Many homeowners notice signs of a mouse or rodent in their home and assume it’s no big deal or that it
may be just the one. However, a female mouse can have as many as 12 babies every three weeks. A
small infestation can quickly grow into a huge mice problem. In my opinion, even one mouse in my house
is one too many!
http://www.minnesotawildanimalmanagement.com/animal-pest-control/mice-removal-animal-pestcontrol/mice-deer-mice-rodent-control-removal-mn/
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It is his recommendation that you never directly contact rodents, pest birds, or their unsanitary
conditions. If you trap rodents you should wear gloves and other protective clothing when removing
them, as well as while cleaning up after them. It has long been known that birds, bats, and rodents pass
disease agents in their urine and feces. Over 40 diseases are associated with pigeons, starlings, and
sparrows, many of them respiratory problems that are contracted from inhaling infected fecal dust.
So, the first step is to keep rodents from living in your structures or on your property. Even though they
are a part of Nature, and it may be cute to see them, we truly may be competing with them for our
health. Wood Rats, the vectors of Arenavirus, generally stay outdoors, and their nests may be large,
visible piles of sticks and debris with the living quarters inside. These should be eliminated, while
wearing safety clothing that will be discussed in a few minutes. Deer Mice also are generally outdoor
rodents, but when buildings are left unoccupied for long periods they may move in. Even our “domestic”
rodents – the House Mouse, Norway Rat, and Roof Rat – while not associated with hantavirus, can and
do carry disease pathogens in their waste products. For example, a serious condition called Lymphocytic
choriomeningitis is a viral disease spread by the House Mouse.
Rodent exclusion also is a vital step, for once the rodents are eliminated from your home or office you
would like them to stay out, rather than repeating the process.
Should you be camping or enjoying other activities in the outdoors these same general guidelines would
be appropriate. While they are downright cute, burrowing chipmunks and squirrels and other rodents
are not the best of companions. Put away foods at night, keep tents sealed while you are away from
them or while sleeping, and don’t leave tidbits around just to attract the cute little things. Potato Chips
probably aren’t the healthiest things for the critters anyhow.
http://www.minnesotawildanimalmanagement.com/minnesota-wild-animal-management/mn-wildanimal-management-mice-deer-mice/
http://pestcemetery.com/deer-mice-house-mouses-territory/
Deer mice have got to be one of the all time cutest creatures. Deer mice are also referred to as field
mice but that is an all encompassing term and could include other rodents such as voles. With their soft
looking two toned fur and their rounded bodies and large ears this very cautious rodent is larger than
your average mouse but smaller than a rat. Deer mice are highly intelligent and studies show that they
will think through situations before acting. The deer mouse gets its name because of its ability to run
very fast and jump but for climbing and trapeze type moves, the house mouse is still superior in my
opinion but perhaps this is because of their careful nature. The deer mouse is also very faithful and
usually stays with one mate for life. The female can have 4 litters per year with 3 to 6 babies per litter.
In as little as 25 days the baby mice are full grown but can spend considerable time with the parents and
they can live up to 5 years. Populations sometimes get out of control but the poor deer mouse is on the
bottom of the food chain and literally sought out by every predatory animal you can think of from
snakes to owls and everything in between. For this reason the average life span is only about 2 years.
With their oversized eyes they look at you with that sort of pitiful stare as if to say please love me, I’m
just a harmless cuddly mouse and your first instinct is to scoop him up and take him home.
Unfortunately this soft and cuddly rodent is also known for carrying deadly diseases. Hantavirus is a
virus that is spread through the fecal matter and urine and ehrlichiosis, babesiosis, and bubonic plague
are also carried by the deer mouse. This nocturnal rodent is very happy living in fields, tree stumps and
away from humans but from time to time they have been known to enter homes where they prefer to
stay in a safe undisturbed place such as your attic. Deer mice are not territorial and will readily share
space with others so on rare occasions a home can house many deer mice.
There are about 60 variations of the deer mouse and they live in a wide variety of places. From the
mountains of Mexico to Alaska and almost everywhere in between. Colors can vary but the deer mouse
is almost always two toned in color as opposed to a house mouse who is usually solid gray or brown. For
the most part there is no control measures necessary for the deer mice living in the wild since so many
animals eat them for food. There is however a great concern for disease once they establish inside a
home. Should trapping be needed the deer mouse is very smart and may not approach your trap right
away much like a rat. They are however scavengers who will eat just about anything and eventually
should at least investigate your rodent placement. Remember, there will be at least a pair of deer mice
together and possibly more with the young who haven’t left out on their own. Make sure you keep your
traps in place for a week or more even after you have caught one or two to make sure you’ve got them
all. Since this rodent is not commensal like the house mouse you should try to limit touching the trap
without gloves and do your best to disguise your placements and move them around especially after
you’ve got one.
https://www.google.com/search?q=In+my+opinion%2C+even+one+mouse+in+my+house+is+one+too+
many!&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&channel=rcs
http://preparednesspro.com/the-battle-of-mice-and-men/
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Why? Well, it might have something to do with them scampering across me while I was saying my
prayers on my bed in the Philippines and seeing the death that occurs as a result of the diseases they
bring with them. Perhaps it’s because I know that a pair of mice can eat 8 pounds of food in a year’s
time and spread 36,000 feces droppings! They have the ominous past of carrying several deadly diseases
with them including The Black Plague (yup, THAT plague) and the most oft times fatal Hantavirus.
