House Mouse

House Mice In Puerto Rico

The house mouse is found across the nation and ranks as the number one rodent pest in most cities, including here in San Juan. House mice are commensal, meaning they are generally found living in close association with humans and dependent upon the human habitat for shelter and food. House mice thrive throughout the year and can be found in homes, commercial buildings, open fields and agricultural lands. They contaminate food meant for humans and pets as they forage, dropping feces and urine along the way.  House mice cause considerable damage to structures by chewing through walls and transmit pathogens that cause diseases like salmonella, a form of food poisoning.

House Mouse Habitat

Outdoors, house mice construct nests in fields and beneath trees and shrubs. Indoors, mice will build nests in quiet undisturbed places like wall voids, kitchen cabinets, attics and garages. Droppings, fresh gnaw marks, and tracks or rub marks indicate areas where mice are active. Nests are made from finely shredded paper or other fibrous material, usually in sheltered locations. House mice have a characteristic musky odor that reveals their presence. Mice are active mostly at night, but they can be seen occasionally during daylight hours.

House Mouse Behaviors, Threats Or Dangers

The house mouse is omnivorous, but prefers grains and cereals. House mice contaminate food and are implicated in the transmission of diseases such as salmonella and bubonic plague. The house mouse can cause significant damage to structures by gnawing and tunneling through walls. Mice have also been implicated in the generation of fires and explosions in homes and buildings. Chewed, exposed wires inside walls can spark, causing interior walls to catch fire.

If you have a house mouse infestation in your San Juan property, always contact a licensed rodent control company.