Rodents as a whole are a bit of a divisive animal. While some people keep mice and rats as pets and find them cute, others are grossed out or scared of them. Regardless of how you feel about mice and other rodents, they are a particularly invasive and dangerous pest in Utah County.
While keeping mice as pets is a different situation, wild mice can carry many diseases and destroy property. They are also prolific and hard to prevent and remove. They are a pest that many homeowners are likely to encounter as they are one of the most common in the area.
To those who don't know what to look for, many mice and rats can look quite similar. While they have many similarities in behavior and appearance, there are also notable differences.
Here is what mice look like and how to tell them apart from rats:
- Mice are light brown to grey.
- Their ears are proportionally large.
- Their tails are longer than their bodies.
- While their ears and tails are larger than their rat counterparts their bodies and feet are smaller.
Why Mice Are Worse Than You Think
Mice might look cute from a distance, but they aren’t so cute when you know the dangers they pose to yourself and your family. There are multiple ways that mice can pose health risks, such as:
- Mice can carry and spread over 35 diseases.
- They are even able to spread illness through their feces and urine.
- Mouse fur can cause allergic reactions and asthma attacks.
- They contaminate food and food preparation areas.
- The build-up of their feces in walls can cause respiratory and odor issues.
While mice only rarely bite, and usually only if they are being handled, they are still a health concern. Everything they leave behind can cause big problems for humans. The larger the infestation the more of a problem these health risks become.
Why Is It So Hard To Get Rid Of Mice?
If the health risks associated with mice weren’t bad enough, on top of that, they are also extremely hard to remove once they’ve invaded your home. Here are the main reasons why mice are both hard to prevent and hard to eliminate:
- They are very prolific: One female mouse can have ten pregnancies each year and give birth to 14 pups per litter.
- They can get inside easily: While there are things you can do to seal up entry points, total exclusion can be difficult because mice can slip through holes the size of a dime.
- Things like traps are ineffective: Using mouse traps and other similar methods can help remove a few mice, but they are rarely very effective in the long-term. Most of the time these measures only make you think you’ve removed all of the mice around your home when you really haven’t.
The Best Method of Mouse Control
Mice and other rodents are dangerous and destructive. Trying to get rid of them on your own is often a losing game. The best way to get effective pest control and protect yourself and your family is to contact the experts at Pest Pro Pest Control. With our flexible scheduling options and ten years of experience, you can trust us to remove rodent problems and keep them from coming back. Give us a call today to book your free inspection.