Skip to Content

How many mice before you call an exterminator?


Spotting a mouse or two scurrying across your kitchen floor can be alarming, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you have a serious rodent infestation on your hands. Many homeowners can tolerate the occasional mouse visitor, especially if they rarely see them. However, if you start to notice multiple mice, droppings around your home, strange noises, or other signs of a larger presence, it’s probably time to take action. So when do you officially call in the pros to get rid of the pests? Here are some guidelines on mouse population levels and when exterminator services become necessary.

Occasional Mice

Seeing a mouse now and then, such as one running quickly across the floor, does not indicate a major infestation. These can be lone mice entering the home in search of food and shelter. Try sealing any cracks or holes where they may be getting in and ensuring food is not left out. You can also deploy humane traps to catch and release the mice outdoors. With proper sanitation and home sealing, occasional mice should not turn into a bigger issue. Calling an exterminator for just a mouse sighting or two is likely overkill.

Signs of a Small Infestation

If you start noticing multiple mice, droppings around baseboards, cupboards, and closets, greasy rub marks along walls, or noises within walls, there is likely a small established population living in your home. At this point, it becomes difficult to merely seal them out, as they have begun nesting and breeding within the home. When you have confirmed multiple mice and definite signs like droppings and sounds, you likely have 5-10 mice. This would warrant calling an exterminator for proper removal and continued prevention.

Signs of Mice Estimated Number of Mice
Occasional mice spotted 1-3 mice
Multiple mice, droppings, noises 5-10 mice
Heavy droppings, damages, many mice spotted 10-25 mice

Heavy Infestation

When you start to see mice on a frequent basis running through multiple rooms of the home, find heavy populations of droppings under cabinets and along walls, hear loud scratching and scurrying noises, discover chewed food packages or damaged furniture, and detect a musky mouse odor, you likely have a serious mouse problem requiring professional extermination. At this point, the mice have established nesting and breeding grounds within your home, requiring extensive removal strategies to get rid of all the pests. Seeing regular visual evidence of mice and damages indicates an infestation likely numbering between 10-25 mice or more, which is definitely time to schedule professional pest control. Don’t let the problem spiral further out of control.

Health Risks of Mice

Mice may seem harmless enough, but allowing them to invade and populate your home poses some serious health risks that shouldn’t be ignored. Here are some of the top ways mice can negatively impact your health:

Spread of Diseases

Mice can carry and transmit dozens of dangerous infectious diseases to humans, given the opportunity. Some of the most concerning include:

  • Hantavirus – Can cause severe lung disease
  • Salmonella – Causes serious food poisoning
  • Leptospirosis – Bacterial infection of liver and kidneys
  • Lymphocytic chorio-meningitis (LCMV) – Neurological disease
  • Rat-bite fever – Bacterial infection from bites

Mice spread these illnesses through their droppings, urine, bites, contaminated surfaces, and food. The more mice present, the higher the health risks.

Asthma Triggers

The saliva, droppings, and urine of mice contain proteins that can trigger asthma symptoms or attacks in sensitive individuals. Exposure to mice can make asthma worse over time. Children are especially vulnerable to developing asthma after exposure.

Allergies

For people predisposed to allergies, mice can aggravate reactions through the presence of their skin flakes, fur, droppings, and other allergens around the home. Symptoms may include coughing, sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes, chest tightness, and difficulty breathing. Allergies can develop or worsen with regular exposure.

Property Damage

Mice will chew through almost anything in search of food sources or nesting materials. They can damage electrical wires, start fires with their gnawing, contaminate food, and destroy insulation, drywall, and personal property. The longer mice remain, the costlier the property damages become over time.

Getting Rid of Mice

If you have determined it’s time to get professional help based on the level of mouse infestation, exterminators have proven methods to get rid of all the pests and prevent future ones from invading your home. Here are some solutions they may implement:

Inspection and Exclusion

An exterminator will first thoroughly inspect your home to find all points mice are getting in and determine where they have nested. Any entry holes or cracks will be sealed to exclude mice from your home.

