House mice are active all year round, which means you could find them invading your home or business at any time.

Appearance

Size about 7 - 9.5cm in length, with a tail around the same length.
Weight 12 - 30g.
Their relatively small feet and head with large eyes and ears distinguish them from a young brown rat.

Life Cycle

4 - 16 young per litter; 7 - 8 litters a year.
Gestation period being about 3 weeks.
8 - 12 weeks from birth to sexual maturity.

Habits

Usually ground living and burrowing, but often climbs.
Preferred food is cereals.
Will eat around 3g of food a day and can survive without any additional water.
They will drink up to 3ml a day if their diet is particularly dry.

Field mice rarely venture into inhabited buildings but in the winter months, they will go into outhouses and sheds where fruit and vegetables are stored. As such, field mice are a bigger threat to businesses, in particular farming and agriculture.

Appearance

Size of adult head and body 80 - 100mm in length.
Tail 70 - 90mm. A male can weigh 25g and the female 20g.
Sandy / orange brown fur on the head and back.
Yellowish fur on the flanks with usually a small streak of yellow on the chest with white on the belly.

Life Cycle

Their lifespan averages two to three months, but they can survive as much as 20 months in the wild, or two or more years in captivity.
Breeding seasons are March/April to October/November and gestation lasts approximately 25 days.
They grow their first fur after six days, their eyes open after 16 and they are weaned around 18 days old.
Survival of young and adults is poor during the first half of the breeding season as adult males can be aggressive towards one another and to the young, who are then driven from the nest.

Habits

They eat a high proportion of the seed crop of trees such as oak, beech, ash, lime, hawthorn and sycamore. Small insects and snails are particularly important sources of food in late spring and early summer when seeds are less available. They will also eat apples and will attack newly planted legume seeds.

Have you heard scratching noises or noticed an unusual smell? You may have mice in your home. Mice can remain hidden for a long time before you even begin to suspect a problem.

Mice are nocturnal creatures, preferring to keep hidden during the day. Spotting a mouse during the daytime can be an indication of a heavy infestation.

If you find signs of activity, we are able to confirm the presence of mice and offer a safe, targeted treatment for your home or business.

Mice Droppings

50/ 80 droppings a night, small and dark (approx. 3 - 8 mm in length), scattered randomly, check inside or on cupboard tops, along skirting and on shelving.

Grease Marks

Smudges or smears caused by their bodies brushing against walls, floors and skirting on regular routes, dark smears around holes or around corners.

Urine

Urine pillars in established or heavy infestations, body grease, combined with dirt and urine, builds up into small mounds, up to 4cm high and 1cm wide. Mice urinate frequently and their wee has a strong ammonia-like smell. The stronger the smell the closer you are to mice activity. This smell can linger for a long time (even after an infestation has been removed).

Scratching noises

Often at night when mice are most active. Listen for noises between partition walls, under floorboards, in false ceilings, basements and lofts.

Nests

Using easy to shred materials, mice then line the nest with other soft materials. Check lofts, suspended ceilings, cavity walls, under floorboards and behind fridges, under stoves and in airing cupboards.

Tracks

Footprints will show up in dusty environments such as unused lofts and basements. To check for activity, sprinkle flour, talcum powder or china clay and check the next day for fresh tracks.

Mice look for access to buildings for food and shelter. They search for easy, abundant sources of food and undisturbed areas to nest. By removing available food sources, your home or business will be less attractive to mice. You will also help to reduce food contamination risks and the spread of disease.

Mice are not fussy eaters and will seek out leftovers on worktops, possibly spreading pathogens and diseases such as Salmonella, Leptospirosis or Hantavirus, as they search for food. Using the services of a professional pest control company like Peskill who can target different types of treatment to tackle your mouse problem will give you the best chance to solve your problem safely, quickly and efficiently.

Good hygiene and proofing should form a key element of an integrated pest management program. The best way to deter mice entering your property is to block any gaps and entry points and clear up areas where they may build a nest.

Mice have soft skeletons and can get through gaps the width of a pencil. Proof your home or business against mice by identifying any gaps located higher up your building, or on your rooftop and not just those near the ground. Make sure these are properly blocked. Mice are very good climbers, able to scale rough, vertical surfaces and walk along thin cables or wires.

Fitting bristle (or brush) strips to the bottom of doors prevents entry, especially in older properties where the door fit may not be snug. Seal holes around existing or new pipes with coarse grade stainless steel wire wool and caulking (pliable sealant). Holes are often made in exterior walls for cables and pipes, check that old pipework holes are sealed too. Air Bricks and vents should be covered with fine galvanised wire mesh, especially if they are damaged. Fix damaged eaves and roofing and use wire mesh to seal gaps.

Trim tree branches back from the house and where possible avoid plants growing up the sides of your property. Vines, shrubs or over hanging branches can be used for mice to get onto roofs. Overgrown vegetation close to the walls will offer mice shelter and potential nesting sites. Keep grass mown short to reduce shelter and seeds for food.