MICE CONTROL

There are many mice found in the UK such as the House Mouse, Wood Mouse (commonly known as the Field Mouse), Yellow Neck Mouse and the Dormouse (this one is protected). Mice eat around 3g of food per day which is around 20% of its body weight – weighing in at around 15g, however manage to produce up to 80 droppings per day! They eat between 20 and 30 meals each night. Mice typically drink 3ml of water in a day, this largely depends upon the amount of moisture present within the food they eat. The life expectancy of the house mouse is just 3-4 months, the gestational period is only 3 weeks and the size of their litter is typically between 4-16. As soon as a female mouse has given birth and has reached weaning stage she is able to become pregnant once again, fast work! Mice can fit through a gap as small as 6mm thick.

Mice can cause a lot of damage by chewing wood work, boxes and paper, almost anything they can get their teeth in to. Mice have very weak bladders and are pretty much urinating constantly everywhere they go, this is to leave a scent trail. Urine carries many diseases that should be taken seriously as should the droppings. Whenever handling anything that mice may have been in contact with you should always ensure that you are wearing the correct personal protective equipment (gloves, masks etc). We also recommend using a strong disinfectant and the removal of all waste following a rodent infestation. Details of how we can help with this can be found on our cleaning page.

Self-treatments should always be something that is carefully considered. The misuse of rodenticides carry heavy fines and possible imprisonment so you should always ensure that you are acting within the law. Taking into consideration the use of rodenticides purchased by the general public and not only the risk to themselves and others around them, but also that of secondary poisoning of none target species, this is when a rodenticide is placed down in the wrong way allowing other animals to consume it which in most cases would prove fatal. Also, the use of both traps and glue boards should be done with caution as these are also under regulation. More information can be found on our rat page in the same section ‘How do I get rid’.

If you do decide to carry out a self-treatment using rodenticides or traps within a building, it is good advice to pay particular attention to the presence of bats and their roosts. Bats are heavily protected under UK law and if caught using traps or rodenticides near them or even disturbing them, it is certain prosecution which may lead to imprisonment.

Rodent control can be something that is extremely difficult to achieve. Every situation is different and will need a different course of action to the next. The Pest Master will always do an initial survey of the site, property or business which is infested before initiating any treatment, taking in to account the risks involved to both public health and environmental risks alike.