Rodents
Mouse
French name souris, souris domestique
English name Mouse, House mouse
Latin name Mus musculus
Mice are among the oldest mammals in the world. For 65 million years, certain specimens have infested our buildings as well as our crops. It is the most common rodent found in cities and towns around the world.
Mice are a pest that can damage walls, floors, furniture and stored food. They are agile animals that know how to dig tunnels, jump and swim; mice often build their nests less than 6 meters from their food source.
How to identify a mouse infestation:
Droppings : Mouse droppings are the best evidence for a mouse infestation. Fresh droppings are soft and moist, while old droppings are dried and hard. Mice make around 50 droppings per day. They are everywhere because the mice move and feed in different places.
Damaged products : after droppings, gnawing damage is the other most important sign to recognize a mouse infestation. In homes, food (seeds or cereals) attacks furniture, baseboards and plastic but also electrical cables, which damages electrical appliances and at worst can cause a fire.
Noises in the walls : Mice often go scouting just before sunrise or just after sunset. They are very curious animals and as they do not have very good eyesight, they are dependent on their sense of smell, touch and hearing. The noises you can hear above your head morning and evening are therefore little mice looking for food. Mice are also climbers. They pass without any problem from one floor to another via the hollow walls. This is why scratching noises are heard in the walls and attic.
Mouse nest : mice live in groups, you will rarely find them alone. As they climb easily and only need a tiny gap to get in somewhere, they can nest almost anywhere. Their preference is for a quiet place sheltered from light with a food source nearby (attics, hollow walls, etc.). But also spaces behind fridges, kitchen cabinets and ovens are potential places to accommodate a family of mice.
Identification
Adults:
Head and body: 6.5 to 9.5cm, with tail approximately size 7 to 10.2cm
Weight: 15 to 30g
Excrement: 3 to 6 mm, elongated, pointed ends
Mice have smooth fur, usually dust gray above and light gray or cream on the belly. Some mice may be light brown to dark gray above
Biology:
Reach sexual maturity in 35 days.
Mice can reproduce from 6 to 9 weeks old but some are earlier and can reproduce from 5 weeks old
Gestation lasts between 19 and 21 days .
The average litter includes 6 young mice, approximately 8 times per year
The female can have a litter every 45 days.
The young mice are weaned in approximately 21 days.
Life expectancy generally less than 1 year.
A pair of mice can potentially become 3000 mice a year later.
Habits
When there is enough food, they will not move more than 1.2 to 1.5m from their nest. If food is rarer, their territory rarely exceeds more than 6m in diameter.
It is difficult to generalize about the favorite food of mice, but seeds and grain-based foods are the most widely accepted since they are “natural” foods for the majority of rodent populations.
They dig and climb walls.
Effects on the economy and health
Some mice can transmit germs in their urine, which can cause illness and allergies. They can also spread diseases via the ticks, fleas and mites they carry.
Mice are responsible for millions of dollars in food loss each year in Canada.
Mice are responsible for power outages, computer network failures, production shutdowns, fires and other structural damage
In case of infestation or large scale, call Sherif at (514) 476 – 8184 we are specialized in extermination and certified by the Ministry of Sustainable Development, the Environment and the Fight against Climate Change.