1-888-488-7720
General Mouse Questions
Q. Why did the Creator of Heaven and Earth make mice, anyway?
Q. Why did the mice pick my house?
Q. Why do mice want to live in my attic, walls or crawl space?
Q. Why do I need to get rid of mice?
Q. When do mice come into houses?
Q. When is the best time to get rid of mice?
Q. Where do mice usually enter a building?
Q. How do I know if I have mice in my attic?
Q. Where can I get help with my mouse problem?
Health & Safety
Q. What are the health risks of having mice in my residential or commercial building?
Q. What is Hantavirus and what kind of threat is it to my family?
Q. Who is responsible for this mouse problem?
Animal Control Products and Methods
Q. What are the most common mouse complaints you receive?
Q. Which poisons do you recommend to kill mice?
Q. Which mouse repellents are the best?
Q. Which methods do you use to exterminate mice?
Q. Who should I call for help?
Q. Why should I hire a professional to get rid of mice?
Property Damage
Q. What damage can mice cause?
Q. What is this going to do to my property value?
Q. What will a wildlife removal technician do about the mice in my building?
Q. How do mice get in my building?
Q. How can I get the mice out?
Q. How can a wildlife removal technician help me get rid of the mice?
Costs
Q. What does it cost for an initial on-site mouse inspection?
Q. What does it cost for an initial over-the-phone mouse control consultation?
Q. Who pays for my mouse problem?
Q. What FREE mouse control services does your company offer to the public?
Q. How much will it cost to get rid of the mice?
General Mouse Questions
Q. Why did the Creator of Heaven and Earth make mice, anyway?
A. Mice are an important food source for many other animals and birds, too, including wolves, hawks and owls. Other than that, I sometimes think mice were put here just to annoy man.
Q. Why did the mice pick my house?
A. Mice picked your house because it provides them with food and shelter. Mice don’t discriminate on anything else--they are comfortable in small apartments or huge mansions. If there is food, they are happy! I only mention food because mice need very little water, as their food supplies most of their water needs.
The biggest mistake people make in trying to mouse-proof their homes is that they only consider mice coming in through low places, such as underneath doors or through other gaps at the ground level. The fact is that mice are climbers, and they will climb up brick, wood, stucco, siding, bushes, trees, or whatever else is available to access gaps that are up high. It may be that mice picked your house because the attic was easy to get to. A professional inspection of the property would reveal these things.
Q. Why do mice want to live in my attic, walls or crawl space?
A. Mice go where there is food, and once they find it they don’t leave. As a secondary consideration, they are looking for a safe, warm place to have babies.
Q. Why do I need to get rid of mice?
A. Mice adapt to new situations easily and reproduce rapidly. A mouse becomes sexually mature at around 2 months, can produce several litters of up to 12 young in a litter and keep right on doing it. Mice are physically small, but are one of the top causes of economic damage in North America. The longer you allow them to stay the more of them there will be and the more damage they will cause. And, mice damage just about everything: food, walls, insulation, cabinets, paper, plants, etc.
A. Mice are a problem when they help themselves to your food or set up housekeeping in your attic.
Q. When do mice come into houses?
A. It is most common for mice to seek shelter in homes during the fall as winter approaches, but they can come in any time they are ready to nest and have babies, which is year-round.
Q. When is the best time to get rid of mice?
A. Get rid of mice as soon as possible. Mice are almost like weeds—they can live almost anywhere, reproduce rapidly and are difficult to get rid of one established. They breed all year. They eat almost anything. If you have a small mouse problem now you will have a big one very quickly. Get rid of them as soon as you suspect they are there.
A. There are three types of mice in North America: common house mouse, White Footed Mouse and Deer Mouse.
The house mouse is found throughout the United States and has been a part of human life for over 6000 years. House mice have a noticeable musky smell that lets you know they are around. A city house mouse may life its entire life in buildings, never leaving a human-made structure. Rural or suburban mice live both inside and outside and may even seasonally move from indoors during cold weather to outdoors during warm weather where they take up residence in shrubs, rock walls or under decks. Under favorable conditions, they multiply rapidly. A house mouse can climb, jump and run from place to place with surprising speed and agility.
