Mice are among the most adaptable species on the planet. They have learned to live alongside humans and hardly be noticed. Sure, the fact they are nocturnal helps them remain hidden. Still, people often don’t notice an infestation until mice removal in Toronto is essential – when the population is in the hundreds.

Mice are driven to human structures because they represent shelter and a steady food supply. While mice don’t eat a lot, they still need to eat. From table scraps to dry goods and garbage, mice can access a regular smorgasbord when they live alongside people, usually with limited risk of predators. Discover the foods mice love and how to keep mice out of house structures.

Foods Attracting Mice To Your Home

If you watched Saturday morning cartoons as a child, you likely believe that mice love cheese. After all, you have seen several cartoon mice elevate off the floor and float toward loaded traps. Strangely enough, cheese is not a favourite rodent snack. While the animals will eat cheese, they do not go for it as vigorously as they might for something more closely related to their natural diets, such as peanut butter.

To prevent mice from entering your home and nesting, you need to understand what foods attract and motivate them. There are roughly four foods that attract mice more than any others.

1. Pet Food

Pet food is a favourite snack of many wild animals, including rodents. You have probably seen videos of raccoons sneaking into a garage to steal a cat’s food. Dry pet food is highly appealing to all rodents because it has a high nutrient content,while also being small enough to be carried away for stockpiling.

To avoid attracting mice to your property, feed pets indoors. If you must feed your pets outside, leave the food down long enough for them to eat and then take it back up. Also, do not store pet food in the garage. Store it in an airtight container indoors.

2. Nuts

All rodents, including mice, go wild for nuts. Anything in the nut family entices them, from walnuts to peanuts and even peanut butter. The main draw to the nut family is its high protein levels.

If you don’t want to call mice control services to your home, keep all nutty snacks sealed in airtight containers. After you enjoy a nutty treat, check all surfaces for crumbs and remnants. Sweep and vacuum if necessary.

3. Fruits and Berries

Mice love fruits and berries. They will steal food right off the vine and even eat rotted fruits lying on the ground.

If you have fruit plants or berry bushes growing near your house, you might consider removing or transplanting them. Fruit-bearing plants attract rodents and encourage them to explore your property.

4. Anything Edible

Mice are primarily scavengers. They forage for food rather than hunt for it. While they have meal preferences, they also know they must eat to live, so they are not picky. Rodents will eat garbage, cardboard, leather, and most other digestible items, even if they offer little to no nutritional value.

The best way to keep rodents away from your house and outside is to maintain a clean and clutter-free space. Also, perform routine checks around crawlspaces and in garages and pantries.

Hire Truly Nolen for Mice Control Services

People make assumptions about rodent diets based on cartoons and rumours. In reality, mice are simple critters that prefer foods that appear in their natural environment. While the tiny rodents will make a meal of anything edible, loading traps with cheese is rarely an effective elimination method. Contact Truly Nolen Canada to discuss mice removal in Toronto and schedule a property inspection. Trust the professionals to resolve your rodent problem.