Common house mice are small, slender rodents with large ears, sensitive noses, and small eyes. Their fur is typically dusty brown or dull gray on top, with lighter shades along the chin and stomach. The rodents have hairless tails that are long and scaly, and their feet are well-equipped for grasping, burrowing, and climbing. What they lack in eyesight they make up for with their other senses and continually explore their environments in order to memorize the locations of food sources, hazards, safe hideaways, and escape routes.

Any areas with sufficient food sources and hiding places make good habitats for clever and adaptable house mice. They are commonly found in farms, houses, and businesses, and are capable of living in a wide range of climates. House mice have been found in corn fields, fast food restaurants, the open arctic tundra, and underground coal mines over 1,800 feet below the surface of the earth. In the wild, house mice tend to burrow underground, while they often reside in walls, furniture, or appliances in human habitations. Their nests are made up of shredded fibers, papers, or cloths and are constructed in sheltered locations.

Mice ordinarily enter homes, especially during fall and winter, in search of food and shelter. Their small size allows them to squeeze through tiny cracks and holes. House mice can also climb vertical surfaces and run along narrow wires or ropes in order to enter buildings. Once established inside a house, mice will constantly scamper throughout their territory, exploring and investigating new objects every night.

Humans need not fear attacks from these tiny creatures. However, house mice are known to cause rampant damage to property and food supplies. They can carry diseases such as salmonellosis, rickettsial pox, dermatitis, Weil's disease, and meningitis.

The most detrimental activity of mice is their propensity to nibble on food. House mice contaminate 10 times more food than they consume, tasting everything in sight and discarding partially eaten bits of food in favor of tastier treats. While foraging, mice defecate, urinate, and shed hair, which makes food unfit for consumption by humans or other animals. They also chew through electrical wiring, which destroys appliances, causes power shorts and outages, and even leads to electrical fires.

Mouse-proofing homes can be extremely difficult, as the rodents are small and dexterous. The best way to prevent mice from entering is to secure food in rodent-proof containers, seal up obvious gaps and cracks along building exteriors, and maintain a sanitary household or business area. Because mice reproduce year-round, populations can grow quickly if not controlled or eliminated.

Whole home exclusions are the most effective means of mouse control. Excluding mice from homes is a tough but necessary task. Even after homeowners or technicians remove an infestation, the same conditions that attracted these rodents are likely to draw more. Pest control experts can do a thorough home inspection to find and fix problem areas and avoid future mouse issues.

Snap-style mouse traps, multiple-catch treadle door traps, and glue boards can be effective methods of dealing with house mice. However, populations of house mice are best dealt with by trained professionals. Not only do Critter Control specialists have up-to-date tools and extensive knowledge regarding mouse behavior, they are educated in humane methods of house mouse removal that keep homeowners safe.