Controlling House Mice Issues - Essay Example

Living with mice in the building should be avoided because mice multiply at a fast rate, and, hence, pose a threat to humans as mice carry infectious diseases and might trigger asthma in those who are sensitive and prone to it. Mice urine and feces are poisonous and can be a factor of food poisoning among other probable damages, such as chewing clothes, damaged wires in buildings and even documents. Single female mice can reproduce around sixty offspring during its lifespan. With the gestation period of a mice being twenty-one days, they are capable of multiplying fast if no action is taken immediately against this. In a Sylvan habitat where resident deer mice have been removed, other mice are capable of migrating to the new place where mice have been removed to replace them, going as far as travelling from distant places where there are no mice colonies. This migration can take up to two weeks (Douglas, Kuezi, Williams and Samuel Mills 392). House mice are, at most times, nocturnal, although they may appear during daytime. The mice experience poor eyesight therefore, they rely on other senses when moving and looking for food. House mice shelter under buildings and make their nest using materials that are shredded. Breeding periods of mice may occur year-round but when outdoors, it may occur during spring and fall periods, and the population is able to grow rapidly when under favorable conditions. The mice are able to enter structures through jumping, gnawing, and even swimming in water. The mouse can occupy various habitats that arrange from tropical climates to subantarctic islands, and without doubt, they can adapt to extreme temperatures (Fox, Barthhold, Davison, Newcomer, Quimy and Smith 31). There are studies carried out on mice and it indicates that they can travel for an average distance of nine meters and because of the limited movements, they do, they become difficult to control (Vector Management Program, n.p.). The mice are capable of memorizing their environment and identify well with essential factors such as food and water. Even though they are capable of identifying new objects that are present in their environment, they do not develop fear of the new objects. In an experiment to investigate the increase in number of mice in a building, several mice were removed in a building but they were quickly replaced. The vacant habitat was occupied by other mice and therefore homeowners must seal their houses when trapping mice in order to prevent other mice from occupying the vacant position. Preventing and Controlling House Mice The three most effective ways of controlling and preventing house mice include constructing of rodent proof structures, ensuring there is good sanitation and reducing its population. The mice being smaller are capable of entering openings that are narrow hence in most circumstances makes use of rodent proofing difficult. House mice have a limited area for movement and, therefore, they should have no water. The reproduction of house mice, being at a higher rate than that of rats, requires an individual to take into account this information for successful control of the mice. The mice have a large home range hence modifying their habitat is not easy to attain because the mice may be coming from other areas that are beyond control (Salmon and Lick liter 43). It is advisable to try to modify the habitat of mice in the form of ensuring there is storage of food and garbage inside the house. This will only assist in detecting the signs of the presence of house mice and hence increase the effectiveness of using traps; moreover, mice may live behind cabinets in an office and they will feed on crumbs of lunches people had in the office. No matter how good the sanitation of an office is maintained, the little food stored or consumed is able to support a mice therefore there must be a constant watch for invasion of mice. It is good practice to remove any debris available and control weeds in an effort to reduce the shelter available for house mice. Unfamiliar sound is able to frighten mice, especially those that might have come from another region; however, they can be accustomed to sounds when they hear it repeatedly. Unusual and loud sound often-scare mice and they are able to avoid the sound on temporary basis of up to two weeks. An ultrasound however cannot drive established rodents out of a specific area. There are certain odors tastes that are able to be objectionable to house mice, and therefore, to have a solution that is practicable when infested with mice; chemical solution will work best in a building. For instance, using naphthalene or a house ammonia in a building has an effect of keeping mice out of an enclosed area. Ro-pel is one chemical that functions well in repelling rodents, such as house mice in buildings and garbage places. Toxicants can be either acute or chronic and the complexity in the mode of action may include anticoagulants or other compounds, which are not anticoagulants. Many chronic toxicants that are slow acting are susceptible to house mice because they are less sensitive to various active ingredients and hence will, require few more feeding in order to be effective. Therefore, to produce a good house mouse control should have relevant amount of bait used so that death of the mice can take place at the right time. Liquid baits are more effective to killing of mice as compared to the use of food because animals are more attracted to water than food (Krieger 280). In a population of house mice, there are those mice that are not sensitive to anticoagulants and especially in areas; anticoagulant has been used for a long period of time. Populations of house mice in areas that have been disinfected with anticoagulants several times become resistant. There are few studies to try to find out reasons behind the resistance to anticoagulant. A point mutation that takes place in the genes mediates the resistance to anticoagulant compounds that have high potency (Council of Europe 61). When the first generation of house mice become resistant to anticoagulant, it is advisable to avoid the use of anticoagulant and in place use other non-anticoagulant remedies. Mouse cause serious damage on food and building structures, which proves to be much expensive hence sufficient measures, should be taken to control house mice as soon as possible to prevent their population from growing. Works Cited Council of Europe. Guidelines for Risk Assessment, Prevention and Management. Strasbourg Cedex: Council of Europe Publishing. 2008. Print. Douglas Richard J., Amy J. Kuezi, Courtney Y. Williams, Samuel Douglas, and James Mills. “Removing Deer mice from Buildings and the Risks for Human Exposure to Sin Nombre Virus.” Emerg Infect Dis. 9(3), 2003, 390-392. Fox James, Stephen Barthhold, Muriel Davison, Christian Newcomer, Fred Quimy and Abigail Smith. The Mouse in Biomedical Research. California: ProQuest. 2006. Print. Krieger Robert. Hayes’ Handbook of Pesticide Toxicology. London: Elsevier. 2010. Print. Salmon Terrel P., and Robert E. Lickliter. Wildlife pest Control around Gardens and Homes. California: UNCANR Publications. 2006. Print. Vector Management Program. House Mice: Prevention and Managing the Office Environment. 1st April 2011. Web. 23 Jan 2013. Read More