Mice

What are mice?

Mice are rodents and some of the most common pests that home and business owners contend with regularly. As omnivores, mice have a varied diet and feed on seeds, grains, fruits, and other foods they discover. Mice eat many of the same foods we do, which is one reason why they are such fans of living near people. Another big reason mice live near us is because in recent decades our habitats have come to overlap. Things like garbage cans, outdoor eating areas, and gardens are regularly visited by mice and found in most of our yards. A Boise, ID pest professional can help you detect rodent activity and create a plan to get mice out of your home.

Mice have oval-shaped bodies, long thin tails covered in a light layer of velvety fur, large ears that stand up off their triangular-shaped heads, and a pointed noses. The fur covering their bodies ranges in color from light gray to black, and they have lighter-colored underbellies. Like all rodents, mice have front incisors (teeth) that grow continuously throughout their lives. To make their teeth sharp and keep them from overgrowing, they gnaw on most objects they come across to wear them down.

Are mice dangerous?

Mice are never welcome inside our homes because they are destructive and dangerous. As mice travel, they leave behind trails of urine and excrement. Each day, a single mouse produces between 40 and 100 droppings! As they move through our homes, they contaminate surfaces and food with salmonella, E. coli, hantavirus, and many other disease-causing pathogens and parasites.

Inside homes, they cause damage by chewing through structural items and personal belongings. They can also damage structural elements like wires and pipes, leading to fires and mold issues.

Why do I have a mouse problem?

Mice are good at climbing, swimming, and jumping; this means that these critters can find their way into our homes in various ways, both at ground level and up off of the ground. Keeping mice out of our homes is difficult because they want to live with us. Mice are commensal rodents, which means they want to “share our table.” Mice are typically motivated to move inside either by the lure of food or the promise of warm, safe shelter, and will find a way through the smallest of openings.

Where will I find earwigs?

An important part of our ecosystem, mice act as prey for many predators, and because they’re prey animals, they do their best to stay hidden. These nocturnal creatures stay in their nesting sites during the day. Common outdoor nesting spots include under woodpiles, in dense vegetation, tall grass, and tree stumps.

When mice decide to move into our homes, they place their nests in quiet areas, such as behind wall voids, in attics, chimneys, the backs of cabinets, and behind large appliances. They like to nest within clutter, boxes, and other things that provide them with a dark, sheltered hiding spot.

How do I get rid of mice?

Don’t try to tackle a mouse infestation on your own. Get rid of mice from your Idaho property the simplest way: with the help of an experienced professional! Our Four Season Protection Plan will protect your home from mice and other pests throughout the entire year.

Using the best products on the market, a low-impact approach, and high-quality products, we provide long-lasting solutions you can trust. We also offer families affordable rodent solutions and peace of mind knowing their homes are free of pests. If you are experiencing problems with mice in your Boise or Meridian area home or business, call Owyhee Environmental today!

How can I prevent mice in the future?

At Owyhee Environmental, we want to help you prevent problems with mice by putting together a list of prevention tips that will make your property less attractive to these pests:

Mice can squeeze their bodies through a space the diameter of a pencil, so it’s essential to inspect your home’s entire exterior and seal any opening you discover, no matter how small they may be.
Mice will take advantage of any source of food they discover. Keeping your kitchen free of crumbs and other food debris goes a long way to making your home unappealing to mice.
Limiting eating to kitchen and dining areas will prevent crumbs from being strewn throughout your home.
Put away pet food each evening before you go to bed.
Trash cans and compost bins need tight-fitting lids on them to keep hungry mice out.
Don’t store wood or allow clutter to build up near the exterior walls of your home.

We initially started using Owyhee Environmental due to a mouse issue and since they came to help almost 2 years ago we haven’t seen a mouse since! The technician that come out are always thorough, efficient, and super kind! You won’t be disappointed with their services!

- Emily R.

Mario helped us out with our rodent issue in our new home and was amazing! His customer service is top grade and I recommend him to everyone.

- Lizzy S.

We had JJ come out and help us with mice who had discovered the bird seed stash in our shed! They were happy, we were not. He showed us ways we could fix the problem and set some traps out and he will come back this week to check them. We have since not seen one single mouse! Good job JJ and thank you for doing such a perfect job!

- Diana G.

Mario came out today to help us with our mice problem inside the house. He was professional, friendly & very informative! Checked everything inside & out. Put traps in place & sprayed. He even put booties on his shoes before entering the house! I choose Owyhee Environmental because they are a small business & love supporting local. Excited to have their services now as we did signed up for their program. Thank you Mario & Owyhee.

- Tiffany S.

I appreciate that Jeff took the time to explain exactly how the rodent pest service works. I feel much better about the process. He seems to really understand what my issues are and the best way to fix them.

- Beth J.

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