Fulham Pest Control News:
| Mice living in Fulham houses by paulg on 01/05/2012 |
| Mice. The house mouse. The little furry friend, or not, that everyone has come across at one time or another in Fulham, albeit in your home or at the workplace, we’ve all seen them, or evidence of them. The house mouse is usually any colour from light grey to dark brown but is generally somewhere in-between at a tanish kind of colour. The mice have a light coloured belly and short hair all over. The adult mouse is around 12.5 cm to 20 cm in length. This is measured in two parts. The head and body length 7.5 - 10 cm and the tail length 5 - 10 cm. There are no immediately visible differences between males and females unless closely examined, which is not recommended as they can be particularly aggressive when cornered. Even though their name suggests they are prone to be found in houses, this is not always the case. They also live well in various locations including anywhere that there is a food source, restaurants, hotel kitchens and the like. Conditions play a vital part as to whether they thrive or are short lived in these locations. They will live longer in more secure dwellings rather than outdoor buildings such as barns. The life expectancy of an urban mouse is usually around 3 years, compared to just a year for more countrified mice. This is probably due to safer places of harbourage in towns and cities like Fulham. As long as there is a supply of food and water close by they will survive. Like many pests house mice are predominantly nocturnal, but they can sometimes be seen during daylight hours. If they are seen during the day, this is a sign of a larger infestation in the area. They will move around on all four legs, sticking to the same route along walls and skirting boards. Mice are incontinent leaving a trail of urine along the route as a way of scenting. They will usually find a dark corner somewhere to excrete and will leave large numbers of excretions each visit. This may not be isolated to just one area though depending on the size of the infestation. Mice are excellent climbers because of the little hook claws at the end of there feet. They have the ability to jump great distances to, in relation to their body size, up to 18 inches vertically. They are also good swimmers. The House mice will eat primarily of plant food, such as fruit and veg but will eat off any human food waste. They are omnivorous meaning they will eat almost any thing, including their own excretions if needed. Female mice can reproduce up to 10 times a year with each litter producing, on average, 6 - 8 young. Each nest usually comprises of 1 alpha male and 4 - 6 females. The reproduction cycle of mice can be quite alarming if not dealt with as soon as evidence is found. An infestation can be very quick. As well as having an infestation, due to their incontinence, if mice are walking/running over any food preparation areas, diseases are easily spread. |