The house mouse (mus musculus or the mus domesticus) is one of the most common pests found across the globe. It is of Central Asian origin, but it is found everywhere, including the United States. House mouse is a commensal rodent that is not just a nuisance but pose threat to your health and property. They live close to humans, so if you have noticed a mouse in your house, you already know what type it is.

Just to be extra sure, let’s understand how to identify the house mice.

Let’s go!

Identification

The house mouse is typically dusty grey, furry and their fur color varies from brown to grey. House mouse has a cream-colored belly, a pointed muzzle, large ears, and a long tail. They are about 2.5 to 3.75 inches long, while their tail is longer than their body, around 2.75 to 4 inches long.

Habitat

The house mouse mice prefer to nest in dark and secluded areas and like to live structure. But they can also be found living outdoors, such as forests, fields, shrubs, etc. House build can create nests out of cotton, wall insulation, packing materials, paper products, and fabrics. House mice are nocturnal. However, they can be spotted roaming in the house during the day. House mice are very curious and inquisitive. They keep on investigating changes in their habitats.

Diet 

When house mice are amidst nature, they prefer to feed on cereal and seeds, insects, fruits, and nuts. Inside premises and structures, they can consume almost any food we consume. However, they are more inclined towards grain-based food products.

Threats

House mice carry and transmit diseases and therefore pose serious health threats. They can contaminate food with salmonella bacteria, whose consumption will make humans ill and lead to salmonellosis. Symptoms of this disease include diarrhea, fever, and abdominal pain. House mice can also spread rat-bite fever which is a bacteria-borne infectious disease that humans can catch by consuming food contaminated by feces of house mic or through contact with a dead mouse. Symptoms of rat-bite include headache, rash, fever, vomiting, and muscle pain. Symptoms may normally appear between 3 to 10 days. House mice feces carry bacteria, and inhaling the dust containing dried feces of house mice may trigger asthma or cause allergies.

Signs of a House Mouse

Listed below are tell-tale signs of house mice infestation:

  • Strong musty odor
  • Gnaw marks, either smooth or rough.
  • Droppings (either soft and moist or dried and hard that is dark cylindrical or rod-shaped with pointed ends)
  • Oily rub marks on walls
  • Scampering or screeching noises
  • Damaged goods
  • House mouse burrows
  • The actual sight of house mice scurrying across your kitchen floor.

Final Words

If you are dealing with mice issues or suspect a house mouse infestation, reach out to a licensed pest control professional to conduct a thorough inspection and start treatment immediately to get rid of house mice.