When it starts getting cold outside, you may notice that your home is being used as a safe haven for many creatures that usually prefer being outside. Mice and insects will try to sneak into your home in order to find food, water and get out of the cold as winter approaches. While you may think you know a lot about mice, there are many interesting facts about these small rodents that you may have never heard about. Here is a list of five facts about mice that you may not know.
1. Mice Can Squeeze Into Tiny Spaces
Mice don’t need much room in order to get into your home. You may think you have your doors and other access points adequately protected against the little critters, but they can get into spaces as small as the size of a dime. If you have a small crack in your foundation or there is outdoor access for a drain pipe, then mice can take advantage of it and get into your house. A good way to keep them out is to go around your home and caulk any cracks or crevices you see where they might get into your home. From the inside of your house, use steel wool to fill gaps and holes that you find.
2. Mice are Good Climbers, Jumpers and More
Mice are quite nimble on their tiny feet. They can jump up to 18 inches in the air, which may not seem too high for you, but considering how small they are, that is Michael Jordan-esque. They can also easily climb curtains or on furniture to get to what they want. To keep mice out of your food, place all opened food in plastic containers with tightly sealed lids. They will chew through cardboard or climb into boxes of open food to feast on what they find.
3. Mice Carry Vast Amounts of Germs
You probably already know mice are not the cleanest creatures on earth and that they can spread diseases such as Hantavirus and Salmonella, but they can carry over 200 other human pathogens as well. These critters can make you deathly ill, so it is vital that you keep them out of your house.
4. Mice Have Tiny Bodies and Big Appetites
Mice prefer to build their nest near a food source, which usually means your kitchen, because they eat so frequently on a daily basis. On the average, a mouse will eat between 15 and 20 times per day.
5. Mice Have Lots of Babies
Female mice can reproduce starting as young as two months old and they can have babies every three weeks. In their lifetime, which is fairly short, they can have dozens of babies. The adage about seeing one mouse means there are many more is true since they can multiply so quickly.
While you can trap mice or keep a cat in your home to discourage them from living there, an exterminator can help ensure you don’t end up with an infestation.
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