Mice are portrayed this time of year as cute and innocent Christmas friends in cartoons and on holiday cards. Usually, they are helping the people in the story spread the joy of Christmas or struggling to find food for their cute little mouse family when times are hard. Whatever the case may be, we get the feeling that these cute little nose-twitching critters are harmless. However, this depiction of mice is far from the truth, as they are not so helpful around the house at Christmastime or any other time of the year.
Mice are actually small rodents that have continuously growing incisor teeth that they have to keep trimmed by constantly gnawing on things. They are 2-3 inches in length, not including their long tail, and they range in color, light gray, black, or brown and have big eyes and ears compared to their relatively small bodies. Mice can bite if threatened and can carry a variety of harmful diseases like salmonella and the hantavirus in their urine and feces. They can damage many parts of a home, and cause electrical fires and flooding when they chew wires and pipes.
If you have an infestation, you may see a live mouse or two scurrying about, or their black rice-shaped droppings around food sources in the kitchen or pantry. You might be able to locate their nest in the basement or attic, which is usually made up of shredded items like newspaper or cardboard. At the first sign of an infestation in your South Portland home, you should call a professional pest control company to handle your mouse problem before it causes health issues or property damage.
In order to prevent these not so helpful mice, be sure to store your food in airtight, plastic containers. You should also clean up food and drink spills immediately, and try not to leave crumbs around the house either. Seal off possible entry points the mice are using to get in and repair or replace any damaged or missing screens, vents, and chimney covers. Caulk around loose window and door frames as well.
Since mice are hard to get rid of, in those cases you will need the help of Big Blue Bug Solutions in South Portland, Maine. Our technicians are experienced in locating and repairing points of entry to keep mice out. Our HOP, Home Owner's Policy covers the most common pests in the area, including mice. This year-round program consists of 3 preventative maintenance visits per year and we will come back for free if any pest problems come up in-between. Our policy is if that if pests come back, so do we, at no additional cost to you. We are also the cleanest pest solutions company around, guaranteeing our Blue Glove Service. All of our technicians wear blue gloves and booties when they enter your home, making sure that when we leave your home, that it is as clean as we found it. In the end, your home will be free of the not so helpful mice this Christmas. If you live in the South Portland area, give us a call today.