7 Signs You Have a Mouse Problem

While cartoon mice like Mickey and Minnie are charming enough, their real life counterparts are far less appealing. These rodents will feast on your food, chew up your wires and indiscriminately spread filth and disease throughout your home. They reproduce quickly, and one or two mice can quickly become several dozen so knowing the early symptoms of an infestation can prevent a costly restitution later on. Here’s how to recognize the initial signs so that you can quickly regain control of your Calgary home.

1. Droppings

The mouse is an animal that feels no need to control where it defecates and you’re likely to find evidence to this effect just about everywhere in your Calgary home. However, many people first spot this type of evidence of a mouse infestation in the kitchen, where food was likely nabbed at the same time. Mouse feces closely resemble a grain of rice in size but is dark brown to black in colour.

2. Stained walls
Those mysterious dark grease spots on your walls may have been left behind by a mouse. Mice tend to scurry along the edges of rooms where they feel less exposed, and their grimy rodent bodies often leave behind a telling streak that marks their passage.

3. Food trails
Small bits of food scattered over your otherwise pristine counters or floors may have been left behind by Stuart Little and his pals. You may also notice cardboard or plastic containers in your pantry that have mysterious holes in the bottom.

4. Nests
Shredded paper, fabric or leaves make fine materials to construct a cozy nest. Mice tend to build their homes in dark, out-of-the-way spots like under floorboards, in wall cavities, behind or under appliances, and in attics. If you find a nest, you definitely need to call for immediate animal control services in your Calgary home.

5. Nocturnal noises
Mice are most active at night. If you hear scampering and scurrying when you turn off the lights, there may be mice afoot.

6. An unpleasant aroma
Mouse urine smells somewhat like ammonia, and you may notice this type of odour if you have an infestation. Alternatively, you may sniff out the more pungent and unpleasant aroma of a deceased mouse decomposing somewhere within the walls of your home.

7. Chewed up wires
Mouse teeth never stop growing and in order to keep them filed down, constant chewing is a must. Wires are oddly appealing chew-toys and you may find yours gnawed at or even broken if you have these pests in your home.

If you note one or more of these seven signs of a mouse infestation, it’s time to act. Getting your mice population under control is a task that’s best approached expeditiously and in Calgary, Cal-Rid Exterminators is the most experienced and efficient pest control company you’ll find. Contact us today to get a quote or schedule an appointment.