When Mice Are Most Active
Mice are shy animals, and for good reason – they are pretty much defenseless, and they have a lot of predators. This means that you rarely get to see a mouse out in the open, even though you might have one in your home. Oftentimes, an infestation will not be detected visually, but through sound, when mice make a lot of noise at night in the walls.
Are mice nocturnal animals?
Mice have complicated sleeping patterns. For the most part, they are nocturnal, but they are only nocturnal because they can travel around in the cover of darkness at night. However, they will also tailor their sleeping patterns to match those of their predators. So indoors, although they may be able to scurry around in dark corners and under furniture, they will prefer to travel at night because that is when people sleep. In nature, where you have nocturnal predators such as owls, and diurnal predators such as wild cats, the mice will be most active at dusk and at dawn. It is during these times of the day when their predators are least active and the lighting conditions are most favorable. Mice are also sensitive to bright lights, so that is another reason why they prefer darkness.
Where do mice sleep?
Mice usually have a small territory that expands about 10 to 30 feet in a radius around their nest. Indoors, they will build their nests inside wall voids, and they will use any materials that they can find nearby. In particular, they are interested in textile materials, insulation, and anything that is stringy and relatively soft.
How to tell if you have mice in your home
You will rarely see a mouse out in the open, because it will do its best to avoid being spotted, and because it will mostly be active at night. However, as the nest grows, the mice become more bold, and they will start traveling during the day and out in the open, so by the time you actually spot a mouse, the infestation is well on its way. Other signs that indicate an infestation are squeaking noises in the walls, especially at night, mouse droppings in certain areas of the home, and gnaw marks on furniture and other wooden finishes. If you notice any of these signs, give us a call, and we will set up an appointment for an inspection.
