Signs That Your Home Could Be Harbouring Mice

The 'house mouse' is not native to Australia and was introduced into the country by early settlers. The worst thing about having an infestation of mice is that they multiply very quickly and can cause considerable damage to the home, including to upholstery, books and even furniture and food. If you fear that your house could be harbouring mice, you need to start thinking about getting a professional exterminator to deal with the problem permanently. However, there are a few tell-tale signs that your home could be home for a group of mice.

Droppings

Mice like hiding during the day, and spotting them moving around is close to impossible. However, when they come out to feed at night, they leave tiny black droppings all over the floor and everywhere they pass. If you have small droppings along the walls, near the cupboards and under the sinks in your home, you are probably housing mice.

Grease marks and urine pillars

Mice usually create small mounds or pillars of grease and dirt and urine, especially when there are lots of mice in the house. You will also find grease stains, which result from the fur of the rodents brushing against the walls and other structures where they frequent. Holes in the walls and corners might have a lot of dark smears because that's where the mice move around most.

Scratching sounds in the ceiling

Another common sign of mice in the home is the presence of tiny and endless noises in the ceiling, under the furniture and, at times, inside drywall. The sounds are at times accompanied by the screeching of the mice. Other places you might hear these sounds include floorboards, basements and even lofts.

Footprints in hidden corners of the home

Mice tend to leave behind tracks or footprints wherever they pass in the home. You should be keen on checking for these tracks in parts of the house such as unused basements and dark lofts. If you want to confirm that there is activity in the home, you can sprinkle some flour or talcum powder.

These are some of the standard indicators of mice in the home. You should also check for strong smells of rodent droppings and urine as they are other common indicators of an infestation. Talk with a pest control expert for help determining if there are pests in your home and how to subsequently deal with them.