The house mouse; a tiny little rodent with a giant capacity of doing a lot of harm to property. The house mouse when it moves in, leaves behind contaminated waste as it feasts on food meant for humans or pets. One of the most common bacterial infections that house mice are known for is salmonellosis. The house mouse can gnaw through wood, chew up insulation and wires and then vanish down a crack in the floor

House mice are brown in color or gray in color with large ears, and small eyes. An adult house mouse can weigh about a half-an-ounce and measure about seven-and-a-half inches long.

Typical signs that you have a mouse infestation are: droppings seen on the floor, freshly chewed sections of your woodwork, insulation on the floor or you find a fresh nest made of shredded paper and other materials.

A female mouse is capable of having 5-6 babies per litter and she can have up to ten litters a year. A typical mouses lifespan is around a year.

Pest Control Tips for House Mice:

Remove all forms of vegatation that are on the ground near your home. Rake up the loose leaves, and twigs and other debris and dispose of it properly. Make sure the grass is cut short, mice hate to reveal themselves. If they know they are going to be exposed they will find another place as a source of food and warmth. If you aren't sure you have mice you can sprinkle a thin layer of flour in the areas you suspect are being raided and then observe the footprints. If you suspect mice in your garden, plant a bed of mint to detract them.

Chemical Means:

There are poison traps and baits you can buy to get rid of mice. Use these with care especially if you have small children or pets. Live trapping is preferable to poisons if you have small children in the home. You can also use glueboards, Rodenticides (poisons designed to kill rodent). You have your choice between pellets, grains, powders or sealed baits. Death does not occur instantly but rather within 5-10 days. Keeping fresh poisoned bait out until all signs of mouse infestation are gone is advised.

Cats are good predators as well. Females make the best hunters. An indoor cat will make short work of a mouse.