Eliminate and Prevent Mice and Rodent Infestations
We are able to provide a pest control service to remove any infestation and take steps to try and prevent another infestation occurring whether it is through one-off treatments or continued maintenance.
Mice, along with rats, are one of the most common pests in the UK causing damage to food and stock in particular.
There are four main species of mice in the UK; the wood/field mouse, house mouse, harvest mouse, and the yellow-necked mouse.
Mice are similar in appearance to rats and cause similar problems but there are differences between the two for you to identify whether you are dealing with a mice problem or a rat problem.
Given the speed of both rats and mice, as they scurry across the floor, it is not always easy to notice the differences particularly given that their fur can be the same colour.
Mice are smaller than rats and have hairy thin tails whereas rats have hairless, scaly tails.
Mice produce 40-100 droppings a day while rats produced 20-50 droppings a day.
Why do I have a mice infestation?
Mice are small anyway but they are able to get through gaps as small as 5mm to make their way inside your property and stay hidden.
Once mice are inside your property, they will stay if they can find a place to take shelter and raise their young.
Like most pests, mice are interested in food so any food crumbs on the floor or on countertops as well as food waste in bin bags are an attractive proposition for mice.
Once mice are inside and know food is about, they are likely to stay and make their way into other food sources around the property.
General poor sanitation will also draw mice inside your property if bins are exposed or overflowing or if the house is generally dirty.
Signs and consequences of a mice infestation
Mice tend to come out at night so you may be able to hear them scuttling around in your property while there are few other noises being made.
You may find black granular shaped mouse droppings around your property as well as smear marks from the droppings which are a sign of mice inside your house.
Coming into direct contact with mice droppings as well as urine and saliva can be serious as they have shown to be able to cause diseases in humans.
Droppings can be usually found near food sources such as in cupboards in homes or on cabinets or shelves if you store food as part of a business.
Mice can chew through cereal boxes and cardboard boxes that store packets of food wrapped in plastic which they can also get into.
Close inspection of food packaging can show holes where mice have eaten into it but this is not so easy to spot if you are not aware of a problem with mice.
For a business that sells packets of food as stock, this is harmful as a mice infestation renders any stock eaten into unsellable and must be disposed of.
For restaurants, mice infestation can have even greater implications.
Reports of mice in the kitchen can damage a restaurant’s reputation while it may also lead to restaurants being closed temporarily or permanently.
How to cope and deal with a mice infestation
It is difficult to remove a mice infestation yourself but there are steps you can take to limit their damage until a professional provides pest control treatment.
Mousetraps can be set to kill mice and sticky traps can be used to catch them which can help clear out a few mice but it is not a long-term solution if you are dealing with an infestation.
- Surfaces should be free of food crumbs and kept clean
- Food supplies should be stored in glass or metal containers (as well as bin bags containing food)
- Seal off entry points within your property
- Fill in cracks in walls
Specialist proofing may be needed to prevent mice from getting into food supplies.
If you have a cat, these can help to hunt mice to reduce the presence of mice in your house but with an infestation, there will be too many for your cat to handle.
If you have or suspect you might have, a mice infestation in your property, you can call us on 01245 526726 or email [email protected] to discuss the options for treatment with you.