With fields and hedges close to the back fence, mice have a short journey to a warm house. A gap the width of a pencil is all they need to get in.
Dorket Head is a hillside area above Arnold in Gedling borough, with suburban housing and open land close by. For a field mouse or house mouse living in the hedge line, the nearest building is a few metres away. As the nights lengthen, the move indoors follows, usually through gaps nobody knew existed.
Sloping plots often mean steps, retaining walls and raised ground against the house, which hides the base of the brickwork from view. Soil heaped against an air brick, or a pipe that exits close to ground level, is an easy way in. Garages, conservatories and extensions create joins between old and new, where small gaps appear as buildings settle.
Mice make their nests in warm, hidden places such as behind kitchen units, in the loft or inside sofas and boxes stored in the garage. They feed on crumbs, pet food and cereals, and nibble packaging. A mouse may produce dozens of droppings in a day, and it urinates as it moves, leaving a stale smell that builds over time.
They also gnaw cables and pipes. That is not just a nuisance, since chewed wiring creates a real risk of fire.
Pay attention to what is stored in the garage. Bags of bird seed, dog biscuits and boxes of old papers make perfect nesting and feeding spots, and mice that start there often move through to the house within weeks.
If you hear scratching in the walls only at night, that fits mice rather than squirrels or birds, which are active by day. Noting the time helps identify the visitor.
Sealing gaps without removing the mice already inside can trap them in the walls. The sensible order is to deal with the mice, either by trapping or baiting in safe positions, and then block the entry points with metal mesh and hard materials. Ask about pets and children before any baits are put down.
Long-term prevention involves storing food in lidded containers, keeping a tidy garage and cutting back vegetation from the walls. The time it takes depends on the number of mice and the number of entry points.
We will walk the property with you, explain what we find and put a plan in place. Free advice comes with all treatments, and we offer appointments to suit you. Call 0115 937 5117.
As temperatures drop and field food runs short, mice look for warmth and food in buildings. Homes next to open land are often among the first to see activity.
It can work but carries risks to children, pets and wildlife, and a dead mouse in a wall causes smells. Taking advice first helps you choose a safer, more effective approach.
Tell us what you have seen and where, and we will come back to you. Prices are fixed and there is no call-out charge.
