About Mice & Rats
Most people consider mice and rats to be unacceptable in their homes. Mice are more common and cause more damage. Mice are capable of producing 6-10 litters in one year. The greatest economic impact from mice is not due to how much they eat, but what must be thrown out because of damage or contamination. Food, clothing, furniture, books and many other household items are contaminated by their droppings and urine, or damaged by their gnawing. Mice can gnaw through electrical wiring, causing fires and damage to household appliances.
Mice can transmit diseases, most notably salmonella when food is contaminated with infected rodent feces. Mice can squeeze through an opening as small as ¼ inch.
Rats consume and contaminate food, damage structures and property, and transmit parasites and diseases to other animals and humans. Rats live and thrive under a wide variety of climates and conditions; they are often found in and around homes and other buildings, farms, gardens, and open fields.