Persistence Necessary In Mouse Prevention
During winter months, mice often try to find warmth in people's homes. These little rodents can often find a way into homes and cause irritating scratching noises and leave droppings in a house. Mice can be kept out or caught by taking a few measures.
By Andrea Nisley
UNL Extension Educator - Family Consumer Science, Dawson County
UNL Extension Educator - Family Consumer Science, Dawson County
During winter months, mice often try to find warmth in people's homes. These little rodents can often find a way into homes and cause irritating scratching noises and leave droppings in a house. Mice can be kept out or caught by taking a few measures.
Mice like the vegetation and grass seeds that grow in front of most houses. Consider creating a rock bed against the foundation to keep these creatures from finding cracks and other ways into the home.
Once inside the home, mice tend to go to hard to reach places or less populated areas. They do not want to be out in the open. Most mice will be in the basement of a home or up in an attic.
Once inside the home, mice tend to go to hard to reach places or less populated areas. They do not want to be out in the open. Most mice will be in the basement of a home or up in an attic.
Look for mouse holes along the foundation. Mice can enter a 3/8 inch hole and often get into homes through unscreened vents and pipes.
When targeting an area, don't just use two mouse traps. Pursue the rodent aggressively. Don't just set a few traps, set dozens of them in a concentrated area.
Be careful when pursuing mice. If going into an attic, consider wearing a respiration mask to avoid breathing in dangerous toxins.
For more information about mouse prevention and trapping visit NebGuide G1105, Controlling House Mice, available online at: http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/epublic/pages/index.jsp or at a local UNL extension office.
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