Mouse infestations are a huge headache for homeowners. Even if the initial problem is gone, there’s still a chance that re-infestations might occur. If you’re not stocking up on mouse traps and poisons, eliminating mice early in their reinfestation stages might be difficult for you.
So what are the best ways to kill mice if there are no traps or poisons at home? They may also try other options like letting the pets haunt mice, building their own mouse traps, using natural poisons and repellents, or following preventive measures. But the best option for homeowners is to contact pest management professionals to help them get rid of mice on the property for good.
Learn More: How Do Mice Escape Mouse Traps?
Rodent infestations are one of the most common household problems that many Americans experience. According to the National Pest Management Association, about 29% of Americans have had rat or mice infestations in their home at least once. These infestations cause structural damages to the property and endanger the residents.
But what’s even worse than a mouse infestation at home is that there’s a huge chance of them reoccurring. Mice return to the same place they once infested before because they’re already familiar with the place and it still has everything they need to survive – food source, water, and warmth.
Whether it’s the first time that an infestation or reinfestation has occurred at home, it’s better to be prepared to catch and kill these pests using glue boards (or sticky traps), wooden snap traps, or mouse poisons. But when you’ve run out of these mice control essentials, here are other ways to get by:
Mice have been infesting millions of residential and commercial properties for centuries now. Before rodenticides, glue traps, snap traps, and other kinds of mouse traps were invented, people counted on different animals to get rid of the pests at home.
Although letting the pets hunt mice isn't very practical in this modern age, they’re still helpful in keeping the rodents at bay if you’re out of mouse traps and rodenticides. However, it’s important to remember that these pets shouldn’t be the first line of defense against mice – you also have to try another way to eliminate mice at home, such as calling pest management professionals.
Mice aren’t as aggressive as rats, but they still fight back and hurt pets when cornered. Cats and dogs may also become infected with different rodent-transmitted diseases like plague bacteria, intestinal parasites, hantavirus infections, toxoplasmosis, and more.
Pets might also experience secondary poisoning if they eat dead rodents that were killed with rat poison. If your pets love hunting mice for food, make sure to visit a veterinarian regularly to monitor their health.
Cats are the number 1 enemy of rodents like mice. These pesky critters don’t even have to see cats get scared – even the scent of cats’ urine or litter is enough to frighten mice and make them run for their lives.
Cats are the ideal hunters of rodents because of their keen senses, agility, and stealth. Despite centuries of domestication, cats still have the instincts to chase mice both for food and for fun. It’s common for cats to present their owners with a dead mouse or other small animals like birds as a “gift.”
Cats have an incredible sense of smell that’s about 14 times as good as humans, allowing them to smell mice even from long distances. They also have the Jacobson’s organ – a set of sensory organs in their mouths that allow them to “taste” different scents. Cats also use their eyes, ears, and whiskers to find and hunt mice more quickly.
Aside from cats, dogs are also another household pet that catches and kills mice. Certain breeds like terries were even bred to catch these little critters. Terriers are quick, energetic, and skilled diggers which make them great at chasing down mice around the property. German Pinscher and dachshunds are also used for hunting mice.
Homemade mouse traps help save a lot of money for homeowners because they’re only made of materials lying around the house. If you don’t have traditional traps and can’t run out to the nearest store to buy some, here are some DIY mouse traps to make at home:
When using these homemade mouse traps, make sure to always check them if they managed to catch a mouse. Trapped mice often cry out for the help of other mice, which might scare them off and prevent them from getting near the traps around the property.
Some homeowners avoid storing poisonous mouse baits in their homes because they’re afraid of accidentally poisoning pets, children, or other members of the family. Homemade repellents and natural poisons are safe options because even a small dose can kill mice without causing harm to pets or children.
Here are some of the best natural poisons and mice repellents to try at home if you want to avoid keeping stocks of rodent poison:
Although natural repellents and poisons might help eliminate some of the pests, they’re not usually effective by themselves. It’s still better to rely on other stronger pest control methods like trapping, baiting, or calling pest management professionals to take care of the problem for good.
These techniques are the best way to prevent infestations in the future, reduce the mouse population, and minimize the chances of re-infestations every few months. It’s also easy to follow preventive steps instead of coming up with different ways to solve an infestation.
When the temperature starts dropping outside around the fall to winter months, mice do everything they can to enter warm and cozy homes. These tiny pests fit in the smallest hole, which is why it’s important to inspect the house for possible entry points and seal them immediately.
Make sure to place steel wool inside the holes and mix them with caulk to prevent the rodents from entering. Mice have strong teeth that cut through almost anything, but they’ve a hard time biting through steel wool, which makes this material one of the best homemade solutions for mice infestations.
Mice survive for a few days even with just little food supply. They’re opportunistic feeders that eat anything they get their hands on, so make sure to starve them by removing everything they might eat. All grains, pet food, and other dry goods should be kept in metal, glass, or heavy-duty plastic containers that mice can’t easily chew through.
Check the trash bins outside the house for signs of mice before sealing the lid securely. When feeding birds and pets, avoid leaving their food out for too long. Clean all messes and spill immediately so that mice won’t have a chance to reach them.
Aside from food, mice also infest homes in searches of different nesting materials like cotton, twine, paper, and pieces of fabric that make their nest more comfortable. These rodents chew on the soft materials so make sure to keep them inside heavy-duty plastic bins. It’s also important to develop a good habit of decluttering regularly to avoid attracting mice.
These rodents also use tree branches, shrubs, and other overgrown foliage around the house to enter the building and build a nest there. Make sure to remove all vines and tree branches at least 3 feet from the house’s perimeter to keep mice from entering.
No matter which effective trap you’re using, they’re no match for dozens of rodents nesting on the property. This kind of pest problem should be left at the hands of a pest control professional like Yale Pest Control to ensure that the mice are gone for good.
Pest control professionals have the right tools, knowledge, and experience in eliminating mice infestations in different types of properties. At Yale Pest Control, we start by inspecting the property for important details like the possible location of mouse nests, the severity of the infestation, and species of mouse or other pests in the property.
After examining inside and outside the house, we come up with the most effective mouse control plans. A combination of different techniques is usually utilized by most pest control professionals, but we always make sure to follow IPM-based methods.
This control method ensures that rodents are completely good and won’t return any time soon. This technique also requires our technicians to use rodenticides or other chemicals that won’t harm the property, the environment, and the family that lives in the property.
It’s crucial to have the best pest control company to take care of the mouse problem for you. After all, they’re responsible for keeping you out of harm’s way while eliminating the rodent infestation in the house. Ask the pest control company these questions first before hiring them:
Learn More: Will a Mouse Trap Still Work if I Touch It with Bare Hands?
Eliminating the mice infestation at home shouldn’t be a lot of work for you, thanks to our pest control experts at Yale Pest Control. We are an established and trusted pest extermination team that offers the highest level of service at the most reasonable prices.
Call us now at (800) 750 – 9253 to get a free quote for your home.
