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Rodents & Shrews · Pest guide

Mice control

Droppings, gnawing and scratching in walls: trapping, sealing and safe cleanup.

Start here: How to Keep Mice Out This Fall (Exclusion Checklist) When to call a pro

Mice at a glance

Scientific name
Mus musculus (house mouse)
Size
2.5 to 4 inches body, plus tail (6–10 cm)
Appearance
Small, gray-brown, large ears, long thin tail
Where found
Kitchens, pantries, wall voids, attics, garages
  • Health riskHigh
  • Property damageModerate
  • Do it yourself?Usually DIY
When mice are active Peak: Jan–Dec
  1. Jan Peak
  2. Feb Peak
  3. Mar Active
  4. Apr Low
  5. May Low
  6. Jun Low
  7. Jul Low
  8. Aug Low
  9. Sep Active (this month)
  10. Oct Peak
  11. Nov Peak
  12. Dec Peak

Low Active Peak This month

Signs to look for

  • Rice-sized droppings in drawers and cabinets
  • Gnawed food packaging
  • Scratching in walls or ceilings at night
  • Nests of shredded paper or insulation

Call a professional when

  • Activity continues after 2 to 3 weeks of trapping
  • You cannot find how they get in
  • Mice in walls near wiring
How to choose a pest control company

Safety first

Never sweep or vacuum droppings dry. Spray them with disinfectant, wait 5 minutes and wipe up with gloves to limit hantavirus risk.

Mice: prevention

1 guide

Seal it, clean it, change the habitat: how to keep pests from coming back.

House mouse, Mus musculus

Mice · Prevention

How to Keep Mice Out This Fall (Exclusion Checklist)

· 1 min read

Keep mice out

  1. Seal gaps larger than 1/4 inch with steel wool and caulk or metal mesh
  2. Store food in hard containers
  3. Keep firewood and clutter away from the house

Often confused or found together

All rodents & shrews
Rats Norway and roof rats: bigger, warier and more destructive than mice. Shrews Insect-eaters that sometimes wander indoors. Not rodents, but often mistaken for mice. Squirrels Squirrels in the attic, the walls and the bird feeder.
Photo credits

Thank you to Ahunt and Charles J. Sharp for sharing these beautiful photographs and helping bring this guide to life.

Wikimedia Commons · CC0 · CC BY-SA 4.0