Field mouse
The field mouse is also known as a wood mouse. This is a rodent that unlike a rat has a longer nose with a pointed snout and a scaly tail. It also has small rounded ears and in a cartoon character may look very cute and friendly. Because of the character perpetuated by such depictions some people keep mice as pet and even give them to their kids as a pet.
The term field mouse is used generally in the United States to refer to mice found in the fields as well as in the house. These creatures are extremely curious and can be brown, white or black. The white lab mouse is used a lot in research and it is popular for this use because it has very uniform traits that offer uniformity in research findings.
The field mouse will come indoors to look for food and shelter especially from the cold and predators. One of the dangerous quality of field mice it its ability to reproduce at an alarming rate. What may have started out as one mouse looking for shelter can quickly become a rat infestation of epic proportions. These creatures are able to climb and gnaw their way into your space leaving a wake of destruction on your property.
Diseases associated with field mice
- Hantavirus
- Leptospirosis
- Plague
- Tularemia
- Monkey pox
Mice are creatures of habit so they tend to map out a route that they stick to. It is usually a beeline for food and shelter. Unfortunately, they also leave their droppings on their path which become a disease hazard. Mice will find different ways to get into the house but they always use the same route to the food.
When cleaning out areas with mouse dropping and urine use a pair of gloves to protect your hands. Also, do not ingest food from a contaminated container like a cereal box or an open food container. Even fruits in the cabinet or pantry where the mice have been found should be thrown out.
Pet or foe?
Domestic mice have been kept as pets by a lot of people and they are typically offered as starter pets for children who want a pet. According to pet mice breeders mice are clean and friendly with minimal supervision needed. But since some of the breeds being kept are field mice the conclusion that they can pose a risk of the above diseases. This may happen involuntarily but it can’t be ruled out with certainty.
In case the mouse gets past its enclosure, it can get to the electrical wires and chew at them or gnaw on wood or plastic. Training a mouse is much than training a cat or a dog.
How to get rid of field mice
You can choose to employ the use of traps on your own but we highly recommend calling a professional to smoke the mice out of their nest and ascertain the depth of their infestation. This will give them the correct approach to get rid of the pest and provide you with right advice of how to prevent such a situation in the future. Keep in mind rodents are not friends.