The white-footed mouse is similar to the more-common house mouse and ranges mainly from the northeast United States to the southwest and Mexico. It looks similar to the Deer Mouse and can also carry Hantavirus.
The Deer Mouse is a distant relative of the common house mouse, has the same destructive habits and a similar living style. It is most common in the American southwest, particularly New Mexico, where it is a known carrier of Hantavirus.
Q. Where do mice usually enter a building?
A. Mice can enter a building through any hole more than ¼ inch across. They particularly enter homes during the fall, when it starts to get cold outside. Common entrance locations include cracks in foundations, openings for water pipes or utility lines, and loose vents, doors or screens.
Q. How do I know if I have mice in my attic?
A. You may hear them making a rustling, chewing or squeaking sound in ceilings or behind walls. Many people say the noise is louder than they would expect from such a small animal. You may see small holes in food or bread wrappers or you may see mouse droppings (small, dark and rod-shaped) in drawers, cabinets or on shelves. You may also see gnawing damage on the corners of boxes, on bars of soap on or papers. You may smell them, a distinctive musky-odor. It is even possible that you see mice during the day, although this is not common as they are primarily nocturnal. You may find small balls or bundles of finely shredded paper, upholstery stuffing or other soft materials. These are mouse nests and are usually found in sheltered locations.
Just as a side note, if you are seeing holes in your yard, or burrowing activity and destruction of vegetation such as bulbs and vegetables, it probably isn’t mice, but voles. Voles are also rodents and similar in size to a mouse, but with a shorter tail and blunter face shape. Voles rarely come into houses, and then mostly by accident, but outside voles are also destructive pests. If you do have a vole problem, check out our information on voles and rest assured that we can help you with that, too.
Q. Where can I get help with my mouse problem?
A. Allstate Mouse Control can help you. No government agency exists for mouse removal and control. Exterminators that do a great job on roaches are frequently unprepared for mice. Get a professional wild pest animal removal company like us. 1-888-488-7720.
Health & Safety
Q. What are the health risks of having mice in my residential or commercial building?
A. Mice can carry over 200 diseases, many of them transmittable to humans or other animals. These range from Hantavirus to Salmonella. Any food damaged by mice should be thrown away and the area completely sanitized. Mouse waste and carcasses are considered bio-hazards and require appropriate clean-up procedures and equipment.
Q. What is Hantavirus and what kind of threat is it to my family?
A. Hantavirus is a very serious and potentially deadly disease carried and transmitted to humans by mice, particularly Deer Mice. It is usually spread to humans when they inhale the virus, which is found in droppings, urine and saliva of rodents. Anytime humans share a home or outbuilding with rodents, there is the possibility of exposure to the virus. The only way to avoid the disease is through rodent control. If you do have mice or other rodents in your home or in outbuildings, all waste must be treated as a bio-hazard and proper precautions taken. Ironically, it is cleaning that most commonly exposes humans to Hantavirus. The fecal matter and urine deposits are disturbed and fine particulate matter becomes airborne, is inhaled, and blossoms into disease.
A. Probably not, but you don’t want to try to pick them up or handle their dead bodies. Mice are biters and will bite you if threatened.
Q. Who is responsible for this mouse problem?
A. Many things can cause a mouse problem: changes in the season, new construction, curiosity. But, you, the property owner, are responsible for mouse removal. That doesn’t mean you have to do it alone, Allstate Mouse Control is here to help. We can get rid of mice completely and efficiently and clean up the mess they leave behind.
Animal Control Products and Methods
Q. What are the most common mouse complaints you receive?
A. Noise if the most common complaint as people hear the animals running, rustling, squeaking and chewing in their walls and ceilings. People also complain about damage to food and the mess from droppings and urine.
Q. Which poisons do you recommend to kill mice?
A. Poisons are available but should be used with great caution as they are also toxic to humans and other animals and can leave you with dead mice in your walls or attic. As the carcasses decay, you are left with a bigger problem than you started with.
