You might think mice are cute and playful, but that’s only true in cartoons. If your home has a mouse infestation, you could end up with problems pertaining to your health, electrical wires, food, and more. If you notice an infestation, it’s essential that you contact the mice removal experts in Ajax right away so you can avoid the nightmare that could be on the horizon. You might not be sure what to watch out for, and if that’s the case, the following signs should help.

Mouse Droppings

In most cases, you’re not going to find mouse droppings in the middle of your living room or other open spaces in your home. They tend to be found near feeding areas, nests and breeding areas. Mouse droppings are about a quarter inch in length and resemble a black grain of rice.

You may notice mouse droppings in a kitchen or a pantry because they get into your food and garbage cans at night. You might notice the droppings in the bathroom or laundry room because they drink the water there. You could find some in your attic, in a crawl space or in a basement where the mice are nesting.

Mouse Urine

You’ll know you have a mouse infestation when you notice the distinctive smell of mouse urine. Imagine something close to stale urine or musky ammonia. In small, enclosed areas, such as a pantry or drawer, the smell will be quite strong and noticeable. You might also smell it faintly in a larger room, and when you get down to investigate, the smell will become stronger along the baseboards where mice like to mark their territory.

Scratching and Scrabbling Sounds

If you hear scratching or scrabbling inside the walls, especially at night, you don’t need to get scared. Mice like to climb and jump, so making their way through your walls at night is a great way to get around. Using spaces between joists, they are able to get from one area of the house to another. The reason you’ll hear them most often at night is because they’re nocturnal.

Greasy Smudges

Mice have oily coats that keep their body temperatures regulated and help them slide into small spaces. As they move about, that oily coat picks up dirt and you’ll begin to notice greasy smudges along your baseboards and your walls. You’ll know when you’ve found a mouse roadway because the greasy smudges will be very noticeable. You might also find droppings and urine along that roadway. 

Chewed Wood and Wires

Mouse teeth are continually growing, so they gnaw on things that will wear them down. Those things might include electrical wiring, plastics, the wood structure of your home, cables and other similar items. This can lead to fire hazards, power outages, damage to equipment and other serious consequences. If you are dealing with unexplained problems with your electricity or if you have noticed gnaw marks on wood or wires, it might be a mouse infestation.

What To Do When You Find a Dead Mouse

Now that you know what signs to look for, you’ll be able to recognize when your home is being invaded by mice and can call professionals for assistance. What should you do if you find a dead mouse? First, you should call Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control, as we don’t recommend taking care of it by yourself. If you have small children or pets in the area, you might need to immediately remove the mouse, and you can do so with a rubber glove, putting it into two Ziploc bags.

At Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control, we are here to serve you with wildlife control services for all types of critters, including mice. Contact us today in Ajax to schedule an inspection.