Especially when our weather turns cold and snowy here in New Jersey, mice love to migrate from the outdoors to inside our homes. However, it’s not just houses that are susceptible to mice problems because garages are particularly attractive to mice as well.
Here are some expert tips for how to remove mice from a garage and when it’s time to call a professional for help with this type of mice infestation.
Signs of Mice in Your Garage
Signs that you may have mice in your garage include seeing mice fecal droppings, especially in corners and under workbenches and cabinets where mice like to hide. You may also smell the musky odor of mice urine in your garage and notice gnawed holes that are about the size of a dime.
A pest control expert is able to tell the difference between mice and rats based on a rodent’s size and appearance. Mice are smaller, have large floppy ears, and leave between 40 and 100 droppings per day. On the other hand, rats are larger, weigh about twice as much as mice, produce fewer droppings per day, and often leave grease marks on surfaces they touch.
What Is Considered to Be an Infestation?
If your mice problem seems minor at first, you might wonder if the number of mice you have in your garage is really a big deal or would even be considered an infestation. If only one or two mice have entered your garage, this isn’t necessarily called an infestation, but a small mice problem can quickly escalate into a large one.
Mice often build nests in garages to give birth and take care of their babies. Keep in mind that mice typically have about five to 12 babies per litter. Mice also begin breeding as young as eight weeks old, so you could quickly have an infestation on your hands if you don’t address the signs of mice in your garage as early as possible.
Preventing Mice in Your Garage
Many homeowners are quick to set mousetraps all around their garage and hope they deter mice from taking up residence here. However, this is not an effective preventative strategy because mice will continue to come back despite the traps, causing damage and leaving their diseased droppings behind.
Instead, focus your attention on potential access points in your garage to determine where mice are coming in from and seal up those places properly. Also, don’t leave food or trash in your garage that could attract mice and keep them coming back for more sustenance during the winter.
When to Call a Pest Control Company for a Mice Problem
Since mice can reproduce and create an infestation situation so quickly, it is recommended to call your local pest control company at the first signs of mouse presence in your garage. We will perform a free inspection of your garage and surrounding areas to identify problem areas and come up with a solution to get rid of your mice and keep them away.
Precise Termite & Pest Control is just a phone call away, so contact us at 866-971-2847 for a mice-free garage.