Q. Which mouse repellents are the best?
A. Repellents such as ultrasonic devices are not effective.
Q. Which methods do you use to exterminate mice?
A. We use kill traps and live traps followed by exclusion, preventing the mice from returning.
Q. Who should I call for help?
A. Call Allstate Animal Control 1-888-488-7720. We have helped many people get rid of the mice inside and outside of buildings. We are effective and have the experience and expertise you need.
Q. Why should I hire a professional to get rid of mice?
A. Mice are challenging animals because they can get through such small openings. Without training, experience and proper equipment it is nearly impossible to get rid of the mice, keep them out and clean up the mess they created. Professional like Allstate Mouse Control can help you with the entire process and recommend repairs and modifications necessary to prevent them returning return. Don’t just get rid of a few mice, get rid of all of them and make sure they don’t come back. Hire a professional.
Property Damage
Q. What damage can mice cause?
A. Mice eat and contaminate food stores. They chew on just about anything, including electrical wiring and can cause failure of electrical appliances, such as freezers, and even house fires. The smell of mice and their droppings and urine can make buildings very unpleasant to live in.
Q. What is this going to do to my property value?
A. Buildings infested by mice are very difficult to sell. Property value can be 5-10%, or higher in the case of fire.
Q. What will a wildlife removal technician do about the mice in my building?
A. Your Allstate Mouse Control technician will perform an on-site inspection to determine the number of mice, location of mice, access points, and extent of damage repair and clean up required. He or she will create a complete control program that will get rid of the mice, clean up the mess and prevent their return. Your technician may recommend maintenance and habitat modifications. We will get rid of the mice and return your home to you, mouse free and peaceful.
Q. How do mice get in my building?
A. Mice climb and chew. If they can climb up it or chew through it, they can get into your building. Mice can climb any porous or rough surface—brick, logs, siding, stucco. Also providing access are holes made by other animals, such as woodpeckers. Mice can slip under doors, through vents and along pipes. Remember, mice need only a hole just over ¼-inch across to get in your home.
Q. How can I get the mice out?
A. The two basic methods of mouse removal are poisoning and trapping. Sanitation (keeping your home clean and clutter-free) and excluding them from your home by blocking all access are the only sure methods. Be careful of disease transmission. Never pick up a live mouse. They bite. Never handle a dead mouse or feces or urine without protective equipment. Mice are at least as dangerous dead as they are alive.
You can get help and make sure the job is done right if you hire a wildlife solution expert like us. We can perform on-site removal, or try our over-the-phone mouse removal coaching service.
Q. How can a wildlife removal technician help me get rid of the mice?
A. We will inspect your property, create a customized removal plan and trap or poison the mice as necessary. We will help you locate and seal all access points used by mice and determine if there is an additional infestation—such as snakes. If you have mice, you will often have additional pests. For example, snakes love to eat baby mice. We will clean up the smell and mess, making your building a nicer place to be and helping to prevent future mouse infestations.
Costs
Q. What does it cost for an initial on-site mouse inspection?
A. Inspections start at $150-250, depending on your location. For specific information, see our Mouse Removal Pricing.
Q. What does it cost for an initial over-the-phone mouse control consultation?
A. FREE! Send 5-10 pictures via e-mail and we will review them and call you to recommend a solution and give you an estimate. Pictures should include possible mouse entrances, mouse trails or runs in your insulation or wherever they are traveling, damage caused by the mice, and any related item you think might be important.
Q. Who pays for my mouse problem?
A. Mouse infestations are the responsibility of the property owner. Typically mouse removal starts with an inspection and evaluation which costs $150-250, depending on your location. You may want to contact your property insurance carrier; your policy may include coverage for removal and clean up of pest animals. For specific information, see our Pricing Page.
Q. What FREE mouse control services does your company offer to the public?
A. If you find a suspected mouse problem on your property, take 5-10 digital pictures and e-mail them to us (use the Contact Us page). We will call you on the phone and discuss your situation for a few minutes and suggest a plan of action, as time allows.
Q. How much will it cost to get rid of the mice?
A. Prices vary depending on your location, number of animals and severity of the problem. I can give you a FREE estimate over the phone using digital pictures you e-mail me. For additional information, see our Mouse Pricing Page.
