- Doors and Windows: Mice can slip through gaps between the bottom of the door and the threshold, spaces around a door or window frame, holes in window screens, or damaged seals around doors and windows.
- Roof: By climbing trees, walls, or wires, mice can enter into your home through gaps in the roof. Look out for damaged shingles, gaps between the shingles and the gutter, or other unsealed holes in your roof.
- Garage: Another way mice can get into your home is through the garage. If there are gaps around the garage door, cracks in the foundation, or poorly sealed windows, mice can find a way inside the garage and from there they can move into the other areas of your home.
How to Prevent Mice Getting In Your Home
Mice can be very hardy when it comes to getting in your home. To prevent them from invading your space, you’ll have to be diligent about making your house mouse-proof. Here are a few things you can do:
- Check for holes/gaps: Since mice can crawl through very small spaces, it’s important to inspect the exterior of your house for any cracks or holes. You should also make sure that windows and doors are secure without any gaps that mice could squeeze through.
- Seal entry points: Mice are able to chew through a range of materials such as wood, drywall, plastic, and insulation, as well as spray foam. To seal openings, you should use durable materials such as steel wool, caulk mixed with steel wool, or concrete. If you want to use spray foam, use a rodent-repellent foam that mice won’t chew through.
- Cover vents: Mice may be able to get into vents and live there as a shelter and passageway into your home. To protect your vents, you can install heavy-duty mesh screens such as hardware cloth or weld mesh or specialized mouse-proof vent covers.
- Eliminate food and water sources: Other than a warm shelter, mice can be attracted to your house because of easily available food and water. To prevent a mice problem, keep food in sealed, airtight containers and clean up any crumbs or spills right away. Use tight-fitting lids on your garbage cans and take out the garbage regularly.
If you’re finding it difficult to seal all the entry points into your home and prevent mice from entering, you may benefit from Exterior Barrier Treatment, which we offer in the fall, spring, and summer. We focus on all potential avenues into your residence, providing your home with total protection from rodents and other pests.
Signs You Have a Mice Problem
One of the classic signs of a mouse infestation is hearing scratching or skittering noises, particularly at night. Other signs include gnaw marks where mice have chewed through wires, food packaging, or other items, mouse droppings, or nests. You may sometimes see a live or dead mouse somewhere in your house or garage.
What To Do If You Have A Mice Problem
If you are concerned about a mice infestation in your house, there are a few things you can do. As mentioned above, you can try to prevent mice from entering by sealing entry points and gaps and eliminating food sources by keeping your home clean. If you see signs of mouse activity, you can set traps in places where you have seen or heard the mice. If you are still having trouble keeping mice out of your home, a professional’s help may be needed. A pest control specialist can help you create a custom plan for your home and ensure that your mouse problem is safely and effectively dealt with.
More from Bugg Control, Inc.
Check out information about “buggs” and more to be informed about keeping your home safe from pests. If you have questions or want pest control expertise, contact us today!
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