When mice move into a home, they don’t knock on the door and wait for entrance to be granted. They’re sneaky little creatures that look for any creative way to make a cozy haven within the walls of your home. You might have inspected your house and failed to notice a single place in which a mouse could enter, but you would be surprised how small of a gap these rodents need to gain entrance.
You’re not going to find a cute little door shaped hole with a curtain on the window as you see in the movies. Instead, you’ll discover their entrance points are quite clever. As part of your mice prevention process, you need to know what those entrance possibilities are so you can correct the issue. The following are some things to keep in mind:
Mice Can Climb
When you’re looking for areas where mice can get into your home, be sure to look up. Many homeowners keep their eyes around the foundation of their homes, but mice are actually excellent climbers. You might think you’re safe because your siding is nice and slick, but if you’ve got tubes, wires, downspouts or anything else that runs up the side of your home, mice can climb it. They also climb bricks, stones, wood and stucco.
Take a look at the quality of your building materials. Are there any cracks between siding materials? Is the soffit pulled back at any point? Is there a hole halfway up the wall in your brick, which existed from a previous utility entrance? One way or another, mice seem to find these small areas way above their heads and can climb to get in.
Mice Are Small
Unless you’ve actually seen one of the mice living in your home, you may forget how small they really are. Mice can fit through spaces tinier than you can imagine. You should never overlook any crack or hole in your house, as there’s a chance those itty-bitty creatures are able to squeeze right through.
Mice Are Greasy
A mouse’s fur is often greasy, which makes it easy for them to slip into small cracks and holes that you might think they wouldn’t fit in. They’re also agile, so even the smallest cracks could act as an entrance to your home. In some cases, you may notice a greasy smear around the hole or the crack where the mice come and go. This is a sure sign you’ve got a problem and should have that area sealed by a professional.
Mice Are Creative and Wise
Just because mice are pesky little creatures with physically tiny brains, you can’t discount their intelligence. Mice are quite creative and can find just about any way to get into your home. If there’s a hole drilled in the mortar between your bricks for cable wire, mice could dig at it until they fit through it. If there’s a gap in the soffit because of a windstorm, the mice are going to find it.
Mice can also get in through roof vents, poorly sealed window frames, cracks beneath a door, openings around an HVAC line, and any other gaps that lead to the indoors. If they’re desperate for a comfortable home, they may even create their own way to get in by chewing through building materials and vents.
Mice Are Nocturnal
Unless you decide to sit up one night looking for mice entering your home, you may never see a mouse enter or exit. Mice are nocturnal, and as such, generally travel in and out when you and your family members are sound asleep. You won’t be awake to catch them in the act of stealing food, and you won’t be awake to see where they’ve decided to make their nest. If during daylight you haven’t found an entry hole based on the previous points mentioned, there’s a chance you won’t find one without the assistance of a professional.
Contacting Professionals for Assistance With Your Mice Problem
Mice can cause a lot of damage to a house and the contents inside, as well as bring in diseases that could be detrimental to your family’s health. It can be hard to find where these rodents are coming from, but a professional can help take care of the issue. Contact Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control today to learn more about mice prevention or to schedule a meeting with a wildlife control technician.
