If you see a mouse in your house, you should call mice control in Guelph right away. Because mice reproduce so quickly, if you see one mouse, there are probably many more present that you can’t see. Nevertheless, because mice are adept at hiding, an infestation can go unnoticed for some time.

Do Mice Come Out During the Day?

Mice are nocturnal by nature. Their instincts are to sleep during the day and forage for food at night. Mice are very small creatures that have to look out for predators. It is easier for them to avoid capture if they look for food under cover of darkness.

Mice that live in houses don’t have as much to fear from predators. They typically do their foraging indoors when human occupants are usually asleep, meaning that they can look for food virtually undisturbed.

Mice are typically active from dusk until dawn. They don’t hibernate during the winter, so they have to look for shelter from the cold, which is one reason why mouse sightings inside houses are more common during autumn and winter. Another reason is that, when the sun goes down earlier, mice may become active during the late afternoon and early evening hours when people are still awake.

Why Might Mice Come Out During the Day?

Even if mice are awake during the day, they usually stay in dark hiding places until night falls. Since it is risky for mice to come out into the open, they prefer to avoid it whenever possible. Nevertheless, there are situations in which mice are willing to brave the risk of emerging into your living space in broad daylight.

Most often, the reason why mice come out in the open during the day is to get food. Mice generally have to eat at least every two to four days although, being opportunistic feeders, they typically don’t turn down food that is readily accessible. That doesn’t mean that they always have to have a big meal; they can take a little nibble of whatever happens to be available and that is enough to sustain them. Mice prefer to forage for food at night, but if the food sources they have been relying on are dwindling, they could be forced out of their usual nocturnal patterns to forage for food during daylight hours.

Less often, mice could come out in the day looking for water. Like other animals, mice need water to carry out many of their bodily functions, but they don’t necessarily have to drink a lot of water because they can become hydrated indirectly from the food they eat. A mouse that has a consistent source of water doesn’t need to eat as often. The reverse is also true, meaning that if a mouse’s food supply is dwindling, it might come out during the day to look for water. Sources of water for a mouse may include leaky pipes or faucets.

Another reason why mice might come out in the open is that the infestation has grown too large. This is related to the other reasons because the resources, e.g., food and water, that may have sustained a small population of mice may no longer be adequate to sustain an infestation that has grown to a large size. Mice may have to forage during the day in order to survive.

Why Should You Hire Truly Nolen for Mice Control in Guelph?

While there is a lot of advice available about how to get rid of rodents, professional pest management is the most effective way. We identify the rodent species to tailor a plan tailored to it specifically. Then we not only remove the mice from your home, but we prevent them from getting back in. Find out more about what our rodent control services entail.