A mouse problem in Despatch nearly always starts in a place you don't go into every day: the garage, the storeroom behind the house, the back of the pantry, the box of Christmas decorations. Mice nest right next to food and only travel a few metres from home, so once you find the nest you've usually found the problem. We help you find it, clear it, and stop the next lot getting in.
House mice and field mice
Most of the mice we deal with in Despatch homes are house mice: small, grey-brown, with large ears and a long thin tail. They live entirely around people and can breed all year in our mild climate.
On smallholdings and homes with open veld or overgrown areas nearby, we also see wild mice moving in from outside, especially when the weather turns or when grass and bush near the property is cleared. They follow the same routes in and behave much the same once they're inside.
Where we find mice in Despatch
- Garages full of boxes, camping gear and old furniture, with pet food or bird seed stored on the floor
- Storerooms and outbuildings, particularly where chicken feed is kept
- Kitchen cupboards, especially the bottom ones and behind the stove and fridge
- Under the bath and behind built-in units, where pipes leave gaps in the wall
- Roof spaces, though rats are more common up there
Signs it's mice
Droppings are the giveaway. Mouse droppings are about the size of a grain of rice, dark and pointed at the ends, and you'll find a lot of them along the edges of shelves and in drawers. Other signs are a musty smell in a cupboard, shredded paper or fabric used for nesting, small holes chewed in food packets, and light scratching in the walls at night.
If the droppings are bigger, more like a raisin, you're probably dealing with rats. Our page on rat removal in Despatch covers those.
How we clear mice
- Find the nest and the routes. We inspect kitchens, garages and storerooms and trace droppings and rub marks back to where the mice are living and coming in.
- Trap and bait. Inside the home we mostly use traps placed along walls and behind appliances, where mice travel. Outside, along the walls of garages and outbuildings, we use lockable bait stations that pets and children can't open.
- Proof the gaps. A mouse can get through a gap about the width of a pencil. We'll show you the gaps around pipes, under doors and at the base of garage doors, and how to close them with steel wool, mesh or filler.
- Check back. We return to clear traps, check stations and make sure the activity has stopped.
The mistake that keeps mice around
Catching a few in traps and calling it done. Mice breed quickly, and a pair in a quiet garage can become a sizeable family in a short time. If you've caught three, there are usually more. Keep going until no fresh droppings appear for a couple of weeks, and close the way in, or the population simply rebuilds.
Cleaning up afterwards
Once the mice are gone, clean up properly. Wear gloves, dampen droppings with a disinfectant before wiping them up rather than sweeping them dry, and throw away any food or packets they've chewed. Wash shelves and drawers and check stored linen and clothing for nesting material. A clean storeroom also makes it obvious straight away if a new mouse moves in.
A tip for Despatch garages
Move pet food, bird seed and chicken feed out of paper bags and into lidded plastic or metal containers, and lift everything off the floor onto shelving. Garages in Despatch tend to double as storerooms for the whole family, and a garage with food on the floor is the easiest home a mouse will ever find.
What does mouse control cost?
The cost depends on the size of the home and outbuildings, how many areas are affected and how much proofing is needed. If you've seen one mouse and found a few droppings, a couple of good snap traps might be all you need, and we'll say so. A garage and kitchen with established nests, or a storeroom full of feed, needs a proper treatment and a return visit.
More reading
Our mouse control guide explains how mice breed and why they're so good at getting in. For general information on rodent control for Despatch properties, or if you have property elsewhere in the metro, see mouse control in Port Elizabeth. Inland, we also handle mouse problems in Kariega homes.
Call 087 012 5550, or WhatsApp us a photo of the droppings and we'll tell you whether it's mice or rats.
Questions we get asked
How do I know it's mice and not rats?
Look at the droppings. Mouse droppings are about the size of a grain of rice; rat droppings are the size of a raisin or bigger.
Can mice get in under the garage door?
Yes, easily. A worn or missing rubber seal at the bottom of a garage door is one of the most common ways mice get in.
Are traps better than poison for mice?
Indoors, yes. Traps mean you find the mouse rather than smelling it in a wall later. Outside, lockable bait stations work well.
Do mice carry disease?
They can contaminate food and surfaces with droppings and urine, so throw away anything they've chewed into and clean affected areas well.
Why do mice come in when the weather changes?
Cold, wet weather or clearing of grass and bush nearby pushes mice to look for shelter, and your garage or kitchen is the closest warm, dry spot.
Will a cat solve a mouse problem?
A cat may catch some and put others off, but it rarely clears an established population, and cat food left out can actually attract more mice.