Have You Found A Mouse Nest In Your Home?
Uncovering a mouse nest can be unsettling, especially if you had no idea mice were even in your house. While it might be a surprise, it’s a pretty common occurrence, especially as the weather gets colder and these critters move indoors. In this blog post, we'll walk through the signs of a mouse problem, where they like to build nests in Maine homes, the health risks mice can bring, and what to do if you find mice nesting in your attic, garage, or elsewhere in your house.
Signs you might have a mouse problem
Mice are a frequent pest issue for Mainers, but they can be hard to detect early on. Knowing the signs of a mouse infestation is important – that is, unless you're okay with sharing your home with rodents! Here are some common clues that mice leave behind:
Mouse droppings around nesting sites, near food sources, and other areas where they travel.
Urine stains on floors and other surfaces.
Chewed food packages, cardboard boxes, and even furniture.
Shredded fabric, paper, or insulation near their nests.
Nocturnal noises coming from wall voids and ceilings.
Don’t ignore these signs—a mouse infestation left untreated can lead to bigger issues like property damage. It’s best to tackle the problem sooner rather than later.
Where mice nest inside Maine homes
Mice prefer to nest in areas where there is little to no foot traffic and where they can remain relatively undisturbed. Although they are commensal rodents that partially rely on us for survival, they’re not interested in being friends. To be fair, we aren’t either.
The following are common areas to find mice nests:
Attics
Basements
Crawl spaces
Closets
Storage areas
Garages
Pantry
Storage boxes
Wall voids
Insulation
Furniture
Near kitchen appliances
Under sinks
Inside cabinets
Near hot water heaters
When building nests, mice use all kinds of materials like:
Paper
Cardboard
Fabric
Insulation
Furniture stuffing
Food wrappers
Leaves, twigs, and other organic debris
Anything they find and can carry back to their nesting site could become fodder for their nests.
Are mice harmful?
Unfortunately, mice can pose serious health risks. They can carry and spread diseases that jeopardize human health. Diseases associated with mice in Maine include:
These rodents also introduce ticks (which are serious vectors of Lyme disease in Maine), fleas, and mites. On top of health risks, mice can also damage your property by chewing through building materials and wires, which could even lead to electrical fires if not taken care of.
How to prevent mice from taking over
To avoid mouse problems, try implementing these prevention tips:
Declutter closets and other storage areas.
Use durable plastic containers with tight-fitting lids to store belongings.
Fix leaking pipes and other plumbing issues.
Address moisture issues.
Repair holes in the roof and siding.
Seal cracks and gaps around your foundation, windows, and doors.
Install weather stripping or door sweeps to block entry points.
Keep your kitchen clean and take the trash out regularly.
Make sure your exterior trash cans are free of holes and cracks and they have lids.
What to do if you discover a mouse problem in your home
If you have a mouse infestation, you could always run to the store to arm yourself with mouse traps, but we don’t really recommend that option. Setting traps is a temporary and not always effective strategy because it doesn’t address the root cause of the problem. Plus, most homeowners don’t know where to set mouse traps or what to bait them with to be effective.
Hiring a professional pest control company to solve the mouse problem is far more effective. Highly trained and fully licensed pest control experts are well-versed in finding potential entry points and knowing where to look for mice. What’s more, they use the right tools and methods to exterminate mice already in the house and prevent rodents from returning.
Contact Advanced Pest Solutions for help getting rid of mice!
If you’ve spotted a mouse or think you might have an infestation, don’t wait—reach out to Advanced Pest Solutions! Our locally owned and family-operated pest control company offers home pest control services in Belgrade Lakes, Augusta, Brunswick, and throughout central and coastal Maine that target mice and 40+ other house-infesting pests.
Our Premium Care plan includes:
An initial inspection and treatment.
Year-round pest protection.
Two seasonal services.
Interior and exterior pest treatments.
What’s more, this plan is backed by our no-charge service guarantee: if a covered pest problem develops in between services, we’ll come back out to take care of free of charge!
At the first sign of a mouse issue, contact Advanced Pest Solutions and let our team handle the problem so you don’t have to!