What The Pest Experts Want You To Know About Mice In Your West Palm Beach Home

Florida is home to a diverse range of wildlife, so when residents in West Palm Beach think of dangerous animals, they probably think of snakes or alligators. While these are definitely examples of dangerous wildlife, there’s one animal that homeowners might not realize endangers their family. We are talking about common house mice.

Mice may seem cute and innocuous, but these rodents can cause serious problems to West Palm Beach homes and families. Let’s go over how to identify the house mouse, and why South Florida residents should keep them out.

House Mouse Identification Tips

The common house mouse is a rodent that grows between 2-4 inches in length. They have soft, rounded bodies, with a light underbelly and a fur coat that ranges between gray and brown. A mouse’s face is slightly pointed, with small, black eyes and large, rounded ears. Mice have four legs with flexible fingers and toes, and a pink-ish, body-length tail.

House mice are some of the most common pests to invade homes, both in West Palm Beach and in the greater United States in general. House mice typically move inside in winter to get out of the cold, or because the home has food and a space to nest. When a mouse moves indoors, it is ready to stay for a lifetime, so getting rid of a mouse infestation is crucial – especially given the problems they cause.

What Makes House Mice Dangerous?

Mice mean no harm to humans, but these rodents can transmit health-threatening diseases just by coexisting in your house. Common mouse-borne diseases include salmonella, tularemia, hantavirus, meningitis, and the plague.

You don’t have to come into contact with a mouse in order to pick up whatever they’re carrying. Though touching a mouse is one way to get a disease, it is more likely that these pathogens will spread through their urine and feces. Mice droplets can be found across your floor, in your dining area, and even in your pantry. Saliva and feet are also transmitters of mice-borne diseases.

Finally, mouse droppings can cause allergies and even asthma, particularly in young children. And even if mice aren’t carrying diseases, they may be carrying fleas, ticks, mites, or lice, resulting in additional problems for your family and pets.

Why Mice Are So Hard To Get Rid Of

When a mouse gets into your property, perhaps your first instinct is to get rid of it on your own. While mice are easier to trap than other house pests, it’s notoriously difficult to get rid of an entire mouse infestation on your own. The reasons for this are the following:

• Mice reproduce quickly. One female mouse can give birth to six young every three weeks. Now imagine she gives birth to three females, who grow up in a month and give birth to six mice each. Rodent populations can increase exponentially, so when you see one mouse, it is likely that there are others around.
• Mice are great at hiding. These pests can slip into the tiniest holes and they often build their nests in tight spaces, such as attics and pipes. You might not even find where their nests are which will make it much harder for you to get rid of them.
• Traps and poisons don’t work. You might be able to trap or kill a couple of mice, but because they reproduce so quickly, hide so effectively, and have a varied diet, these rodents can tough out simple store-bought products.

In short, these rodents will keep reproducing for as long as you keep trying DIY methods. For total rodent control that keeps these pests and their harmful diseases out, you need comprehensive pest control from West Palm Beach pest professionals.

Contact the folks at Native Pest Management today. We’ll restore the health and safety of your home for good.