Serving Southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky

Mice

Mice are rodents. The word “rodent” means to gnaw. Rodents will gnaw through many types of materials to reach a location including lead sheathing, cinder block, aluminum siding and some concrete. Mice usually live near humans while eating and spoiling our food with their feces, urine, and fur. While rats are more harmful to humans than mice, mice cause far significantly greater damage to clothing, furniture, books, and many other household items. They can be found not only in our homes, but also in supermarkets, restaurants, warehouses, food processing facilities, livestock facilities, and farm fields. Under stable conditions, mouse movement is normally limited to approximately 10 feet. They are Sensitive to bright lights, nocturnal, and active during twilight. Most active during the “fall to winter” transition time of year and during temporary warm periods of winter.

Mice live in colonies, or family groups. Each colony establishes its own territory by urine and feces marking. Female mice reach breeding age by around 6 weeks old; males reach breeding age by about 8 weeks old. Gestation takes about 18-21 days. There can be between 3-14 mouse babies per litter and females can produce between 5-10 litters per year. Their nests are located inside dark, quiet spaces, like in between walls, cabinets, closets, basements, attics, storage areas, rafters etc. Each mouse remains within about 10 feet of its nest, so nests are almost always found close to a food source. Mice normally live from 1 to 3 years.

Common traits of mice in our area: Light brown or grey fur, pointed nose, small black eyes, 3 to 4” long, excluding hairless tail which can be 2 to 4”and weigh 1 3/8 to 1 5/8 ounces