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Mice & Rats
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Protection Against Mice and Rats
Mice and rats are a seasonally recurring problem for many homeowners, in large urban areas like Toronto. Factors such as availability of food, garbage, congestion and temperature can influence the level of infestation associated with rats, while mice typically enter homes for food and shelter as the weather gets colder.
The three varieties of mice plague areas north of Toronto including Markham, Richmond Hill, Stouffville and Vaughan where farms and more open spaces prevail. Because these areas include open fields and agricultural land, they are good breeding grounds for outdoor mice such as deer and field mice. Advantage Pest Control provides reliable pest extermination and management services in North York, Whitby, Scarborough, Toronto, and surrounding areas.
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House Mouse
Common Name: House mouse Scientific Name: Mus musculus Colour: Grey to light brown to black Physical Characteristics or Attributes: a pointed nose, small, round ears, and a long, hairless tail. They have a body length between 7.5 cm to 10 cm and a tail length between 5 cm and 10 cm. They have short hair and little hair on their ears and tails. Geographic Range: This worldwide pest is active in both urban and agricultural settings. Habitat: Most prefer dark areas similar to burrows in nature. They are found in homes and commercial structures, often in basements and areas where food is present, such as kitchens and pantries. Diet: Mice are omnivores who prefer fruit and grain in the wild, but will eat almost anything, including household foods and garbage. Social Structure: The social structure of house mice depends on environmental conditions, including the availability of resources. In areas of high resource availability, such as outdoor environments or fields, there is less female-to-female aggression, and they form polygamous family structures. Territories are marked by males, with gendered aggression increasing in areas with high competition for resources. Generally, males leave their mates to form new territories while females remain with their birth family. Life Cycle: Mice reach reproductive maturity around 50 days old, breeding year-round with the average gestation period of 20 days. An average litter contains 10 to 12 pups, which wean for 3 weeks. Interesting Behaviours: When exposed to female house mice's pheromones, male house mice will sing at ultrasonic frequencies as part of the species' mating rituals. While considered less harmful as a species, they can destroy woodwork, clothing and furniture while spreading diseases through their droppings. Evidence of Infestation: Infestations can be found in houses to evidence such as nests, scratching, droppings and high-pitched squeaking noises. Food packaging may be destroyed when insects and seeds become scarce. Service Types: Interior, Exterior, Home Protection Plan (Baiting and Trapping Treatments) DIY Products: Snap Traps, Glue boards, Live Traps
Deer Mouse
Common Name: White-footed Mouse or Deer Mouse Scientific Name: Peromyscus leucopus and Peromyscus maniculatus Colour: White feet, white or light coloured underside and brown on the rest of the body. Their tails can be brown or grey on the topside and white on the underside. Physical Characteristics: White-footed mice are larger than house mice, with body length averaging between 14.5 cm to 20 cm. Geographic Range: White-footed mice are native to North America and are most prevalent on the East Coast of the continent. Habitat: White-footed mice are a hardy species most commonly found in warm, dry forests and brushlands. They are adaptable and can occupy agricultural or residential areas with ease. Diet: Like house mice, they are naturally herbivores, but will adopt an omnivorous eating pattern if the environment provides that. Generally, they will store food for later eating. Social Structure: Normally, deer mice are solitary except for mating season, when they live monogamously with their young. During extreme cold spells, up to 15 individuals may live together in one nest. Life Span: The lifespan of deer mice varies between 4 and 20 months. Mice are weaned at 3 weeks in, and become reproductive between 35 to 49 days. Interesting Behaviours: White-footed mice are capable of nesting in tree canopies and sometimes take over bird or squirrel nests. They are potential carriers of ticks, fleas and the airborne Hantavirus. Evidence of Infestation: Infestations can be found in houses to evidence such as nests, scratching, droppings and high-pitched squeaking noises. Food packaging may be destroyed when insects and seeds become scarce. Service Types: Interior, Exterior, Home Protection Plan (Baiting and Trapping Treatments) DIY Products: Snap Traps, Glue boards, Live Traps
Field Mouse
