Deer Mice

Home Rodent Control

 

Color: The deer mouse is bicolored, pale gray/buff to deep red/brown above and white below. 

Characteristics: Their tail is longer than half of head+body length, sharply bicolored and covered with short hairs or fur. Hind feet have six pads each. 

Size: Deer mouse adult’s head+body length is 2.75-4 in (7-10 cm); tail length is about 2-5 in (5-13 cm); weight is about 1 ounce (10-35 g).

Potentially Dangerous: Yes

Food Contamination

Structure Damaging

Health Hazard

Illness Spreading

Structure Invading

What Do Deer Mice Look Like?

Adult deer mice have an approximate body length of 2 3/4 to 4 inches, and a tail length of 2 to 5 inches. They have large ears which are covered in fur and black eyes; deer mice have a slender build and can run very quickly. Adults are brownish-red or grayish-brown in color and have a lighter off-white colored underbelly and feet. Their tail is similarly colored to their body; darker on top and lighter colored on the underside; it is covered in fine hair.

Why Do I Have A Deer Mouse Problem?

Deer mice inhabit western U.S., from Mexico to southern Yukon and Northwest territories of Canada; eastern U.S. from Hudson Bay to Pennsylvania, southern Appalachians, central Arkansas and central Texas.  If you are experiencing an infestation of mice, it is likely that the conditions that attract rodents exist in and around your property.

Do Deer Mice Nest Inside?

Outside, deer mice can be found in tree hollows, old fence posts, log piles, abandoned nests and burrows, or in their own old burrows.  Inside, they are often discovered in wall voids, corners and small places in basements and attics, storage boxes and even in stuffed furniture. Using small holes, about a pencil’s diameter in size, they will gain entry into residential dwellings and commercial facilities.  Also they are great climbers and can access high up areas inside buildings.  They will enter homes and business during cold months and are quite common in rural areas.

How Can I Tell If I have Deer Mice?

It is impossible to tell what type of mice have invaded your home until you actually catch a mouse and identify it.  Typical signs of a mouse infestation (no matter what the species) include seeing their droppings along the floor, in drawers, cabinets and in pantry areas.  You may also hear scratching or scurrying sounds as they move behind your home’s walls or across the ceiling.  If mice are in your home you might detect a strong musty smell, or notice chew marks on electrical wiring, furniture, flooring, walls, or stored items.

What Kind Of Threat Do Deer Mice Pose?

During cold periods deer mice enter garages, sheds and homes that border on wooded areas. They may get into stored food, or nest in upholstered furniture. They are primary carriers of hantavirus, which is transmitted mainly by the inhalation of dust particles that are contaminated with the urine or feces of infected mice.  Deer mice may also contaminate your home’s insulation with their droppings and urine and/or damage it by nesting in it.

How Do I Control Deer Mice?

Control of deer mice can be difficult, especially if you are not sure where they are entering your property. Exclusion techniques are the best way to make sure these pests don’t enter your structure, and the professionals at Holder’s Pest Solutions know exactly where to look for these pests. Contact us today to learn more about the rodents in Houston and the surrounding Texas communities or to learn more about how our EnviroGuard home pest control program will protect your home and family from mice and other pests.

How Do You Prevent Deer Mice?

In order to help prevent mice from choosing your home to live in you should eliminate the elements that attract them to your property.  Take away access to anything mice would consider food (i.e. trash cans, food left out on the counter and pet food), remove potential water sources and make sure your home is sealed up so that they can’t get inside.