Mice are sneaky creatures. The reality is that you may have mice living in your home and have no idea – yet – that they are present. As a mouse infestation in a residence increases in population, you may catch sight of one of the rodents from time to time. However, by the time an infestation reaches that level, you have a very serious problem. The best way to take a proactive stance against an infestation is to be aware of certain attributes of mice. This includes have a basic understanding of mouse nests, including what they look like and where they are apt to be found.
What Does a Mouse Nest Look Like?
Before diving into a consideration of some of the physical characteristics of a mouse nest, you need to understand that the specific appearance will depend significantly on the types of building materials that are available to a mouse in building its nest.
A mouse nest typically is a dome-shaped structure that features on an entry-exit hole. A mouse nest is small in size. The exact size of a mouse nest depends to some degree on the specific species. With that said, a typical mouse nest might be as small as the palm of an adult’s hand – although a person does not want to pick up a mouse nest without first donning appropriate protective gear (including gloves and a mask or respirator). On the other hand, if a mouse builds a nest indoors, the nest itself may prove to be larger, even up to a foot in diameter.
What Materials Are Used to Build a Mouse Nest?
A mouse is an industrious and creative creature. Thus, a mouse will use whatever materials are relatively close at hand and are suitable for the construction of a safe, insulated, and comfortable nest.
Out of doors, a mouse will use materials like grass, leaves, and other vegetation. If a mouse comes upon pieces of scrap paper, it will take advantage of that as well.
Inside a residence, a mouse is likely to take advantage of a myriad of different items that might be available in order to build an ideal nest. Towards this end, a mouse may collect bits of paper as part of its nest-building efforts.
Mice gnaw and do so for a number of reasons. Their incisors never stop growing; thus, they gnaw to keep them in check. They also gnaw to make material to build and a line a nest. Examples of what they might gnaw on to obtain nesting materials include:
- Paper on sheetrock
- Cardboard containers
- Fabric (furnishings, clothing, etc.)
In searching for nesting materials, a mouse can end up doing damage to a residence. A larger infestation of these rodents can do considerable damage in little time.
Where to Find Mouse Nests?
As mentioned, the best way to combat a mouse infestation is to be proactive. The most proactive approach you can take is to keep mice out of your house in the first instance. Thus, you are well served to be able to identify mouse nests that might exist on your property outside your home. Locations out of the door where mice might construct nests include:
- Dense Underbrush
- Tall Grass
- Thick Shrubbery
Because of the types of spaces that attract mice to build nests outside, you are wise to keep vegetation of this nature away from directly against your home’s exterior walls. In fact, experts recommend creating a rodent defense zone around your home comprised of 18 to 24 inches of gravel directly around your residence.
There are a variety of spaces inside a home in which a mouse might elect to nest. The key for a mouse is to find a secluded space where a nest will not be disturbed.
- Behind walls
- Spaces under floor cabinets
- Refrigerator motor compartments
- Spaces or voids under other appliances
- Space under floorboards
- Space above false ceilings
- Clutter in basements
- Clutter in garages
No matter where a mouse elects to build a nest, the nest will be located at a place that allows for access to points in a residence where a mouse can obtain food and water.
How Do I Get Rid of a Mouse Nest?
You need to exercise caution in the elimination of a mouse nest. The fact is that mice can be the carriers of serious disease. These diseases can not only be contracted by direct contact with a mouse but by contact with mouse droppings and feces as well.
A nest is a temporary home for a mouse. Within a couple of weeks, the nest becomes overly foul with urine and droppings. When waste in a nest reaches a certain point, a mouse builds a new one.
This is mentioned as part of an effort to warn you about contact with a mouse nest. Odds are a nest will contain dry feces which can crumble or break apart easily. When that occurs, feces dust releases into the air. While the thought of inhaling mouse feces dust is repulsive, it is also potentially dangerous. The feces dust can contain dangerous pathogens like the hantavirus.
Due to the danger presented by a mouse nest, you need to wear personal protective gear designed for biohazard remediation that includes:
- Uniform (disposable clothing covering)
- Protective eyewear
The reality is that the best way to protect your health and wellbeing, and that of your family, is to engage the services of a rodent dropping cleaning specialist to assist you in remediating the aftermath of a mouse infestation in your home – including the safe removal and disposal of mouse droppings and nests that exist in the aftermath of an infestation in your home.