When it’s time for bed, you look forward to a peaceful, uninterrupted eight hours of sleep. Just as you’re about to fall asleep, you are abruptly awakened by squeaky noises and shrill sounds in your room. It’s then that you realize the mouse, that pesky little critter, is back to its annoying habits.
This article provides information about mice and their behaviors. It also offers advice on controlling and preventing them from entering your room.
Will Mice Disturb Your Sleep?
A study in 2014 by the National Pest Management found that around 29% of households in America have problems with rodents at some point. Out of these infestations, around half of them happen in the fall and winter months.
In the winter, mice and other rodents look for food and warmth, often finding their way into homes. The bedroom, being a warm and cozy space, can be particularly inviting to them. If they get into your bedroom, there’s a good chance these nighttime pests might crawl onto your bed while you’re sleeping.
Will Mice Crawl on You While Sleeping?
Mice are attracted to messy rooms because they find disorganized environments attractive. They especially like cluttered spaces and warm areas, which make messy rooms a perfect place for them to nest.
Mice are excellent climbers and they can indeed find their way into your bed. They can jump up to one foot high, which makes it quite simple for them to get onto your bed. Bed frames and blankets that touch the floor create convenient routes for mice to make their way up. To avoid this, it’s advised to keep these areas free from food crumbs by regularly cleaning and tidying up.
If you’re dealing with a mouse problem in your bedroom, it’s important to understand the behavior and characteristics of these pests. For instance, did you know that brown mice, also known as house mice, are great climbers and can breed rapidly? Learn more about these creatures in our article about brown mice.
Can Mice Be in Your Mattress?
Mice don’t usually live on mattresses or come into direct contact with humans. However, they might still visit if they smell food. To keep mice away from your mattress, it’s a good idea to use covers that can potentially repel them.
Should I Keep the Lights On?
Mice have internal clocks that work with light to decide when to sleep and look for food. They are most active during the night to stay safe from bigger animals and predators. Bright lights and loud sounds can frighten them since they naturally avoid risky situations.
Mice are adaptable creatures and can get used to lights being on at night. When they get used to the lights, they will quickly eat any food crumbs that were left on the bed while you were snacking.
3 Signs of Mice Presence in the Bedroom
Mice are good at hiding, so it can be hard to find them right away in the bedroom. If you think there are mice, watch for these three clear signs:
Droppings. To indicate their presence, mice leave tiny excrement measuring approximately a quarter of an inch in length. Discovering mouse droppings in your bed can be especially worrisome. The color of these droppings alters as they mature – newly deposited ones are damp and dark, whereas older ones turn gray.
Scratching. Mice are most active during the night, so you might hear scratching and squeaking noises by the walls. These sounds happen when the rodents communicate with each other or look for food.
Smells. If you notice a strong ammonia smell in your bedroom, it means that mice have gotten into your home. They may urinate in different spots, including the bed, leaving behind a foul smell and traces of urine.
Why Are There Mice in Your Bedroom?
To get rid of mice in your bedroom, it’s important to know why they are there. By addressing the factors that draw them to your bedroom, you can encourage them to find shelter elsewhere. Here are some possible reasons for mice being present in your bedroom:
- As they made their way to a different place, they happened to travel through the bedroom.
- The room is a great place for the mice to find food.
- The mouse is trapped in the room and scared to leave.
What Do Mice Sound Like?
If you hear noises in your home, it could be a sign of a mouse problem. Mice make different sounds that can help you identify their presence.
- Squeaking. They use ultrasonic vocalizations, which humans can’t hear without special equipment.
- Scratching as they dig, crawl, or climb, making a noise with their claws as they grip surfaces.
- Chewing on things to keep their teeth from getting too long. Their teeth are always growing, so they have to keep them short. They make different noises when they chew on different things.
- Scurrying around, moving from place to place.
If you hear soft noises, like squeaks, scurrying, or scratching, or see signs of mice in the walls of your room, it’s a good idea to start finding ways to control them.
5 Diseases Caused by Contact with Mice
Mice, akin to rodents, possess pathogens that can induce illnesses and pose a threat to both humans and pets. These illnesses have the potential to propagate through various means, such as exposure to mouse urine or saliva, consumption of contaminated food and water, or through instances of bites and scratches. Presented below are five diseases that can pose a significant risk upon contact with mice:
Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, a fatal respiratory ailment, induces muscle pain, migraines, vertigo, and shivering. The transmission of the virus occurs through rodent bites or consumption of food tainted by an infected rodent. If not treated promptly, it may lead to organ malfunction.
