Any pest can be a nuisance and pose a risk to your home and family’s well-being, but perhaps no pest threat goes as underestimated as the mouse. Mice are highly destructive pests, and when they get into your house, these little pests bring enormous problems. Mice are rodents, which means they share characteristics with other destructive pests such as rats; one common trait is their chewing habits. All rodents have a large pair of powerful, ever-growing front incisors that they maintain by chewing on any objects they come across. This could mean personal belongings, wires, or even the structures of your home itself. They also spread nasty bacteria and diseases to surfaces they come into contact with.

All that being said, you know you will need to get rid of mice to avoid damage to your home, harm to your family members, and unwanted stress, but you might not know the best way to go about it. Protecting your family and home comes naturally, but that doesn’t mean you always have the tools or knowledge to do what’s necessary to ensure your family is as healthy and safe as possible. Since 1971, the Jacksonville pest control experts at Trad’s Pest Control have built a strong reputation of integrity, generosity, service, and customer commitment throughout the greater Jacksonville area. We are professionals at controlling and preventing mice and other area pests. Today, we’ll cover how to tell if your home has a problem with mice, explain how mice can get you sick even without direct contact, and the best way to get rid of mice from your Jacksonville home. Let’s get started!

How To Tell If It’s Mice In Your Home

The problems mice create for your home are plentiful, but before you can accurately identify the signs of a rodent problem, let’s cover some general information about where you can find them. Rodents are mammals, and many different rodent species live worldwide. Although most live outdoors and away from people, only a tiny fraction of rodents live near us. Along with rats, mice are a type of rodent that has developed a close relationship with people.

Because of the sources of food, water, and shelter our homes provide, mice have come to live close to humans. Therefore, knowing some of the mouse’s most common hiding spots is essential. Mice typically will use the following locations for hiding spots:

house mouse in a kitchen cabinet
  • Behind large appliances
  • Garages, sheds, and play structures
  • Inside wall voids
  • Under decks and porches
  • Under furniture
  • Within crawl spaces

Now that we’ve covered where you are most likely to find rodents in or near your home let’s go over some common signs of a rodent infestation.

Regularly inspecting these areas and searching for food, a nest, gnaw marks, or rodent droppings will help you identify an infestation sooner rather than later. Some of the most common signs of mouse problems in your home include:

  • Droppings around food packages, in drawers or cupboards, and under the sink.
  • Holes chewed through walls and floors that create entry points into the home.
  • Nesting material such as shredded paper, fabric, or dried plant matter.
  • Signs of chewing on food packaging.
  • Stale smells coming from hidden areas.

Regularly inspecting these areas and searching for food, a nest, gnaw marks, or rodent droppings will help you identify an infestation sooner rather than later.

You Don’t Have To Touch Mice For Them To Make You Sick

When you think of household pest infestations, it’s most likely insects such as bed bugs, cockroaches, or termites that first come to mind. However, house mice have earned their rank as one of the most dangerous types of pests you can encounter in your home. The list of diseases associated with mice is very long. Let’s take a look at a few of the worst.

  • E. coli infection can be mild or severe. The C.D.C. estimates that 100 people die yearly from E.coli, and 265,000 get ill from this bacteria.
  • Hantavirus is a serious disease. It is estimated that 40 percent of people who get hantavirus pulmonary syndrome die from it. According to the C.D.C., there have been 728 cases of Hantavirus in the United States since 1993.
  • Salmonella is a bacterial disease that can cause hospitalization. The CDC estimates 420 people die yearly from salmonella, and 26,500 are hospitalized.

While mice are known to bite in self-defense, it’s essential to understand that this is not the only way these pests can transmit disease. Rodents can spread these illnesses across any surfaces they contact. For this reason, proper disinfecting and sanitization of surface areas is critical during and after a mouse infestation.

Rodents

The Best Way To Get The Mice Out Of Your House For Good

If you’re still wondering how to get rid of mice, you’re in the right place. Here at Trad’s Pest Control, we are passionate about rodent control in Jacksonville and are always available to help you solve your pest problems. We provide homeowners in our community with effective and hassle-free mouse control services through our interior and exterior inspections and practical and straightforward pest control services. Our highly trained professionals offer various treatment options to meet your unique needs and solve your mouse problem.

Our rodent control service begins with a thorough inspection of your property. We will examine the interior and exterior of your home for signs of rodent activity such as the ones we covered above. Once we’ve determined the area or areas of infestation, our team will use bait boxes, Bluetooth traps and monitoring, and rodent contraception to prevent further infestations in your home. The nontoxic contraception is safe for humans and pets, so you can rest assured your family will stay safe.

Trad’s Pest Control is proud to serve the Jacksonville community with the pest control services you need for a pest-free home. The solution is simple when it comes to protecting your home from mice and other common Jacksonville pests. Here are several reasons why you can feel confident in trusting Trad’s Pest Control for your mouse control needs:

  • We have served Jacksonville and the surrounding areas since 1971.
  • We are family-owned and operated.
  • We have developed a reputation for integrity, generosity, service, and customer commitment.
  • We are QualityPro certified, a designation only 3 percent of pest control companies have earned from the National Pest Management Association.
  • We are committed to our community.
  • We offer free estimates.
  • We guarantee our services.
  • We are quality-focused.
  • We are Green Certified by Florida Green Industries.
  • We have an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.

How To Prevent Future Mouse Infestations In Your HomeZ

Now that you know a few facts about mice, what can and should you do about them? It is essential to consider that rodent prevention will deter mouse activity and reduce your chances of having a problem with mice in your home. Use the following preventative measures to safeguard your home against these deadly home invaders:

  • Clean up food debris from floors, surfaces, and around appliances.
  • Eliminate clutter from your yard.
  • Maintain your landscaping by keeping it trimmed and removing unnecessary vegetation.
  • Ensure screens, weatherstripping, and door sweeps are all in good condition.
  • Keep garbage contained and protected.
  • Keep kitchen and pantry food items stored in sealed containers.
  • Pick up any food sources, such as nuts, fruits, and cookout foods.
  • Put wire mesh in downspouts.
  • Put pet food down only during meals.
  • Relocate bird feeders from the exterior of your home.
  • Remove vines and lattices from your exterior.
  • Remove wood piles, leaf piles, branches, and other organic debris.
  • Seal entry points in your exterior.
  • Trim branches away from your roofline.

Nobody likes the idea of mice running around their Jacksonville home. These small creatures can create big problems in your Jacksonville home and are not pests you want to ignore. Trad’s Pest Control has your back to help solve any mouse, rat, or general pest problem in your home! As a local business serving our community for over 50 years, you can trust Trad’s Pest Control to take care of your pest control needs.

Suppose you are experiencing higher than normal rodent pressures or conducive conditions that are difficult to control on your own. In that case, investing in a residential rodent control program from Trad’s Pest Control is always wise. If you live in the greater Jacksonville, FL area, reach out to Trad’s Pest Control and get started with a free estimate. We use field-tested methods to achieve great results, and we guarantee you will be satisfied with our service.