Mickey Mouse, Ratatouille, Stuart Little, and Tom’s rascally nemesis, Jerry … we sure do love mice when they’re cute. And fictional. Other hand, most of us would prefer to get rid of mice that are real! They are foul varmints that can spread dozens of diseases to humans in the daily course of normal mouse business. They don’t have to bite you; their feces, urine, saliva, fleas, ticks, and mites can transmit illness a hundred different ways.
Also, they breed with great gusto—and fertility, bless their frisky little hearts—one female mouse can produce as many as 70 to 80 offspring per year, giving birth as often as every three weeks. So a small mouse problem can quickly become a huge mouse problem. You have to deal with them, and better sooner than later, but why would you use a professional to get rid of mice?
Mice are Good at Staying Alive
Like cockroaches, ants, and other creatures that have learned to exploit human habitats for food, water, and warmth, mice are good at the job of surviving in that environment. When new dangers appear—like mouse traps—they adjust their behaviors, quickly learning to sidestep hazards. To truly eradicate a population of mice, it helps to be something of a mouse expert. Pest control professionals understand mouse behavior; social and mating habits; foraging and eating routines; preferred traffic patterns, habitat preferences, and nesting behaviors. They know what treatments to use and where to use them. Without this arsenal of knowledge, it can be difficult to get rid of mice that are plaguing your property.
Is Prevention Half the Job of Pest Management?
Unless you plan to keep putting out baits and traps forever, you’ll also need to prevent new mice from entering your living space, once the current invaders are gone. Again, a pro will know where to look for breaches and how to seal them. Mice are superb contortionists when it comes to wriggling through narrow spaces, and a pest professional will be able to identify any cracks, holes, and crevices large enough to allow them entry. The technician may seal up some areas as he finds them, while providing you with recommendations on how to deal with others that require additional attention.
Children, Pets, Mouse Traps, and Poisons
Most off-the-shelf mouse remedies involve the use of a food product, whether it’s a flavored poison or a smear of peanut butter on a mechanical trap. Pets and small children are notorious for eating first and asking questions later, so DIY baits and traps are unacceptable solutions for a lot of families.
Professionals have a more comprehensive array of tools and strategies. They have the knowledge and equipment to place professional-grade baits and traps directly on heavily trafficked mouse “highways” that are inaccessible to children and pets.
How Do Professionals Get Rid of Mice?
Most of what a pest professional does to get rid of mice is common sense stuff, but it’s informed by technical education and an experienced eye. Go Green technicians use Integrated Pest Management (IPM) tactics jointly developed by the EPA and pest industry specialists. IPM methods are the result of decades of research and field testing, and IPM-certified technicians are trained in their use.
An experienced pro also has the benefit of field experience, having seen how mice respond to various strategies in a variety of situations and eco-systems. They’ve basically gotten smarter than the mouse at the mouse’s own game, which is often what it takes to win the battle. With all that said, here are some standard IPM tactics for rodent extermination:
- Evaluate pest entry points, traffic patterns, and food sources on the property.
- Seal entry points and possibly recommend changes to food and/or trash storage systems.
- Place baits and traps in known mouse thoroughfares away from food and common areas of the home, safely inaccessible to children and pets. These may include crawlspaces, basements, attics, and other areas favored by mice but usually unused by humans. The nice thing about professional rodent control is that it doesn’t turn areas of human occupation into mine fields of traps and poisons; it’s all about effective targeting.
- Recommend an IPM plan going forward, if indicated. Some mouse problems can require monthly treatments in the beginning, accompanied by preventive measures. A more typical, ongoing plan will involve inspections and treatments every three months.
How to Get Rid of Mice Forever
There’s no single-shot solution to any pest problem. Your property is part of an eco-system, and that eco-system changes over time. The structures on your property age, as well, and buildings can require adjustments and updates from time to time. Nothing lasts forever, and that’s why Integrated Pest Management was invented: to establish an ongoing approach to pest control in America that effectively keeps mice, roaches, ants, and other pests away with no harm to humans, non-targeted species, or the environment.
Most property owners find that a quarterly IPM plan is both affordable and effective at keeping all pests under control. Many of our customers find that this preventative-maintenance approach costs less in the long run than waiting to deal with pest problems when they arise. And the biggest benefit is that we guarantee our work to be, not only 100 percent effective, but as safe as possible for the humans who occupy your property.
Learn more about how Go Green Pest Control can help you get rid of mice by giving us a call: 316-733-0687 in Wichita or 1-785-377-0687 in Manhattan and Junction City.