They are able to enter a home in an opening no larger than a dime. They have no bladder and thus
they spread urine everywhere they go. And worst of all they refuse to tap dance in any particular
rhythm in the walls and attic of the house.
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Mice and Disease
Mice carry and spread various diseases and then transmit them a myriad of different ways, such as their
feces, urine, biting, or contaminating food. Even if you keep a mouse as a pet and all nice and clean the
insects which live on the rodents won’t differentiate between those mice which are named and those
which are hobos hanging out in your home. These insects such as mites and fleas spread the disease as
well; and they commonly affect the water supply, too as a result of their fecal, urine, and bacteria
contamination.
For those of you who don’t know about the various diseases that are spread through mice and other
rodents, the droppings of mice can be dust-like as they age and become brittle and the particles of
this dust can be inhaled, thus transferring the Hantavirus (Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome–HPS)
through the respiratory system. This is a deadly viral infection that’s spread through mice urine and
droppings, which literally can infect the air with miniscule particles of the virus in the air.
Hantavirus isn’t the only thing that mice are known for carrying. They are also well known for carrying
Salmonellosis which is a bacteria infection of the food, Lymphocitic, which is a form of leukemia,
Rickettsialpox, which results in a bacteria infection caused by a bite from the MITES which live on the
rodent, Choriomeningitis - which is a form of cerebral meningitis, Leptospirosis transferred by the urine
of the mice, Tularemia which is which is an infectious disease which is transmitted by the insects which
live on the rodents, Black Plague—yes, that Black Plague, and Lyme disease—just to name a few. (Yup,
I’m having a hard time finding value in mice, but I’ll keep working on it.) If that hasn’t caught your
attention yet, in third world nations the people have to sleep with their feet covered or else risk having
the soles of their feet chewed at night. Yup, “for real.”
Mice can and will eat through just about anything. If it’s softer than their teeth, the will gnaw their way
through. Their front incisor teeth never stop growing and can grow as much as 5 inches in a year’s time.
They can jump 12 feet horizontally like a superhero and 12 inches vertically. They don’t require water
and thrive in the heat. They have Spiderman-like abilities in scaling vertical surfaces.
See http://npic.orst.edu/pest/pestA.html#Minnesota
http://www.ehs.harvard.edu/pest_control/ and
http://www.ehs.harvard.edu/search?terms=pest%20control
a serious condition called Lymphocytic choriomeningitis is a viral disease spread by the House Mouse
https://www.google.com/search?q=a+serious+condition+called+Lymphocytic+choriomeningitis+is+a+vir
al+disease+spread+by+the+House+Mouse&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:enUS:official&client=firefox-a&channel=rcs
see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_mouse
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lymphocytic_choriomeningitis
http://www.kingcounty.gov/healthservices/health/ehs/zoonotics/PocketPets.aspx?print=1
Diseases that can be Spread from Mice to People
https://www.google.com/search?q=Diseases+that+can+be+Spread+from+Mice+to+People&ie=utf8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&channel=rcs
good http://www.macroevolution.net/diseases-carried-by-mice.html#.UMxkenfheSo
http://www.victorpest.com/advice/rodents-101/rodent-dangers/rodent-transmitted-diseases
Diseases from rodents, pocket pets and rabbits
There are disease concerns with both wild (rats, mice) and pet (rats, mice,
hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs) rodents and rabbits. They can carry many
diseases including hantavirus, leptospirosis, lymphocytic choriomeningitis
(LCMV), Tularemia and Salmonella. Wild rodents also may cause considerable
property damage by chewing through wiring in homes, car engines, and other
places.
See also: Diseases from rodents, Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC)
Wild rodents
Hantavirus
Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) is a severe illness caused from exposure to the droppings or
urine of deer mice that carry the virus. About 1- 5 hantavirus cases are reported each year in
Washington State and about one third of the cases have been fatal. It is important to take precautions
when cleaning up an enclosed space such as a shed, cabin or trailer where mice have nested or rodent
droppings are present.
Leptospirosis
Leptospirosis is a disease caused by bacteria called Leptospira that infects both humans and a wide
range of animals. It occurs worldwide but is more common in temperate and tropical areas of the world.
