Four Hints That You Have Rodents For Roomies

Although we'd like to think it could never happen to us, if you live in a big city odds are that you have had, at one time or another, a mouse. Or yes, mice. Lots of them. Because after all, when there's smoke, there's fire.

Although none of us ever want to admit that our homes could be host to these nasty little rodents, the truth is that 1 in every 5 houses or apartments (excluding condominiums) in large metropolitan cities will have mice at one time or another.

Do you suspect that you may have a mouse problem? Here are four common hints that you do:

1. Did You Drop Something?
Have you ever gone down into the kitchen and cursed your partner for being such a slob? After all, YOU would never leave stale rice from last night all over the counter. Well, there's good news and there's bad news. Good news is you can hold off on the lecture you're about to deliver about maintenance of common living areas. Bad news? It could be mouse droppings. Mouse poo looks a lot like a grain of rice, however they are much darker in colour. Mice don't like to travel in wide open areas, so you're more likely to find droppings along walls, counter corners, and in storage areas and next to objects.

2. Rover's Not Hungry
If you have a pet, you likely have a feeding dish, and that feeding dish is like a brunch buffet for mice. Because your dog or cat has a very keen sense of smell, they can detect when their meal has been shared with a rodent. If you have noticed your furry friend holding back at dinner hour, it's probably because they don't feel like eating another animal's left overs. Also, small holes in dog food or cat food bags are a great indicator that you may have little, unwanted house guests. 

3. Grease Is The Word
Mice often inside pipes, next to support beams and inside walls, so they're bound to get dirty. Because of this, mice can sometimes leave behind grease streaks. Sometimes they will just look like scuff marks, like the kind left by shoes, but for the most part you will see them in places that should would not be walking. Other times, they are very distinctly smudges of dirt and grime, and not at all like a scuff. You are most likely to find these markings along side floor runners, on counters, and by door posts.

4. Don't Worry, You're Not Crazy
One of the best ways to tell if you've got mice is by hearing them. No one wants to admit that they've got company, so often homeowners convince themselves that they're hearing things. Mice sound just like you would imagine. Tiny little squeaks and scratching sounds. You will sometimes hear them running along the hardwood or tiles, or sometimes even in the walls or ceilings. Sure, it's an old house that's bound to make noise. But don't let denial be the reason these little buggers run wild. If you think you've heard one, you probably did. 

Billie Misha
		About the author:
		Billie got her start in the media industry as a photographer. Snapping on red carpets and at film events, she quickly learned that if a picture speaks a thousand words, a blogger speaks a million. She has written for dozens of websites and online publications, and loves to scoop stories on the steamiest scandals, the biggest and best trends,and whatever else is making news RIGHT NOW!
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