Common Food Pests - Mice

Mice like rats are a prime source of food poisoning bacteria and can carry other diseases. In particular, they carry salmonella in their gut and on their bodies.

The house mouse is an excellent climber and is capable of gnawing through a variety of materials. Since their ribs are not joined to a breast bone as ours are, mice can squeeze through very small openings, about a 1/4 inch. Abilities like these have allowed rats and mice to survive hundreds of years in man's environment.

The mouse uses its acute hearing to locate objects to within a few inches. They have poor vision beyond three or four feet, but they are very sensitive to motion up to 30-50 feet away. Mice are most active at night when light levels are low and rely less on their eyesight then they do on their other senses, particularly smell and hearing.

Their sense of taste allows them to detect some chemicals at very low concentrations. This sensitivity may lead to bait shyness since mice may associate any unusual or unpleasant taste with discomfort or illness.

Mice are able to absorb sufficient water through eating moist food so not require a water source.

The House Mouse

The house mouse can be found in many buildings and unlike the rat prefers many feeding sites. It is an omnivore with a liking for cereals and is extremely successful at cohabiting with man.