Common Name: Field Mouse or Voles Scientific Name: There are about 20 different species of field mice in the genus Apodemus. Voles are an entirely distinct genus, made up of over 150 subspecies. Colour: Chestnut to yellow-brown Physical Characteristics: Depending on the species, these animals vary in length from 5 cm to 23 cm. Unlike other mice, they are exceptionally agile. Geographic Range: Ubiquitous across North America. Habitat: In a vacuum, these two species prefer fields and meadows containing grasses, shrubs and hedges which serve as food and shelter. Different species may occupy deciduous and coniferous forests depending on population levels and the abundance of other small animals. Diet: They are omnivores who prefer vegetation and insects. The diet primarily consists of grasses, seeds and roots, but they will occasionally eat insects and other invertebrates. Social Structure: Field mice and voles live independently, with the exception of the 6-9 month-long mating season, where one male will enter the territories of several females. Life Span and Chronological Development: Their lifespan is less than a year, meaning they can only produce one or two litters in their lifetime. The gestation period is 21 days, eyes are opened by 8 days, and they are weaned between 12 and 14 days. They reach sexual maturity by 28 days for females, and males reach sexual maturity by 35 days. Interesting Behaviours: Variants of field mice will use leaves and twigs as points of reference when exploring, often in ways visible even to unsuspecting humans. Voles can emit and detect the fear pheromones of their species, a trait more commonly found in hive insects than social mammals. Evidence of Infestation: Evidence is often noticed via gnaw marks on furniture, mouse-sized holes shredded into food wrappings, or droppings. Service Types: Interior, Exterior, Home Protection Plan (Baiting and Trapping Treatments) DIY Products: Snap Traps, Glue boards
Roof Rat
Common Name: Black Rats, Ship Rats Scientific Name: Rattus rattus Colour: Black to light brown Physical Characteristics or Attributes: Fully grown roof rats measure anywhere between 32.4 cm – 46.4 cm long, and weigh between 110 g –340 g. Geographic Range: Originating from the Indian subcontinent, they became a global pest since the Bronze Age thanks to the establishment of transcontinental maritime trade networks. Habitat: While favouring the upper floors of urban settlements or ships, they are adaptable rats who can thrive in indoor and outdoor environments, including cold biomes. Diet: Rats eat a wide range of foods, including seeds, fruit, stems, leaves, fungi, and a variety of invertebrates and vertebrates. Social Structure: Roof rats segregate themselves. However, information on the species is scarce with most information coming from captive environments rather than observation. Interesting Behaviours: Roof mice are excellent runners, capable of safely travelling on utility lines and climbing to escape predators. They are also capable of hopping 36 inches vertically and 48 inches horizontally. Evidence of Infestation: Droppings, rubbing marks, scratching and gnawing noises Service Types: Interior and Exterior, Home Protection Plan DIY Products: Rat T-Rex Snap Traps, Rat Bait Stations
Norway Rat
Common Name: Brown Rats, Sewer Rats Scientific Name: Rattus norvegicus Colour: Brown and Grey Physical Characteristics or Attributes: up to 25 cm long and a similar tail length; males weigh on average 350 g and females 250 g. Geographic Range: Ironically, this global species originated from northern China and has since spread to all urbanized parts of the world except the Antarctic. Habitat: Norway rats are almost always found in human settlements, and favour alleyways, residential buildings and sewers. Those outside urban areas favour damp environments. Diet: Omnivore. Norway rats are true omnivores, mainly surviving on discarded human food. According to the Animal Behaviour Society, they prefer foods such as macaroni and cheese, and scrambled eggs with a noted dislike for celery and beets. Social Structure: Brown rats live in large, hierarchical groups in nests commonly found in cellars or sewers. Rats lower in social order are the first to die when food is in short supply, and numbers must be reduced. However, if a large part of the group is exterminated, the remaining rats will increase their reproductive rate to restore the old population level. Life Span and Chronological Development: The brown rat can breed anytime during the year with suitable conditions. A female rat can have up to 5 litters per year. The gestation period is 21 days, and it contains litters of 5-14 rats. They reach sexual maturity at 5 weeks and can live as long as three years, but most barely manage one. Interesting or Typical Behaviours: A subspecies of Norway Rats, named "fancy rats" (Rattus norvegicus domestica) has developed after decades of selection for intelligence and sociability. The species got its scientific name from an English naturalist who incorrectly thought the species came to England from Norway. Evidence of Infestation: Droppings, rubbing marks, scratching and gnawing noises Service Types: Interior and Exterior, Home Protection Plan DIY Products: Rat T-Rex Snap Traps, Rat Bait Stations
