The house mouse and the deer mouse are the species that are most likely to infest a home. The two are quite similar, but they do have some differences, and in this article, we’re going to take a look at these mice and see how they’re controlled.
The house mouse
The house mouse is the most common mouse species in the US. House mice will usually have a full brown or gray coat with a hairy tail of the same color. In terms of length, they reach about 5 inches with the tail included. They prefer to live in urban areas and they are very well adapted to survive in human environments. They are very acrobatic, being able to jump up to one foot in the air. They are also adept at swimming and traversing on vines and electrical wiring. When it comes to home infestations, they tend to spread several dangerous diseases such salmonella through direct contact or through their droppings and urine.
The deer mouse
The deer mouse is less common than the house mouse in home infestations, because it actually prefers to live in the wild. It has a two-toned fur, usually with a brown or gray upper part and a lighter underbelly. It also has a hairless tail and is slightly larger than the house mouse at 7 inches long, tail included. This mouse is much better at climbing, but as good of a jumper as the house mouse, and it will hoard its food and build bigger nests to survive the winter. The deer mouse is also the only one of the two that can spread the hantavirus, a dangerous disease that can be fatal
How they are controlled
When one of these two species infest the home, they have similar behaviors, but the deer mouse can be more destructive. As such, the control methods used to remove the two are similar – traps and poisons. It’s important however to hire a professional to get rid of mouse infestations, because of the high risk of reinfestation if the mice are not removed completely. Pros have the tools and the knowledge needed to remove mice from your home and make sure that they do not come back for a long time.
For more information about the various mouse species that can enter the home, or if you already have an infestation that should be removed, contact us today.