Trapping

Effective trapping is essential to removing a mouse infestation. Exterminators will utilize multiple mousetraps and monitor them regularly to capture mice. Humane traps may be used to release mice outdoors.

Sanitation and Disinfection

All droppings, nests, contaminated surfaces and materials will be sanitized and disinfected to eliminate disease risks and odors. Proper sanitation helps discourage mouse re-infestation.

Chemical Pesticides

Application of EPA-approved rodenticides helps kill off mice living within walls or other inaccessible areas missed by trapping. This provides complete extermination.

Prevention

Finally, exterminators will address any home maintenance issues that allowed mice to enter in the first place. Continued pest-proofing measures will help keep new mice out for good.

Costs of Extermination

Professional mouse extermination services do carry costs, but ultimately help resolve rodent issues faster and more effectively than attempting do-it-yourself control. Here are average costs of exterminator services:

Inspection

$50-$100 for an initial home inspection to develop an extermination plan.

Treatment

For minor infestations, $200-$400. More severe infestations run $400-$600 based on the home size, scope of the issue, and materials needed. This includes trapping, pesticides, and sanitation.

Prevention

Long term mouse exclusion and sealing of the home averages $200-$300. Highly susceptible homes may run higher.

Additional Visits

For continued trapping, monitoring, or applying additional treatments, exterminators may charge around $50-$100 per additional visit. Ongoing prevention requires vigilance.

Service Average Cost Range
Inspection $50-$100
Minor Treatment $200-$400
Major Treatment $400-$600
Prevention $200-$300
Additional Visits $50-$100 per visit

So while calling an exterminator does come at a cost, removing a mouse infestation protects your home and health in the long run. Ensure you get your money’s worth by hiring a reputable, licensed pest control company for the job.

DIY Mouse Control

While professional extermination is ideal for significant mouse problems, you can attempt some DIY control measures for minor infestations. However, results are often temporary without addressing all pest access points and nesting areas. Here are some basic at-home methods:

Sanitation

Eliminating accessible food sources forces mice to look elsewhere for sustenance. Keep all human and pet foods sealed and in chew-proof containers. Clean up spills and crumbs right away. Take out garbage frequently. Pick up pet food bowls at night.

Trapping

Snap traps can provide effective, inexpensive trapping. Bait them with peanut butter, chocolate, or bacon. Place them along walls or in other active areas. Check and empty traps daily, releasing mice far from home.

Sealing

Seal any holes, cracks, or gaps with caulk, steel wool, plaster, or mesh. Focus on interior and exterior wall openings, around pipes, cracks under doors, and attic entry points if possible. This helps block access.

Repellents

Peppermint oil, mint, cayenne pepper, garlic, and ultrasonic repellents may help deter mice to a degree. Limitations exist on effectiveness, so trapping is still necessary.

Rodenticides

Using chemical baits or other rodenticides allows you to kill mice you can’t trap. However, great care must be taken regarding their safe placement and potential toxicity to children and pets. Limit availability indoors.

DIY methods require diligence. Exclusion and trapping are your best active control measures. Prevent continued access and nesting to avoid recurring infestations. If unable to eliminate mice, call professionals before the problem worsens.

Conclusion

Dealing with mice invading your home can be frustrating, but you don’t need to tolerate an ongoing infestation. Pay attention to signs of mouse populations to determine when it’s time to take action. Seeing one or two occasionally may just require better sanitation and sealing to exclude them. However, recurring mice, droppings, damages, and other substantial evidence means establishing nests and breeding within your home. At that point, get professional pest control involved for thorough removal and prevention services. Though spending money on an exterminator may seem inconvenient, it is strongly recommended once you have confirmed a serious mouse issue, usually with a population around 10-25 mice or more. This helps resolve the invasion in a timely manner and prevent ongoing home damage or health hazards. And you can always try implementing some of your own pest control tactics first for minor mouse sightings before calling in the big guns. With vigilance and the right help when needed, you can reclaim a mouse-free home.