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Cornell University : Cornell Cooperative Extension
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| Yates Association |
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House Mice and Snakes |
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December 12, 2001 During fall, winter and spring months mice and snakes will inevitably penetrate your home if it is vulnerable. Mice may be interested in your home for its warmth, comfort and food. Snakes enter by accident when searching for hibernating quarters or for mice. Mice pose a greater threat to the homeowner because they can move around easily and usually rapidly, making their nest in any convenient space. They can easily contaminate food with human diseases. Snakes are unwanted in the home and their occasional presence can be disconcerting but they are almost always harmless and do not damage your home. The house mouse is the smallest of the domestic rodents and measures about three inches long with a tail that is an additional four or five inches. Their fur is usually dusty or light gray and they have moderately large ears and small black protruding eyes. You may not always see mice. What might be more apparent is what they leave behind. Fresh droppings of feces are moist, soft and shiny and dark. After a few days they be become dry, dull and hard. Signs of mice may include burrows found along foundations, rubmarks against a surface they frequent, tracks in dirt, teeth marks in wood with wood chips found at doors, window bottoms, furniture and shelving, and you may hear their scurrying and chewing in the walls. If you see them during the daytime, it usually indicates a heavy infestation, since they are primarily a nocturnal animal and forage for food in the dark. Because of the smallness of the house mouse, an area of entrance into your home doesn't need to be very big. The most important step for reducing the population of mice in your home would be exclusion. All holes and openings larger than ¼ inch across should be sealed with heavy materials resistant to a mouse's gnawing. These include concrete mortar, galvanized sheet metal, and heavy-gauge hardware cloth. Food sources attractive to mice need to be removed. Garbage cans should be fitted with tight covers. Clean food scraps from tables and floors. Keep rubbish cleaned up. Good housekeeping practices are always advised. If these things have been secured and the mice problem still exist then traps and poisons can be used. Traps work well if the bait is changed everyday and the traps are checked twice a day to see if they have been sprung. Popular baits include bacon, rolled oats, gumdrops, chocolate and peanut butter. To trap larger rodents, the traps and baits should never be handled with the bare fingers. Rubber surgical type gloves will prevent the human scent from alerting the rodents of the trap. Snakes are helpful in the yard, barn or garden where they may help control rodents. Wherever possible, snakes should be tolerated or encouraged. Snakes occasionally enter houses, generally by accident. Cats have been known to catch small snakes and bring them home. Snakes do not breed in houses but have been known to lay eggs in or under foundations. If a snake has been seen, that snake needs to be removed and its entrances sealed. If a snake hides before it can be caught, put wet cloths on the floor near where the snake is thought to be, and cover with dry cloths or burlap bags. Snakes like moisture and shelter so they tend to crawl under or between the cloths and then can be removed to the outside. There have been some reports of the presence of poisonous snakes especially in the south-western portions of the county where the more rugged terrain may offer protection. The severe drought in southern portions of the state may cause these snakes to roam further from their normal habitat. Poisonous snakes are known to reside in Steuben County just a few miles south of the Yates County line. With this in mind, homeowners not able to identify poisonous from non-poisonous snakes, would do well to seek advice and/or assistance before handling snakes that have become a nuisance around or in the home or buildings. To keep snakes from getting into the house, all points where they might enter should be blocked. Remember that snakes can pass through extremely small openings usually entering near or at ground level. Cellar doors, windows and screens must fit tightly. Walls and floors should be searched for crevices. The masonry of foundations, fireplaces, and chimneys should be inspected and, if necessary, be plugged. Open stone foundations can be pointed up with mortar mix. Galvanized screen can be fastened over drains or ventilators or even over large areas of loose construction which would be difficult to snake proof in any other way. Snakes can be discouraged from staying around grounds and buildings by eliminating food and cover that is attractive. Most snakes like to feed on rats and mice. Once rodents are controlled, the snakes will be gone also. Outside, closely mowed lawns and fields are less attractive to snakes than areas of protective cover such as tall grass, weeds or brush. Snakes like to hide under boards, flat rocks, trash piles and similar materials. During the growing season snakes may climb vines attached to sides of buildings. Any openings near these vines should also be blocked to prevent entrance to homes. Eliminate such shelter and the premises will be much less inviting to them. On the other hand, many gardeners maintain rock piles and woodpiles to keep helpful predators nearby. Snakes may be tolerated, mice shouldn't be. Master Gardeners are available year round to answer your home, garden and grounds questions. Please contact the Master Gardeners by calling the Cooperative Extension office at 315.536.5123. To visit past articles written by Yates County Master Gardeners visit www.cce.cornell.edu/yates/mgindex.htm. Cornell
Cooperative Extension Yates Association |
