If you've ever had to deal with mice in your home or business, you are probably familiar with the usual dangers of having these little critters running wild inside your walls. But sometimes the dangers mice cause are not so usual. Sometimes they are downright nightmarish. Here are some common--and not so common--problems that can arise when mice are allowed to run wild and multiply inside a structure.Obvious Mouse DangersMice chew. As rodents with ever-growing incisors, mice never stop gnawing. Mice chew into food sources, clothing, insulation, wooden beams, walls, pipes, books, treasured items stored in your attic, and more.Mice carry diseases. A house mouse will crawl through sewers and dumpsters, leach fields, compost piles, and all sorts of other filthy places, then drag harmful bacteria into your home and into your kitchen or pantry. They also leave their feces and urine everywhere they go. So it is not surprising that they are linked to many diseases.Mice can carry parasites, such as mites, ticks, lice, fleas, and worms. If your child comes home from school with lice, you may not need to look any further than the mouse infestation that is in your own home.Mouse problems people don't tend to think aboutMost people don't think of mouse hair as an issue, but mice shed their hair daily, and lose an entire coat twice a year. That means millions of rodent hairs and hair fragments, possibly containing pathogens, could be floating around your house.Even worse than hair, rodents can sometimes fight and leave their blood and saliva around.As mentioned above, mice chew things. But, most people don't realize that one of the things mice chew is wires. That means they can destroy a lot more than some insulation and a few treasured keepsakes.Mice can also be dangerous to the pets in your home. If a cat eats a mouse it can be infected with toxoplasmosis. This has been known to lead to uveitis and to glaucoma. Although it is rare, it has happened.Mice can damage cars that are stored outside, in garages, or in barns. In a short 24 hour period, a mouse can wreak havoc as it gnaws through insulation and wires. And, if left alone, it may move its whole family in and built a cozy nest.Mice can be a danger to people who are unable to move away from them. There is a rather disturbing incident that took place in a nursing home in Canada, but we will simply say that it is dangerous to have wild mice in a home with elderly people who are limited in mobility.If you don't want to deal with any kind of mouse problem, common, or not so common, we understand. Let the pest specialists here at Ehrlich--formerly Ace Exterminators, keep your family, your pets, and your property safe with the most advanced pest control protocols available.
