What You Need to Know About Mice

DIY Pest Control is becoming more and more accessible due to internet web sites with professional strength products at low price points. To be an effective DIY Pest Controller, you should also arm yourself with the facts about your particular pest to ensure success. In this article, we discuss facts about mice that you need to know to be a successful DIY pest controller.

Did you know that mice are very territorial and do not like to stray over than 30 feet from their nesting site?

Mice will also stay within 10 feet of their main food supply. Since they are good climbers, it is easy for them to make residence in ceilings, attics, or pipe runs. Also possible are areas below their food source, such as basements, floor voids and crawlspaces.

To use this mouse fact for effective DIY control, imagine a 10 foot sphere surrounding the entire area radiating from their food source. If you cannot locate the mice that way, expand the area to 30 feet, to search for the rodent nesting area. If your house has several floors and you are a finding mice throughout, using this information will let you know that there are several mice colonies in your home.

Did you know that mice like to travel on runways where their whiskers can touch a surface?

They prefer to utilize dark, protected areas, and have preference for corners.
You can use this mouse fact to help you in your DIY Pest Control regime by looking for rub marks along base boards. It is possible to leave a trail of talc along the suspected runway and check back in the morning for signs of foot prints. If you locate the rodent runway, place baits, glue traps and snap traps along these paths. The suggested distance for the traps is ten feet, or closer for heavier infestations.

Mice are very curious rodents and will investigate if their surroundings are altered.

You can use this to your advantage by rearranging furniture, etc. in areas that you suspect mouse activity. This can help you if you place traps out that evening, forcing the mice to venture out of their comfort zone.

Lastly, mice like to eat often, but just a little. They like dark and protected areas, and may prefer these sites within their feeding territory. If you have located one of their favored feeding areas, utilize this area for a concentration of baiting. But also, use your baiting and traps and numerous areas through out their territory. This will help you bait as many mice as possible, in a shorter amount of time.

Reference: www.pctonline.com August 2009 issue