Why The House Mouse Is Not Welcome!
January 30, 2018
Rodents are found all over the world and make up 40 percent of all mammals. The most common ones that households and businesses have to worry about are the brown rat, the black rat, and the house mouse. These critters can be found hidden in food storage areas and are ready to spread diseases to you and your loved ones. Even though most people think of rodents as pests, some have them as pets like the guinea pig, chinchilla, or hamster.
The Life Cycle Of A Rodent
Rodents have different characteristics like two giant incisors which allows them to chew through things quickly and efficiently. These incisors are sharp and continuously grow through the lifespan of the rodent. Most rodents weigh less than 3 ounces which allows them to be quick moving and hide in small places. Most species of rodents have good hearing, vision, and sense of smell. Even though some people keep the house mouse as a pet, it is commonly referenced as a pest. It is nocturnal and spends most of its time scurrying and looking for food. Even though rats are close to the species of mice, they like to prey on them and eat them as part of their diet. Even though they are blind at birth, mice have similar vision as that of a human. However, mice are dichromatids which means they can't see every color that a human or trichromatic are able to see. They can sense air-movement and surfaces with their whiskers which allows them to sense danger coming towards them. Their tails are used to balance them as they run and climb, and help them communicate with other mice through their hormones.
House mice usually live only up to one year in its natural environment due to predators. If it is kept as a pet however, it can live up to 3 years because it is protected. That being said it can live up to 3 years as a pest as well if it finds the right environment to settle down in. If a house mouse gets into your home or business, it can contaminate your food and sometimes spread diseases. One of the diseases linked to house mice is Lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCMV). Even though it can be infectious to a human, sometimes it is never diagnosed because of little to no symptoms. There have been some symptoms and concerns when pertaining to people who are pregnant. House mice sometimes are hosts to diseases that could kill multiple people. The most known case of this is the bubonic plague. Even though it is not common this is a concern when it comes to mice.
One way people get rid of mice in a barn or just on a farm is to keep a cat around. Mice can be detrimental to a farm because it could feed on the plants you may be trying to grow. To prevent a house mouse or any kind of rodent is to set out mouse traps in the area you think the mouse might be affecting. The most efficient way would be to get your home or place of business sprayed by a pest control company before the pest is inhabiting it.
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