Some people infected with leptospirosis will have no symptoms at all, and some people will become
severely ill. Some wild and domestic animals, such as cattle, pigs, dogs, raccoons, and rodents, carry the
Leptospira bacteria and pass them in their urine. Soil or water contaminated with infected urine are the
most common causes of human infection.
Plague
Plague is a serious infection of humans caused by a bacteria called Yersinia pestis. It is usually caused by
the bite of a flea that has fed on an infected wild animal, such as a rat, chipmunk or prairie dog. It
usually causes large sores and abscesses in the lymph nodes under the arms and legs. Dogs, and
especially cats, can also become infected and can spread the disease to their human companions. While
Plague has been found in wildlife in many parts of the state including Western Washington, human
cases are rare. The most recent documented human infection was in Grant County in 1984. Plague is
treatable with antibiotics.
Rat prevention
Rats are dangerous! They can ruin your food, destroy things in your home and start electrical fires. Rats
and their fleas can carry disease. Learn tips for preventing rats getting into your building.
Tularemia
Tularemia is a bacterial disease caused by Francisella tularensis and is most commonly found in wild
animals (e.g., wild rodents, squirrels, rabbits, hares and beavers). People and their pets can become ill
from tularemia by coming into contact with infected dead or ill animals through animal bites and
exposure to contaminated blood or raw meat. Tularemia can also be transmitted by the bite of an
infected arthropod (e.g. ticks, biting flies), exposure to contaminated water or soil, and inhalation of
bacteria. One to 10 cases of tularemia in people are reported every year. To prevent exposures to
tularemia, don't handle dead or ill animals; avoid animal bites, tick and deer fly bites; and avoid direct
bare-hand contact with blood and raw meat from wild animals. Don't drink untreated water in areas
where tularemia is known to occur in wild animals.
Pocket Pets (rats, mice, hamsters, guinea pigs, gerbils and rabbits)
Hamsters, rats, mice, gerbils, guinea pigs and rabbits are popular pets in many homes. Occasionally
these animals may carry germs or may come into contact with wildlife and can contract diseases that
they can then pass on to their human owners.
Rat bite fever
Rat bite fever is a bacterial disease. The bacteria are carried by rats and are part of the normal flora of
their mouth and nose. People can get infected through bites or scratches by rats. Up to 10% of rat bites
may result in rat bite fever. Other animals such as mice, gerbils, squirrels, cats and dogs can also get
infected and may or may not get sick with rat bite fever, and can spread it. Rat bite fever is thought to
be rare in the U.S. Persons who handles rats as part of their work or children who live in rat infected
areas are at higher risk of this disease.
Leptospirosis
Leptospirosis is a disease caused by bacteria called Leptospira that infect both humans and a wide range
of animals. It occurs worldwide but is more common in temperate and tropical areas of the world. Some
people infected with leptospirosis will have no symptoms at all, and some people will become severely
ill. Some wild and domestic animals, such as cattle, pigs, dogs, raccoons, and rodents, carry the
Leptospira bacteria and pass them in their urine. Soil or water contaminated with infected urine are the
most common causes of human infection.
Salmonellosis - Rodents and Pocket Pets
Salmonellosis is a bacterial infection of the intestines caused by a group of bacteria called Salmonella.
The bacteria are shed in the stool of infected animals and humans. Infection can happen when a person
eats food or drinks water or milk that has been contaminated with Salmonella bacteria. Infection with
Salmonella can cause serious disease, especially in children younger than 5 years of age, the elderly, and
persons with weakened immune systems.
Lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCMV)
The primary host of lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCMV) is the common house mouse. Pet rodents can
become infected after being in contact with wild house mice infesting pet stores or homes. Pregnant
women are most at risk from LCMV infection, which can cause birth defects and mental retardation in
the unborn baby.
Monkeypox
Monkeypox is a disease caused by a virus found in monkeys and other animals such as rats, mice and
rabbits. It was first discovered in laboratory monkeys in 1958 and in people in 1970. In June 2003,
monkeypox was found in several people in United States who likely got sick after contact with infected
pet prairie dogs. People get monkeypox from an animal with the virus if they are bitten or if they touch
the animal's body fluid or blood. The disease can also spread from person to person through respiratory
droplets produced from sneezing or coughing. In Africa, monkeypox kills between one and ten percent
of people who get it, but this percentage is likely lower in the United States. There is no specific
treatment for monkeypox; but there is a vaccine available that lowers the risk of getting the disease.
SEE http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/mammals/mice_voles_rats/index.html MN DNR
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The deer mouse and white-footed mouse are very similar. Both have large eyes and ears and rather
long tails. They nest almost anywhere, in ground burrows, tree holes, old bird nests, and buildings. Deer
mice occur throughout Minnesota, while the white-foot is absent in the northeast. Their foods are
seeds, nuts, and insects. They can be a nuisance to campers and cottage owners, though they are
interesting to watch. Individuals of both species may weigh up to one and one-fourth ounces.