Leptospirosis represents a bacterial infection that has the potential to transmit to humans via direct exposure to bodily fluids from an animal carrying the infection. Common manifestations encompass elevated body temperature, headaches, shivering, muscular discomfort, yellowing of the skin, inflamed eyes, emesis, irregular bowel movements, skin rash, and discomfort in the abdominal region. This illness can result in complications such as renal impairment, breathing difficulties, inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain, and impaired liver function.
Rat-Bite Fever is an illness that can be transmitted to humans through scratches or bites from infected domestic mice. It results in symptoms such as fever, migraines, nausea, muscular discomfort, and a skin rash. The manifestation of these symptoms might be delayed by up to three weeks following contact with the mice, posing a diagnostic challenge.
Salmonellosis is an illness caused by eating food or drinking water contaminated with mouse droppings. Although it is usually not deadly, it can cause serious complications, especially for children and older people with weak immune systems.
Plague is a disease that can be transmitted through flea bites, eating raw meat, or inhaling droplets from an infected person. Plague can take different forms, such as bubonic, septicemic, or pneumonic.
If you’re struggling with a mouse infestation in your bedroom, it’s crucial to take immediate action. Not only can these pests disturb your sleep, but they can also spread diseases such as Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, Leptospirosis, and Rat-Bite Fever. While there are several methods you can employ to eliminate these pests, such as keeping your room tidy, blocking all access points, and setting traps, sometimes these measures might not be enough.
In such cases, it’s advisable to seek professional help. On Demand Pest Control offers expert pest control services, deploying a range of sophisticated strategies to make your home mouse-free and keep it that way.
It’s important to note that different types of mice can carry different diseases. For instance, house mice and deer mice, two common types found in homes, have distinct characteristics and potential health risks. To learn more about the differences between these two types of mice, check out our article on house mice vs. deer mice.
How to Keep Mice Away from the Bedroom
To keep mice out of your bedroom, there are different techniques and tools you can use. It’s important to get rid of them before they have a chance to reproduce and create more damage. Here are five effective methods to eliminate mice from your bedroom.
1. Keep the Room Tidy
Mice like to eat small crumbs and leftover snacks from the bedroom. It’s best to avoid eating in the bedroom and keep all food in the kitchen. Also, having piles of dirty clothes in the room can give mice a cozy place to make a nest.
To deter mice from lingering in the room, ensure its cleanliness at all times. Regularly empty the small trash receptacle adjacent to the bed. By eliminating their food sources and concealing spots, mice will find fewer incentives to inhabit the bedroom.
2. Block All Access Points
A room can be infiltrated by mice through a narrow opening measuring just a quarter-inch in width. During your inspection, be sure to examine the lower sections of the walls for small apertures. Although these holes may not necessarily serve as mouse nests, they can still serve as entry points for the mice. To hinder their ability to gnaw through, utilize substances such as caulk and steel wool to seal any discovered gaps.
Mice often find their way into bedrooms through the gap beneath the door. To prevent them from entering, use a door sweeper instead of trying to fill the gap with caulk or steel wool. Door sweepers are easy to find online or at home improvement stores.
3. Allow Your Cat to Sleep in the Room
Cats are skilled at catching mice and can help keep them away. When your cat sleeps in the bedroom, it can make you feel safe because their keen senses can detect mice.
Just using cats to get rid of mice might not be enough. Cats are usually not motivated to hunt mice just for food. Also, mice can reproduce quickly – a female mouse can have about 12 babies at a time. So, it’s suggested to use other methods as well.
4. Set Traps
There are ways to reduce the mouse population on your property. One effective method is to use snap and glue traps, as well as baits. It’s important to choose the right type of trap that can catch mice without causing harm. Snap traps may be effective and affordable. However, it is important to avoid using them in areas where children and pets often play. This will help prevent injuries.
To catch mice successfully, place mouse traps in common areas, such as near walls or in corners of the room. Make sure to regularly inspect the traps and safely dispose of any mice that have been caught.
Mice Squeaking in the Bedroom? Contact On Demand Pest Control Now
Are mice making it hard for you to sleep due to their scratching sounds? Don’t worry, if you’re experiencing this issue, you can contact professionals such as On Demand Pest Control. Our rodent control services can help get rid of these pests and prevent future infestations in your home.
Understanding the behavior of mice, including their activity patterns and preferences, can be crucial in effectively controlling them. Learn more about why mice are more active at night and how they perceive light here.
