Mouse identification - Ask Extension
Hi,
I was hoping someone could help with identifying one of the mice that was caught in our house. Its body is 2-2 1/2” long, not including the ...
Knowledgebase
Mouse identification #890691
Asked December 11, 2024, 7:45 AM EST
Hi,
I was hoping someone could help with identifying one of the mice that was caught in our house. Its body is 2-2 1/2” long, not including the tail. So far our cats have caught six of them in just over 24 hr. I found a hole they likely came in but also wondered if it’s likely they came in together or were maybe born in the house, the hole was plugged about 6 hours after the first one was caught. We haven’t had any in the house for a couple of years since I plugged another hole that they were using. I’m just trying to figure out if it’s likely that I have the house sealed up now and can hopefully get back to a mouse free house sooner than later.
Thank you for any assistance,
Genesee County Michigan
Expert Response
This is either a deer mouse or white-footed mouse; they look quite similar and are functionally the same (both in the same genus, Peromyscus), and commonly invade homes.
It is common to catch many mice in close sequence after the young (as many as nine) disperse from the nest. So I would say this is more likely the case for you than having many independent mice entering your home. Hopefully your cat has caught them all, but there's certainly the possibility for others to still be roaming. I like to leave a few snap traps set for a couple weeks after an episode like this to make sure I caught them all. But in your case, it sounds like your cat is doing a pretty good job!
