Content:
- Introduction
- Why Mouse is a Common Rodent in Homes and Farms?
- The Lifespan of a Mouse
- How Long Do Mice Live
- The Solution: How to Eliminate Mice from the House
- Conclusion
Are you dealing with one mouse and you want to wait till its death or you are disturbed about mice infestation and want to eliminate them?
Then, you should read this.
Introduction
There could be many reasons for one to ask the question, how long do mice live?
It could be due to dealing with a mouse and thinking it is better to let it die naturally rather than killing it or one is considering a mouse to keep as a pet.
Why Mouse is a Common Rodent in Homes and Farms?
It may surprise one that the house mouse lifespan is not naturally long. Rather, their life cycle is enough reason for a mouse to be a common pest. It only takes a reproductive mother mouse to give birth to between 30-50 baby mice in a year. Sounds amusing, right?
With this quick, it is vital to rethink the idea of watching a mouse die naturally. Carefree handling of a single mouse can lead to mice infestation within 6 months. It becomes important to know the lifespan of this “breeding machine.”
The Lifespan of a Mouse
Mice lifespan does not take a while before the female mouse reproduces its kind. It takes 19 to 21 days for a mouse to become pregnant and give birth to a litter of mice. Averagely, the mouse can produce 5 or 6 mice pups. However, there have been consistent records of 10 and 12 in some species.
The mouse can produce this litter about 7 to 9 times in a year. It can become pregnant just after reproducing.
The implication is that a female mouse can produce 2 litters of mice in less than a month. This cycle is the norm for the female mouse till it dies.
Probably before her death, her first set of litters would have started reproducing their kinds too.
How Long Do Mice Live?
The mouse can reproduce at week 6. It can begin to produce litters of pups. Due to this fast level of maturation, their breeding capacity is immense. They thrive more when they are indoor because they are hardly disturbed by predators, save human beings. More so, being indoors prevents them from the harsh winter months.
Being indoor also helps preserve their life. Averagely, a mouse can live up to a year outside the house. However, the age can be as high as 3 years in the house. More years mean more time to spread diseases, eat foods, destroy valuables, and produce more mice to continue the cycle.
What does a mouse poop look like?
A mouse pup does not have ears, eyes, or even furs. They depend on their mother for food for their first 21 days.
However, they grow fast within the 21 days such that at the end of the 21 days, they are old enough to hunt for food because they now have developed eyes, ears, and fur. Most times, the female pups hang around the mother while the male finds another territory.
The Solution: How to Eliminate Mice from the House
At this breeding rate, it becomes important to eliminate them. Here are important ways to get rid of mice;
Block entry points
This fact is the primmest point to effectively control mice and prevent their infestation. It is important to prevent free access that allows them into and out of the house.
Look for points or openings that serve as entry points for a mouse. It may be a difficult task but block all entry points. Do not leave any hole to chance no matter how little it may appear.
Employ mouse traps
The use of mousetraps is an effective way to eliminate mice and stop their infestation. There are different tricks that one can play on them.
There is the traditional snap which does a good job. Also, there is the common string trap which snaps immediately after a mouse is on it.
Using bait with the traps makes the mice attracted to it and increases the chance of killing the mouse. However, it is important to use seasoned home food to lure them. Great options of such bait are fried food, chocolate, bacon, peanut butter, or any food that smells nice.
Another important part of the mouse traps is proper stationing. Do not place where pets, children, or visitors can easily access. Instead, put in strategic places where mice will easily see, attempt to eat the bait, and get trapped.
Proper Sanitation
The house mouse lifespan is dependent on the hygiene of the house. It is harder for a mouse to survive in a clean environment because there is nothing for them to feed on. More so, a dirty environment attracts them.
Hence, carry out the following sanitary measures to keep mice away;
- Ensure trash bags and bins are properly secured
- Do not allow food crumbs on the group
- Check hidden places that have not been reached in a while
- Seal food containers and make them impenetrable
- Regularly rearrange stores or locations with heavy loads and restricted movements
Get a cat as a pet
Cats and mice have always been sworn, enemies. Well, a dog will do a good job too. However, any options one is opting for must be a pet that can be indoor.
A cat will not only hunt the mouse, but its meow sound will scare the mouse away from the house. Many farmers keep them in their farms and gardens to control the activities of rodents on their farm produce.
However, this fact is important; do not pamper the cat like a baby, especially if the reason for getting it is to control a mice infestation. It may lose its identity as a pet and not hunt down mice.
Seek the help of professionals
Some agencies specialize in controlling different house infestations. Get them to spray the house with chemicals that will keep the mice away. Some chemicals are friendly with humans, and one can live in the house during this period.
On the flip side, some chemicals could be detrimental to human health, and it may be best to stay away from the house at such times – oftentimes for 3 to 4 weeks.
Conclusion
This content has provided basic information on how long do mice live, their breeding capacity, and the solution to eliminate them when the situation is mouse infestation.
It is a must-read to ensure proper home maintenance.
