Do you have rodents infesting your home in Vancouver? If your answer is yes, you’re not alone.
Vancouver has the highest amount of pest control requests for mice in all Canadian provinces.(the others in the top five include Surrey, Victoria, Burnaby, and Richmond).
If you’re hearing noises in your Vancouver home, it’s probably not ghosts. It’s not the house settling, nor is it the wind. It’s mice.
These dangerous rodents are far more than a mere inconvenience, but instead, can spell major problems. If you’ve spotted droppings or seen a tiny blur dart across your kitchen floor, don’t wait.
Here’s why mice are dangerous and what you can do to get rid of them for good.
Dangerous Rodents Found in Vancouver
The mice in house spaces are different from the typical mice you see at the pet store. They live in dark, cramped spaces between drywalls and consume trash, creating hard-to-repair damage in many homes and properties.
Because they are scavengers, they tend to go through the trash and other garbage. They feed on our leftover foods and other organic waste to survive.
There are over 60 species of mice and rats in the world. The common house mouse is endemic to the Vancouver area. It lives with its cousins, the Norway brown rat, and the Roof rat.
If you want to differentiate the three species, there are a few ways to know.
- Norway Brown Rat: The Norway Rat is brown in color and tends to get large. It can weigh up to 17 ounces and grow between 12-18 inches.
- Roof Rat: Roof rats have large eyes and ears, a narrow, pointed nose, and a long, dark-colored tail. Their primary diet consists of grains, vegetables, and fruits. They like to live in wide spaces like trees, ceilings, or attics around 100 feet from their food source.
- House Mouse: The house mouse weighs around 3/4 of an ounce and grows up to 7 inches. These mice are brown or black and have large ears and fine fur.
Why Are Mice Dangerous?
House mice are nocturnal and rarely hibernate. During the summer months, they live outdoors, but as it gets colder, they look for warm nesting spots indoors. Once inside, a small family of 15-20 mice can multiply rapidly, making infestations more common than those of rats.
Mice also need very little water to survive, making them resourceful and hard to control without professional help. Here are a few more reasons why mice are so challenging to deal with:
1. Spread of Disease
Mice carry diseases like hantavirus, salmonella, and leptospirosis, which can spread through their urine, droppings, and nesting materials. These diseases pose significant health risks to you and your family.
2. Property Damage
Their constant gnawing can destroy insulation, furniture, and even electrical wires, potentially causing fires. Mice can fit through a hole as small as a pencil eraser, giving them easy access to your home’s interior.
3. Rapid Reproduction
Mice have astoundingly fast reproductive cycles. A single female mouse can give birth to 6-10 litters per year, with 5-6 babies per litter. These young can begin mating in as little as 6 weeks. This means a small infestation can escalate to a full-blown invasion in no time.
4. Contamination of Food
Mice are scavengers, often invading pantries and kitchens. They not only eat your food but contaminate it with droppings, urine, and fur, rendering it unsafe to consume.
What to Do About Dangerous Rodents in Your Home
If you’re wondering how to handle these dangerous rodents, follow these practical steps to reclaim your home:
Clean Up
When you can, remove as much clutter and rubbish from your home as possible. A clean home is a bane to mice, so remove places they can live in so they cannot breed further.
- Throw away unused items, especially in basements and storage spaces.
- Store food in airtight containers and keep pet food off the floor.
Remove items like fallen fruit, birdseed, or firewood from your yard.
Seal Entry Points
Mice can squeeze through openings as small as ¼ inch. Look for places where rodents might like to live in your home. They tend to live between drywall, sheetrock, and corners.
When you can, repair your home and seal out any crevice they can go into as their habitat. Use materials like steel wool or caulk to block entry points mice might chew through. You can also install weather stripping on windows and doors, and cover vents with mesh screens.
Deny Them Food and Water
Mice need very little sustenance to survive, so every crumb counts.
- Fix leaky faucets and pipes.
- Regularly clean up crumbs and spills, especially in hard-to-reach areas.
- Make sure garbage cans are tightly sealed and emptied regularly.
Remove Droppings ASAP
Mice are territorial. Clean their traces as soon as you find them to prevent diseases. Mouse urine and mouse droppings need to be removed as soon as you can.
Clean dirty spots with bleach and cleaning solutions. If you find dead litter or rodents, dispose of them as soon as possible.
Set Traps
Although professional extermination is often the best solution, traps can help manage small infestations.
- Use snap traps or glue boards, placing them along walls and in areas where droppings or tracks are visible.
- Bait traps with peanut butter or seeds for maximum effectiveness.
Call Pest Control
Sometimes, the best way to rid your home of mice is to call a pest control professional. At Natura Pest Control, we specialize in fast, effective, and eco-friendly solutions tailored to homes in the Vancouver-Portland metro area.
Knowing Why Mice Are Dangerous is Just the First Step
Knowing why mice are dangerous is only the first step in your pest control journey. Now, you need to do something about these dangerous rodents.
Don’t wait for a small mouse problem to turn into a full-on infestation. Take action today by contacting Natura Pest Control, serving homes and businesses across the Vancouver-Portland metro area.
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Did You Know?
Hantavirus can spread through urine and mouse droppings. The well-known Bubonic Plague comes from fleas in the rodents’ fur. Leptospirosis, a bacterial infection, comes from mice urine and mouse droppings through infested waters.
FAQ
How can I tell if I have a mouse infestation?
Signs of a mouse infestation include droppings, gnaw marks, scratch sounds behind walls, or nests made of shredded paper or fabric. You might also notice a musky odor.
Are house mice more common than rats?
Yes! House mouse infestations are 10-20 times more common than rat infestations, especially in urban areas like Vancouver and Portland.
What diseases do mice carry?
Mice can carry diseases such as hantavirus, salmonella, leptospirosis, and even plague-causing fleas.
Can mice climb into my home?
Absolutely. Mice are excellent climbers and can easily scale walls or trees to access your roof, attic, or windows.
Is pest control necessary to get rid of mice?
While DIY methods can help with small infestations, professional pest control ensures a more thorough and lasting solution. Natura Pest Control offers expert services designed to protect your home.
