It’s important to seal any potential openings because mice can fit through a hole as small as 0. 25 inches (0. 64 cm) in diameter![2] X Trustworthy Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services Go to source If you’d like, search for potential entryways in your home and block them with wire screening or sheet metal. If exterminators can’t find any entryways, trapping mice is the next step.
Traditional snap traps are the safest extermination option because they don’t involve any poisonous materials that could harm pets or small children. They’re also relatively cheap and easy to set up on your own! Trap placement is key to successful extermination. Most professionals place traps in pairs against a wall, vertically with their triggers closest to the wall or horizontally with their triggers facing opposite sides. [5] X Research source If the snap trap doesn’t work, it could signal that there’s a large female mice population. Female mice hunt for nesting materials (rather than food), so exterminators may place cotton balls or paper towels in the traps instead.
An immediate kill is undesirable because it makes the bait ineffective–other mice learn that the food is poisoned! If you don’t believe you have a severe mice infestation, you can set up your own bait station without calling an exterminator!
Choose your exterminator carefully. Ask to see their company license, and call your local pesticide regulatory agency if you have any concerns. [8] X Trustworthy Source United States Environmental Protection Agency Independent U. S. government agency responsible for promoting safe environmental practices Go to source Fumigation is expensive–with costs ranging from $2,000-6,000![9] X Research source
