Mice have been invading human homes for thousands of years. These little, opportunistic creatures are sneaky and cautious, so they can be difficult to deal with. Luckily, we have traps to do the trick. The key, however, is to use them effectively. Traps must be placed in strategic locations and baited with fresh, attractive materials. If you’d like some help getting rid of mice, give Mouse Control Cambridge a call.
Mice are nocturnal mammals that largely depend on human habitats to thrive. While they can survive in the wild by themselves, mice prefer to live near humans for their food and shelter. Once inside a human residence, they like to nest in quiet areas such as wall voids, false ceilings, attics, and storage rooms. Every night, they venture out of their nests in search of food and water. Mice are primarily herbivores that feed on things like fruit, vegetables, seeds, nuts, and grains. However, they have also been known to eat meat, dairy, and waste when the opportunity presents itself. Keep this diet in mind when baiting traps.
As opportunistic omnivores, mice will eat practically anything, but they do have preferences. Like us, mice prefer to eat fresh food, so it’s important that you change your mice bait regularly if it is unused. If a trap has had no visitors after about a week, replace the bait. Remember that mice are very small, so put only about a pea’s worth of food in the trap. Putting too much food could result in mice eating the bait without springing the trap. Peanut butter is a favourite. You can also try pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, or breakfast cereal. Human snacks like gumdrops, chocolate, marshmallows, and beef jerky may also prove successful. If all else fails, try baiting your traps with nesting materials, such as cotton balls or string.
There are lots of other helpful things you can do when treating for mice. First, you should remove competing food sources from the home to encourage the mice to consume the baits you placed. Keep the kitchen clean and store foods in tightly sealed containers. Take out the garbage before the end of the day and don’t leave any food out overnight. You should also make sure that you are placing your traps in ineffective locations, such as along the walls of the home. Remove clutter to reduce their opportunities to miss traps.
Mice prefer to avoid stale food, so changing your baits often is unfortunately necessary when treating for mice. Experiment with different foods and give the mice time to adjust to the changes you made in their environment. You should also consider getting the help of a professional to get rid of the mice you are dealing with. The crew at Exterminator Cambridge know mouse control in and out. We can take care of the problem for you and prevent any more infestations with our guaranteed mouse-proofing services. Call Exterminator Cambridge today and we’ll get started.