We all suffer from it, pests in the front and / or backyard but also in the house such as ants, caterpillars, snails and mice. But how can we combat these animals in a nature-friendly manner. This article deals explicitly with the mouse. A common problem, but how and with what can we combat mice?
General information about the mouse
The house sparrow has a soft, brown / gray coat and large ears and a long tail, which is about the same length as their own body. It is almost as numerous as humans and occurs all over the world because of their good adaptability. These animals are especially active in the evening, when they are looking for food. The house sparrow eats everything, but they prefer to eat:
- Grain
- Seeds / Nuts
- Roots
- Insects
Mouse layer
Reproduction
A female house mouse can have a litter about five to ten times a year. In such a nest an average of 8 small house mice are born. Within a few weeks, the little mice have become adult mice. So you understand that the reproduction of these animals goes very fast and 1 mouse can become a pest in a short time. A house mouse has an average lifespan of 18 months.
Parasites
Mice can be carriers of parasites and viruses and can therefore be a danger to humans. Most viruses and parasites are not harmful to humans. A virus that a house mouse can carry that can be dangerous to humans is the Salmonella virus. It is therefore not nice to have a lot of mice in the house, especially when you look at the faeces that this animal leaves behind. The droppings left by the beast are black balls and their urine can leave a foul odor.
Electronics
In addition, mice love to gnaw, so it often happens that mice start to chew cords. As a result, for example, the TV no longer works. Enough arguments to fight this mouse.
Natural enemies
The house sparrow has several natural enemies, these enemies are mainly found outdoors. You have to think of, for example
- Foxes
- Martens
- Birds of Prey and Owls
- Cats
Appearance
- Of course, it is always better to prevent a mouse infestation rather than fight it. Here are a few tips to prevent a mouse infestation.
- Try to close all cracks and crevices in the house, mice can crawl through small cracks and otherwise they will gnaw through them. So try to avoid this
- Keep your home clean and hygienic. Mice can hide well in a messy space.
- Clean up food properly. Mice can clean up well and leftovers and uncleaned food remains will attract a lot of mice.
- There are a few smells that mice don’t like, these include the scent of mint oil, cats and guinea pigs. You can therefore leave these scents in various strategic places in the house.
Means against mice
Mouse traps
There are two different mouse traps
- Cage traps, these are cages where the mouse can enter but not leave. When the mouse is caught, you can release the mouse outside. Do this more than 500 meters from the house, otherwise these critters can easily find their way back. In addition, the mice can still die from a shock from captivity.
- Mouse clip, these are the traditional mouse clips. The mouse is lured with a piece of food, after which they are killed with 1 blow.
Sound
There are devices that make ultrasonic sounds that are imperceptible to humans and pets. Mice can hear the sounds, which scares them and will leave the house. This equipment can be found at garden centers and pet stores
Poison
In addition, there is mouse poison, mice will eat this after which they will slowly die. There are different types of mouse poison. The mouse will die in a painful death. It is therefore often recommended to use a mouse trap.
Tips
- If you have a cat, let it hunt mice for you
- Mice love peanut butter, so you can use it as a bait
- Mouse traps sound animal unfriendly, but with poison the animal will die with an even more painful death