Mice

Do I have a house mouse or a young rat?
A rats’ head and feet will be proportionally larger to its body than a mouse's head or their feet.

HOUSE MOUSE APPEARANCE:

The adult house mouse is small and slender and about 1-2 inches long,excluding tail. The house mouse has large ears (as seen the the photo below),pointed nose and small eyes. The tail is as long as the head and body combined.
The fur color varies, but it is usually a light gray or brown, but could be darker shades. It has an overall coloration.

WHAT DOES A HOUSE MOUSE EAT?

A mouse will eat almost anything, but prefer cereal grains, seeds, or sweet material. They require very little water, obtaining most of their water needs from their food. Mice can consume large quantities of stored seed and grains from farmers and granaries.

HOUSE MOUSE HABITS AND BIOLOGY:

If there are good living conditions (food, water, and shelter), they can multiply rapidly. They sexually mature in two months, producing about 8litters in a one year life time. Each litter has 4-7 pups.

In rural and suburban settings, a mouse may not only live inside, but be  found outside near foundations, in the shrubbery, weeds, crawl spaces,basements, or in garages.

Mice survive well on weeds,seeds, or insects, but when their food supply is shortened by the colder months they move inside nesting closer to a food supply. They make their nest from soft material like paper,insulation, or furniture stuffing. These nests are found in many places including: in walls, ceiling voids, storage boxes, drawers, under major appliances, or within the upholstery of furniture. Outside the nests are found in debris or in ground burrows.

Mice while being "nibblers" eating many times at different places, they do have two main mealtimes...just before dawn and at dusk...they simply "snack" at other times at intervals or every 1-2 hours. They can eat about 10 to 15% of their body weight every day, the adults weighing about5/8-1 oz. Mice also cache food as supply permits. They get much of their water from food products.

Because mice are nocturnal, they are active mostly at night, but they can be seen occasionally during daylight hours. The worst the infestation themore likely you will see them during the day.

A house mouse is an excellent climber and can run up any rough vertical surface. It will run horizontally along wire cables or ropes and can jump up 13inches from the floor onto a flat surface.

Control is most effective if both mechanical and traditional pest control procedures are put in place. Since each building is different a careful inspection is important to provide the correct plan of action along with recommendation. Contact Snap Trap Exterminating for a free inspection / estimate today! 631-413-9743

NORWAY RATS

The Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus,also called the brown rat or sewer rat) is a destructive pest found in urban and suburban neighborhoods. These rodents eat and contaminate food, damage buildings and other property by their gnawing and burrowing, and may spread diseases that affect people and pets.

Recognizing Rat Infestations

The presence of rats can be detected by droppings or evidence of fresh gnawing.Tracks can be seen in mud and on dusty surfaces. Runways and burrows may be found next to buildings, along fences or railroad tracks, and under low vegetation and debris.

Rat Facts
Norway rats are husky, brownish rodents that weigh about 11 ounces. They are about 13 to 18 inches long including the 6 to 8 1/2 inch tail. Their fur is coarse and mostly brown with scattered black on the upper surfaces. The underside is typically gray to yellowish-white.

Rats will eat nearly any type of food, but they prefer high-quality foods such as meat and fresh grain. Rats require 1/2 to 1 fluid ounce of water daily when feeding on dry food. Rats have keen taste, hearing and sense of smell. They will climb to find food or shelter, and they can gain entrance to a building through any opening larger than 1/2 inch across. Rats have litters of 6 to 12 young,which are born 21 to 23 days after mating. Young rats reach reproductive maturity in about three months. Breeding is most active in spring and fall. The average female has four to six litters per year. Rats can live for up to 18months, but most die before they are one year old.

Rat Prevention and Control