Types of Mice in Massachusetts
Until you actually see one scurry across the floor, you may not even realize you have a problem on your hands, especially if you’ve never dealt with mice before. There are several things to watch for. First, if you find droppings on your kitchen counter or in your drawers, you can bet you have a problem on your hands. The droppings are like small, black grains of rice. Cleaning the area with a disinfectant when you find them is an absolute must.
You may also want to listen to scurrying noises. They move quite a bit at night, so if you start to hear mysterious noises, it’s possible that you have a mouse problem on your hands. Additionally, if you begin to notice packages of food that have holes in them or parts of your furniture that look as if they’ve been gnawed on, it’s a good indicator that you have a problem.
Main Types of Mice in Massachusetts
The most common types of mice include:
North American Deer Mice
There are two types of deer mice in Massachusetts. Let’s start with the North American deer mouse. These mice come in from wooded areas, but they’re perfectly comfortable in people’s homes and can damage wooden structures quite easily. Deer mice can be reddish-brown or gray, but usually have lighter fur on their stomach. They can be 2.5-4 inches long, not including their tail.
Each female deer mouse in Massachusetts can have 2-4 litters a year, raising up about 20 young annually. Those young mice reach maturity in as few as 7 weeks, meaning these female mice can start producing offspring as well. This is how mouse control easily gets out of hand, and mouse infestations explode in a matter of weeks.
White-Footed Deer Mice
The second type of deer mice in Massachusetts is the white-footed mouse. These are somewhat larger, 3.5-4 inches long, but look very similar to the North American deer mouse. They live in the woods as well, but in addition to homes, they’ll often target agricultural lands. Even small farms and gardens make ideal homes for this mouse.
House Mice
The house mouse in Massachusetts is what’s known as an “Old World” mouse. Although it’s not native to Massachusetts, the house mouse is plentiful in the area.
You know how one female deer mouse can raise up to 20 young per year? The house mouse has as many as 16 young…per litter. They have as many as 8 litters a year. That means a single female house mouse can raise 128 young in the space of a year. Consider that each offspring reaches maturity in 2-3 months, and that’s a recipe for hundreds or even thousands of mice.
Jumping Mice
There are also two types of jumping mice in Massachusetts – the woodland jumping mouse and meadow jumping mouse. As their names imply, one rarely sees them in homes. These mice stick to wilder ranges and tend not to come too far into densely inhabited areas.
Call a professional mouse exterminator in Massachusetts, such as Ransford Pest Control at 508-556-6206. We’ll send out our well-trained experts with experience in getting rid of mice.