Mice

Types of mice in Maine

How do mice get inside?

Mice can enter homes and businesses through small spaces found in exterior walls. They only need a space that is about ¼ of an inch in diameter (about the width of a pencil) to enter through.  House mice often squeeze through cracks and crevices in the foundation, spaces found around exterior windows and doors, spaces around utilities entering your home, and through vents or spaces found around heating and air conditioning units.

Why do mice infest homes and businesses?

Mice will infest homes and businesses any time of the year while searching for food and water.  Mice can become a particular nuisance in the fall and winter when they actively search for warm, safe shelter to stay in over the winter months. 

Are mice dangerous?

Yes, mice are dangerous; they can spread serious diseases including: salmonellosis, leptospirosis, dysentery, and lymphocytic choriomeningitis.  Deer mice and white-footed mice are two types of rodents in Maine that can get hantavirus, a serious disease caused by a virus that can affect your lungs. Additionally, white-footed mice are primary carriers of the Lyme bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and are a popular host of black-legged ticks.  All three types of mice are known for introducing other ticks and fleas that carry their own set of diseases that can be spread to people.  

Mice are not only a danger to people but also property. Because they need to constantly chew, mice are capable of inflicting significant structural damage to properties and belongings. What's more, mice also have the potential to start fires in homes and businesses. 

Signs of a mouse infestation

Damages caused by mouse

House mice can cause significant damages to properties, personal items, and inventory.  House mice chew constantly and will chew through and damage wires (which can set off fires as noted above), pipes, insulation, drywall, and flooring; along with pictures, books, boxes, clothing, and furniture.  Mouse droppings and urine will contaminate insulation, other building materials and possessions.

How do you get rid of mice?

Mice are difficult to find and eliminate because they often nest in hard to reach areas of your home or business. Therefore, the best way to ensure that all mice are found and removed is with professional help.  DIY mouse control is more often than not ineffective and does nothing to get to the root of the infestation - how mice are entering your property in the first place.

Pine State Pest Solutions offers comprehensive rodent control services that target mice and other rodents common to Maine.  Our team of highly trained pest control technicians work with customers to identify the source of the infestation, the conditions that are attracting these critters and develop a management plan to get rid of mice in your home.  We also provide exclusion services and will recommend behavior and landscape modifications to prevent a hospitable living space for rodents near your home or business. 

If you’ve found mouse poop in a drawer, have discovered mice nesting in the attic or found evidence of a problem, please contact Pine State Pest Solutions today.

Comprehensive protection from mice and other house-infesting pests

Pine State’s Home Protection is an affordable pest control plan that is ideal for homeowners who want general pest control services that target common house-infesting insects and rodents.

When you sign up for this ongoing service, you’ll receive an initial service visit to treat the existing pest problem and then seasonal service visits spread out over the year to ensure pests stay out. That’s a total of four services annually.

Pests covered under Pine State’s Home Protection plan include carpenter ants, cornfield ants, crazy ants, field ants, little black ants, pavement ants, Asian lady beetles, carpet beetles, cigarette beetles, drugstore beetles, flour beetles, ground beetles, hide beetles, larder beetles, saw-toothed grain beetles, warehouse beetles, boxelder bugs, carpenter bees, centipedes, clover mites, American cockroaches, brown-banded cockroaches, German cockroaches, wood cockroaches, field crickets, house crickets,  European earwigs, cat fleas, dog fleas, firebrats, cluster flies, fruit flies, bald-faced hornets, European hornets,  deer mice, house mice, millipedes, Angoumois grain moths, drain moths, Indian meal moths, Mediterranean flour moths, mud daubers, Norway rats, paper wasps, pill bugs, rice weevils, silverfish, sow bugs, springtails, cellar spiders, daddy longlegs spiders, house spiders, jumping spiders, sac spiders, wolf spiders, Western conifer seed bugs, and yellow jackets.

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*Some exclusions apply- please see your agreement

Mouse prevention tips

Don’t want a mouse problem in or around your home? We don’t blame you, they’re nasty creatures.  To help prevent a mouse problem, our Maine pest control pros have recommended the following tips:

• Seal cracks in the foundation.
• Place a tight fitting cap on all chimneys.  You should also inspect the chimney and fix any loose or missing roof shingles.
• Caulk gaps found around exterior windows and doors.
• Trim back trees and shrubs from the exterior of your home. Mice will use their branches to gain easy access to your home.
• Keep tight fitting lids on outdoor trash cans and place them a distance away from the exterior of your home.
• Store food in sealed containers and do not leave open containers or food out on the counters for easy access.
• Make sure that spills and crumbs are cleaned up quickly and wash dirty dishes regularly.
• Reduce areas of clutter and routinely remove garbage from your home.

Pine State Pest Solutions serves the following counties, Kennebec, Androscoggin, Sagadahoc, Oxford, Cumberland and York.