They can then recommend a proofing strategy and decide on the best course of action in terms of control; this could be traps, rodenticides or a combination of both. If you have been bitten by a mouse, immediately wash the wound as thoroughly as possible; mouse bites are not often deep, but it’s important to do this even if the skin hasn’t been broken. Cover any household waste where mice can get access to it, close dustbin lids and cover compost heaps

But as the weather gets colder, those field mice currently surviving outdoors will look for warmer places to nest and begin to move indoors. Avon Pest Control can also help and assist with the decontamination of your home or business after the pests have been removed. Compost bins – Rats like the warmth and food compost piles provide great insulation in cold weather. Look for holes and nibble marks on the bin’s base and lid. Behaviour: Harvest mice tend to build their nests above the ground in tall grasses. Harvest mice are less active in winter, but do not hibernate. Mice have a need to mark their territory with their urine and due to their sporadic eating habits, build nests near food sources. This puts anyone with an infestation at risk of food poisoning.This can make them more difficult to control with toxic baits than a rat, which will happily gorge on one food source.

It’s not pleasant when your cat brings home small animals, but it’s a common part of being a cat owner. Mice have been known to spread nasty diseases - such as Salmonella and Listeria - to humans through their urine, droppings and bedding.

What do wood mice look like?

However an adult brown rat can weigh-in at over half a kilo and measure about 23cm, without counting the tail: much bigger than an adult mouse. Field mice are much more suited to nesting outdoors, but will possibly move indoors once the weather gets colder. As with most animals, mice will bite if they feel threatened or are disturbed, although it is VERY rare. Place traps close to, and at right angles to, walls so the treadle may be activated from either direction.

As it mainly lives outdoors, it has bigger eyes and ears than a house mouse. This is an adaptation to avoid predation. You should focus on low level gaps first as these are the most likely areas for mice to enter. You can then consider any higher up vents or gaps. Food is also an issue - they begin to scavenge closer to humans, as their own sources are no longer plentiful. Even though cats are believed to be ineffective killers of rats, some love to hunt mice. A cat may help to deter rodents, but it’s not likely that the cat will eliminate the problem entirely.

Using only mouse traps or rat traps typically fails to control them because they tend to learn from the mistakes of their deceased. Thus, a mix of rodenticides may be required. Rodenticides are poisons created specifically to eliminate rats and mice from an area. They are made up of “second generation” poisons like Brodifacoum, Bromadiolone, and Difenacoum, as well as “first generation” poisons like Warfarin and Coumatetralyl. The downside of using poisons to kill rodents in your home is that they often return to their nest before the poison kills them. If you don’t have access to their nest, their corpses will rot there without being removed, which may cause a foul smell for occupants living on the property. In terms of movement, they will use their whiskers to sense the texture of surfaces and changes in temperature. And keep those pegs handy - they have a really distinctive, strong smell so you’ll know if you have a large infestation of these unwanted guests. They weigh less than 25g, and their fur colour is uniformly light brown and grey, right down to the tail which has sparse hairs on it.

Nests are often built in places such as roof spaces, under floors or in wall cavities, sheds, basements, storage boxes and wherever there is access to a good source of food and safe, warm harbourage to breed.

How to get rid of mice and rats in your home

Rats leave their nest for food, water, and breeding. They communicate mostly by scent marking using pheromones, which are biochemicals found in urine and faeces. They can also come into your property by climbing vines or trellis against the walls of your building. In contrast to the characteristics of a mouse, voles have smaller ears, eyes and tails, with a rounded snout. It is also important to know whether you are dealing with a mouse or a rat, as the behaviour of these two species differs and this will affect any control efforts. If you decide to carry out the work yourself, then you can buy amateur use poisons and traps from a hardware store or garden centre. It is crucial that you read the label fully before use.