Keeping Mice Out Before Winter

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension notes that house mice do not hibernate, can live outdoors through the summer and nest in warm places close to food. A house offers both, so closing the gaps before cold weather arrives makes sense. In Amarillo the average first freeze arrives around October 20, and the National Weather Service reports that fall and winter cold fronts can drop temperatures 50 to 60 degrees within 12 hours, so early fall is the time to prepare. Mice damage food and property and can gnaw through wood, plastic, sheetrock and wiring, which is another reason not to wait.

Mice need very little to stay. They eat about a tenth of an ounce of food a day, drink little water and typically stay within 10 to 30 feet of their nest. They travel the same paths each night, hugging walls and other cover, and they breed rapidly, so a single pair can become an infestation quickly. Extension specialists advise acting as soon as you see or hear even one.

Mice are most active in the first hours after dark, so the evidence is often what they leave behind. Check garages, attics, pantries and the spaces under sinks and behind appliances for:

The CDC says a mouse can fit through a hole the width of a pencil, about a quarter inch, and AgriLife describes a hole the size of a dime or a quarter-inch crack under a door. Walk the outside of the house, then the inside, and check these spots:

For small holes, the CDC lists steel wool held in place with caulk. For larger openings it lists metal sheeting, hardware cloth or cement. Closing holes is building maintenance, so it is usually a job for the homeowner or a contractor rather than a pest control visit.

The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) frames prevention as removing the three things rodents need to survive: food, water and shelter. Keep food in the refrigerator or in sealed containers, wash dishes, wipe up spills and use a garbage can with a tight-fitting lid. Do not leave pet food in dishes overnight, clear clutter from garages, sheds and closets, and store firewood on racks off the ground.

CDC guidance favors traditional snap traps set along walls where you see activity and checked daily, and advises against glue and live traps because frightened mice may urinate. Extension specialists add that more traps work better than one and that placement is key. Keep traps out of reach of children and pets, and keep trapping for at least 15 days, resetting traps until activity stops.

Cleaning up needs care. DSHS explains that some rodents carry hantaviruses that people can breathe in from dust stirred up by droppings, urine and nests, although reported cases in Texas are rare. Open doors and windows for 30 minutes and leave the area while it airs out, then wear waterproof gloves, wet droppings with disinfectant according to its label, wipe them up with paper towels and never sweep or vacuum them. If you develop a fever after cleaning up, tell your doctor about the rodent contact, and get medical care right away for sudden, severe shortness of breath.

One mouse in the garage may be a trap-and-seal job. Repeated sightings, droppings in several rooms or noises in the walls are reasons to call. DSHS advises contacting a pest management professional when you need help and notes that a large number of rodents inside a building may call for special respiratory protection.

Rats and mice are covered by our Home Protection Plan, with year-round visits about every two months. When you request a quote, tell us where you have found droppings or heard noises.