As an Oakville homeowner, you probably do all you can to protect your property from damage, but when mice find their way into your home, the trouble they can cause is considerable. Many issues occur because of their chewing habits, and one question you might ask yourself is, can mice chew through walls? At Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control, we can answer this question and provide you with other important information about how mice can cause severe damage with their need to chew.

1. Mice Can Chew Through Almost Any Material 

Once mice in walls gain a foothold in your home, they use their sharp teeth to chew through a variety of different materials, from drywall to unfinished or uncured concrete. Once they access interior walls, they will chew up insulation and your home’s wiring, which may increase fire risk and interrupt your home’s lighting and electronic systems.

You can identify mice chewing on many surfaces or building materials by the scrape marks, ragged wires or holes these rodents often leave behind. Since their teeth never stop growing, they must find ways to keep their powerful gnawing teeth from becoming too long. As such, once mice enter your home, it is very likely that they will continue to chew on whatever they can find.

2. Mice Chew To Make Nests 

Mice chew for a variety of reasons, but one reason they do it so often is to make nests for their litter. Female mice can become pregnant immediately after giving birth, and most can give birth at least ten times per year. Since these litters tend to include at least half a dozen or more young, the mother must chew into building material, such as your home’s insulation, to make comfortable nests for her children.

Mice may also chew into your walls to create nests that are hidden from predators and that provide a clean, dry home. Once the nest is established, mice may venture into your home at night to chew up clothing, paper and other soft materials to line their nests with.

3. Mice Can Cause Damage Quickly 

Once mice decide they want to enter your home by chewing through your walls, they can do so quite quickly. An enterprising mouse can chew its way into your home within a few days if they find a weak spot in the foundation or a wooden window frame weakened by the elements.  Once they make their way in and start to breed, you may find yourself with an infestation on your hands.

Because it is usually difficult to handle a mouse population explosion after it occurs, taking steps to safeguard your home by sealing holes and maintaining entranceways can reduce the risk. If you do find that mice have chewed their way into your home via the walls, our experienced rodent removal technicians can help with mice control in Oakville and provide you with tips about how to keep these animals out of your home for good.

4. Damage Can Grow Out of Control 

Our rodent removal technicians know how to get rid of mice in walls and can take several steps when it comes to mice removal and lowering the risk of damage to your home, which can quickly grow out of control in a short space of time.

When our technicians arrive, they will humanely remove any live specimens they discover, then remove all the accompanying nesting material. Nests can create foul odours when they grow large or numerous, so this is an important step to take. Once our techs remove all mice and nesting, they will search for points of entry, usually from tell-tale teeth marks where the rodents gained access from chewing through wood or drywall. They will then seal these entranceways and provide you with additional tips to keep mice away from your Oakville home, such as keeping your pet food properly stored and your kitchen counters clean.

Getting rid of mice is not a job for the average homeowner. Keep yourself and your family safe by contacting us today to schedule an appointment and keep mice outside where they belong.