They might look cute in pictures, but spotting a house mouse in your Honolulu home isn’t something you want to do in real life. With pointed muzzles, dusty gray to brown fur, large ears, and cream-colored bellies, house mice have been dependent on humans for centuries.
To a mouse, your Honolulu home represents food, water, and warm shelter – and these rodents aren’t going to give that up so easily. Unfortunately, these pests can be dangerous for you and your family. Here’s what you should know about the diseases house mice may bring with them, how you can prevent a house mouse infestation, and what to do if you’ve already got a house mouse problem.
Are House Mice Dangerous In Honolulu, HI?
Having a house mouse infestation is more than just a nuisance – it can be dangerous for you and your family’s health but also destructive for your home. As far as health risks go, mice are linked to a myriad of different diseases, including:
- Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome
- Salmonellosis
- Leptospirosis
- Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis (LCM)
Of that list, LCM is the most common disease that house mice carry, and it’s easy for humans to contract – all it takes is breathing in the dust where an infested mouse has dropped their feces or urinated.
Besides the diseases they bring with them, house mice can be highly destructive too. These pests won’t hesitate to chew through your wiring, walls, or even your insulation while they’re trying to build a nest.
What makes house mice even more dangerous is how quickly they multiply. If you spot a mouse in your house, you might assume there’s only one or two – but this is rarely the case. In their 9 to 12-month lifespan, a mouse can have up to 48 babies, which makes it easy for infestations to spiral out of control.
How To Prevent House Mice In Honolulu, HI
While prevention may not always do much for active infestations, there are some steps you can take to lower the risk of a house mouse infestation.
Seal Potential Entry-Points
Good mice prevention begins with preventing these pests from even coming inside – but that’s not always easy. Since mice can squeeze through a hole that’s the size of a pen, they don’t need a lot of room. And, in some cases, mice may even chew through tinier holes and cracks until they’re big enough openings to slip through.
Generally, it’s a good idea to just completely seal off these potential entry points – which may include cracks and holes in your foundation, gaps under your door, and even tears in your window and door screens. And, to make sure they won’t chew through the sealant, you’ll need to make sure you use a material that these rodents can’t sink their teeth into either.
Insulation, paper, and drywall are all susceptible to mice, but these rodents won’t be able to chew through steel wool or metal if you use it to plug these holes.
Practice Proper Food & Trash Storage
Although mice are resourceful enough to break into your pantry or cabinets, these rodents prefer to do as little work as possible. They are more attracted to homes where they’ve got an abundant food source. Leaving out leftovers or not sealing your trash cans correctly can draw mice in, so it’s crucial to practice proper food and garbage storage.
This means keeping your leftovers in airtight containers, cleaning up spills and crumbs left behind after meals, and even sealing open containers of pet food. If you find food that you think has been contaminated by mice, you’ll need to throw it out – otherwise, you run the risk of attracting an illness like salmonella.
The Most Effective Form Of House Mouse Control In Honolulu, HI
Given how quickly these infestations can grow and how dangerous house mice can be, this isn’t a pest you want to try and battle on your own. Instead, let us take charge at Pest Tech Hawaii. We’ve got over a century’s worth of experience dealing with pests like the house mouse, and we know how to fight them.
If you’ve seen a mouse or you’re noticing other signs of an infestation, you shouldn’t wait. Call us at Pest Tech Hawaii today to request an estimate or learn more about our rodent control program or residential pest control solutions.
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