The presence of persistent mice plagues many homeowners. People struggle with how to get rid of mice in the attic and home, primarily when they reside in hard-to-reach areas. Often, people stay alert against mice in their kitchens and bedrooms, but attics also present an appealing option to mice. Homeowners rarely use their attics for much more than storage so mice can remain unnoticed for a surprising amount of time. Through this article, you will learn:
- Why getting rid of mice is crucial,
- How to tell if there are mice in your attic,
- How to get rid of mice in your attic, and
- Keep mice away from your home.
How Mice Are Dangerous
Although some people choose to keep mice as pets, having these unwanted critters in your home can prove more problematic than you may realize. Your small mouse visitor can quickly transform into an infestation. Female mice can give birth five to ten times a year, with litters typically consisting of around six pups (baby mice).
Additionally, mice can cause significant damage to your home when gathering materials for their nests. Mice have strong chewing and jumping abilities, allowing them to chew through caulk, cloth, wood, and more materials. Mice also chew through wires, possibly presenting a fire hazard in your home.
With serious mice problems, the creatures can even cause lasting structural damage. If the damage to your home isn’t enough to convince you that unwanted mice need to be taken care of, these pests are also known for carrying certain diseases.
According to the CDC, mice can directly spread the Hantavirus, Salmonellosis, Rat-bite fever, and other potentially lethal diseases to humans. You can contract these diseases by coming in contact with the bodily fluids of an infected mouse. Even breathing in air polluted by infected mice feces poses a significant risk. Having unwanted mice in your home is more than a simple nuisance, it can be a danger to your family and pets.
How to Tell if There Are Mice in Your Attic
A crucial step in the process of getting rid of mice in your attic is determining whether the pests are truly mice. One of the most common signs that mice are in your attic is the noises they produce.
You may notice scratching and scurrying sounds at night when mice are more active. If you suspect mice have invaded your home, you can check for mouse droppings, chew marks, or evidence of tunneling in your insulation.
If you are confident that the pests occupying your home are mice, it’s time to move on to learning the best way to get rid of mice in the attic.
How to Get Rid of Mice in Your Attic
Determining how to get rid of mice in your attic can be easier than riding other parts of your home of the critters.
When mice primarily confine themselves to your attic, you can use more pest removal options due to the decreased chance of pets or children accidentally getting harmed by poison or traps.
Poisoning and trapping represent the two most popular options for killing a mouse.
- Trapping
The most popular method for killing a mouse in the attic utilizes traps. Many mouse traps exist, so choosing the right trap for you may seem confusing. A lot of people tend to favor the classic snap-style trap. The presence of a mouse, which tasty bait attracts, triggers this traditional spring-loaded trap. The trap should quickly kill the mouse, which requires your disposal of the body. Because mice can transmit diseases, wear gloves when handling a used trap.
Electronic traps, such as the Victor Electronic Mousetrap, enclose and trap mice after they are lured by bait before delivering a short lethal shock. Electronic traps are reusable, battery-powered, and advertise being able to kill 100 mice with each set of batteries. Mice prefer to travel against walls instead of scurrying across large open spaces. So, place your traps where you believe the most mice are traveling.
Utilizing these traps and strategies dramatically assists in getting rid of mice in your attic. Be sure to check the traps daily to reload or place the traps and ensure you are catching as many mice as possible. If your traps are still not catching any mice in your attic, consider placing the traps against a different wall and in corners.
The final trap option is a glue trap. Glue traps are sticky adhesive attached to a board or piece of sturdy paper. Glue traps hold a mouse in place, restricting it from getting additional food or maintaining an adequate body temperature.
Controversy surrounds whether or not glue traps are humane because they cause painful deaths that can take up to several days. Mice die from exhaustion, overexertion, starvation, or hypothermia on glue traps. Due to the controversy surrounding glue traps, trying snap or electronic traps first may be more humane.
- Rodenticide
If traps have been unsuccessful in your case, you may want to resort to rodenticide (poison) for how to kill mice in your attic. Using rodenticide in the attic poses less danger for your family than in other parts of the house. Because most people enter and use attics less frequently, pets and children are not at risk of accidentally consuming the harmful substance.
Disposing mice’s bodies after they are killed presents a downside to rodenticide. Mice eat rodenticide after it’s combined with tasty treats. Once the mouse consumes the combination, it delivers a lethal dose of poison. mic’sAfter mice consume the lethal poison; they often return to their nest before dying. Therefore, locating the bodies can be difficult, possibly causing an unpleasant smell throughout your home.
Baiting your traps with attractive food for mice is essential to your success in getting rid of mice. Unlike in the classic cartoon Tom and Jerry, mice prefer nuts and berries to cheese. We recommend baiting your traps with peanut butter or sweet candy, such as chocolate chips. Additionally, a pea-sized amount of bait should be used with your snap and electronic traps. Using too much bait may allow the mice to steal a tasty treat without triggering the trap.
How to Keep Mice Away from your Home
Preventing more rodents from entering your home is vital after removing the mice in your attic. Practicing long-term preventive measures is the only way to protect against more mice invading your space.
Mice are adept climbers and jumpers, so ensure that you trim bushes and trees away from your house. The branches can allow mice to gain access to many parts of your house, even second or third floors. Additionally, mice can skillfully squeeze through small openings, even as small as a pen.
Thoroughly check the interior and exterior of your home for their entry points. Once you have identified how mice are getting into your home or attic, seal these holes. Mice can chew through many materials; you must seal these points securely. Many professionals suggest sealing these entry points by stuffing them with steel wool and then covering both sides with caulk.
In addition to regularly checking and sealing possible mice entrances into your home, you can also try to limit what attracts rodents present in your home. Often, rodents invade your home looking for shelter, a safe space to build their nests or food. Ensure your doors and windows seal properly to deter more mice from entering. Some pets, especially cats, can also help keep pesky mice away from your home. While cats may not be skilled in getting rid of mice in your attic, they are often helpful deterrents for other parts of your home and property.
After learning about how to get rid of mice in your attic, you’re probably well equipped to kill the critters in your home. However, consider calling a professional if the small mice problem in your attic is quickly becoming an infestation or if you cannot figure out how mice are getting into your home.
