House Mouse

Size: Adults typically measure 7-10 cm from nose to the base of the tail. The tail itself is of a similar length, often 7-10 cm long.

Color: Fur colour ranges from light greyish-brown to a dark, almost black-brown. The underside is usually a lighter shade of cream or buff. Colour can vary between populations and environments.

• Salmonellosis: Transmitted through contamination of food and surfaces with mouse faeces.
• Leptospirosis (Weil's disease): Spread via urine contaminating water or food.
• Lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCMV): A viral infectious disease transmitted through exposure to fresh urine, droppings, saliva, or nesting materials.
• Hantavirus: While rare in Australia, related viruses can be carried by rodents. Transmission occurs via inhalation of aerosolized particles from droppings and urine.
• Murine Typhus: Transmitted to humans by fleas that have fed on infected rodents.

Professional Treatment: $250-$600 for a standard treatment program, with ongoing costs for bait station maintenance.

Prevention Costs: $50-$200 annually for sealing entry points and maintaining monitoring stations.

DIY Treatment: $30-$100 for traps, baits, and exclusion materials for a minor issue.

Structural Damage: Gnawing on electrical wires creates a serious fire hazard. They also chew through wood, plasterboard, and plastic pipes.

Food Contamination: Significant losses in homes and businesses due to contamination of stored food with faeces and urine, requiring disposal.

Equipment Damage: Damage to appliances by nesting inside them and chewing on wiring and insulation. Can also damage vehicles by nesting in engine bays.

Restaurant Issues: Severe impact on the food service industry, leading to closure by health authorities, loss of reputation, and customer confidence.

Retail Impact: Damage to packaged goods, particularly food items, making them unsellable. Presence of mice can deter customers.

Reputation Damage: A rodent infestation can cause irreversible damage to a business's brand and reputation.

• Droppings: Small (3-6mm), black, and pointed at the ends, scattered randomly.
• Small size: Adult body is only 7-10cm long.
• Large ears and pointed snout.
• Long, thin tail that is about the same length as the body.
• Musty odour: A strong, urine-like smell is a key sign of an established infestation.

• Store all food, including pet food and birdseed, in sealed, rodent-proof containers (glass, metal, or hard plastic).
• Clean up spills and crumbs immediately. Sweep or vacuum floors regularly, especially in kitchens and dining areas.
• Manage waste effectively. Use bins with tight-fitting lids and empty them regularly. Do not leave rubbish bags outside overnight.
• Eliminate water sources by fixing leaky taps and pipes and removing any standing water.
• Reduce clutter in and around your property. Piles of boxes, paper, or junk provide ideal nesting sites.

• Conduct a thorough inspection of your property's exterior and seal any cracks or holes larger than 6mm.
• Use steel wool, wire mesh, or concrete mortar to seal gaps. Mice can chew through plastic, wood, and silicone sealant.
• Pay close attention to entry points for utilities like pipes, vents, and cables.
• Install weather strips or door sweeps on the bottom of external doors.
• Ensure vent covers and chimney caps are secure and rodent-proof.

• Keep grass mowed and vegetation trimmed back from the building's foundation, creating a clear 'exclusion zone'.
• Remove piles of wood, bricks, or other debris that could serve as outdoor harborage.
• Elevate woodpiles off the ground.
• Avoid dense ground-cover plants right next to the house.
• Harvest fruits and vegetables promptly and remove any fallen fruit from the ground.

Chemical Control: Use of commercial-grade anticoagulant or neurotoxic rodenticides placed in lockable, tamper-resistant bait stations by a licensed professional.

Physical Control: Professional-grade snap traps, multi-catch traps, and glue boards (where legal and ethical) placed strategically based on rodent behaviour.

Integrated Approach: The industry standard is Integrated Pest Management (IPM), which combines thorough inspection, sanitation advice, exclusion (proofing), and the strategic use of traps and/or chemical controls, followed by ongoing monitoring.

Mechanical Control: Snap traps are the most effective DIY mechanical control method. They should be baited with foods like peanut butter, chocolate, or oats and placed flush against walls where mice travel.

Natural Remedies: Peppermint oil, cayenne pepper, and other strong scents are often touted as deterrents, but their effectiveness is minimal and short-lived. They are not a solution for an active infestation.

Breeding increases as temperatures warm and food becomes more available outdoors. Outdoor populations grow, which can later put pressure on nearby buildings.

Populations continue to expand. In very hot and dry conditions, they may seek shelter and water sources inside buildings.

A critical period. As temperatures drop and outdoor food sources decline, mice actively seek shelter indoors for warmth and food, leading to a surge in home and business infestations.

Mice that have successfully established themselves indoors will continue to breed and forage. Infestations that began in autumn become more entrenched and noticeable during winter.

Can occur year-round indoors. Outdoors, the peak breeding season is typically spring and autumn.

Professional pest control operators must be licensed and comply with relevant regulations regarding mouse control treatments.