Problems Mice Cause In Nashville Homes

If you are the type of person who thinks having a few little mice inside your Nashville home is no big deal, you might want to think again. Once a few mice make their way into your house to set up a nest (or even just one mouse--that happens to be female--and pregnant) they can multiply very quickly. In reality, mice make those rabbits look like amateurs when it comes to reproducing. The average female mouse can give birth to as many as 5 litters each year, with between 3 and 14 young in each litter. This means it is possible for that one little female to have as many as 70 mice in one year! And that is not figuring in all those baby females quickly becoming mature and reproducing their own.

Problems Mice Cause Inside Homes

• Like all rodents, mice love to nibble. They will gnaw on everything from walls to stored items, and even on electrical wiring. This can cause sparks and a possible house fire.

• Mice spread diseases. A few of the diseases mice are known to carry include tularemia, salmonellosis, rat-bite fever, plague, and leptospirosis.

• Mice don't come in alone. Often, they bring parasite in with them, such as mite, lice, ticks, and fleas.

Signs Mice Leave Behind

• Droppings: These droppings typically appear in the backs of kitchen drawers or inside cabinets. They are tiny and look like dark-colored pieces of rice.

• Gnaw marks: These can be found around holes in baseboards, on corners, or anywhere else mice are infesting.

• Grease spots: Mice have greasy fur--so, if they are traveling repeatedly through holes in the wall or along baseboards--they may leave a greasy mark.

• Sounds in walls: These scratching thumping noises can usually be heard at nightfall, as mice are nocturnal.

Prevention Tips

There are several steps you can take to try to deter mice from entering.

• Declutter your yard. Mice need places to hide. If there are no places to hide near your home, they will be unlikely to come in close to your outer walls.

• Trim back vegetation. Again, if there is no place to hide up against your home, they will be less likely to hang around.

• Inspect and seal up your walls. Mice only need a hole the size of a dime to squeeze through. Sealing up all holes in your foundation and walls will go a long way in keeping mice and other pests out.

• Contact the professionals.

If you are seeing signs of mice in your Nashville home or you want to be proactive to keep these disease-causing rodents out in the first place, simply call us today. All-American Pest Control is standing by to help.