A little grey House Mouse is sitting by its nest in an old antique chair.
To effectively prevent a mouse infestation, it is essential to understand common mouse behaviors and how they move throughout a house. One unique aspect of mouse communication is scent marking, which serves various purposes in mouse colonies.
In this article, the mouse control experts at Precise Termite & Pest Control share what they know about scent marking and how this mouse behavior impacts household eradication and extermination efforts.
What Is Scent Marking?
Scent marking is a mouse behavior that involves using scent glands to mark objects or territories.
It is a crucial aspect of mouse communication and a way for mice to share information with each other. Marking behavior can include rubbing parts of the body on surfaces to leave behind a scent, as well as urinating and defecating in targeted places to mark territory.
Mice often use scent marking in places they spend a lot of time in, such as around food sources, along walls, and on safe surfaces in a home. These markings accumulate with time and establish scent trails for other mice to identify and follow.
How Mouse Communication Works
Mice communicate using highly specialized scent glands located in their cheeks, tails, and feet. Mice rub these parts of their bodies against surfaces, leaving behind a distinctive scent. Mice produce pheromones and chemical signals to communicate everything from stress to a desire to find a mate.
In addition to scent marking, mice also communicate in other ways. For example, they make high-pitched sounds to communicate with each other to show aggression, attract mates, and express distress. Mice can produce sounds that can’t be detected by the human ear, which is essential to mice mating behavior.
What Does Mouse Infestation Smell Like?
Mouse infestations come with distinctive odors that are unpleasant, yet being able to recognize the smell can help you detect a mouse problem early on.
Scent marking can contribute to foul odors caused by mice in your home. You may also notice a strong, ammonia-like smell caused by mouse urine. Mice fecal matter produces an earthy or musky smell and can cause health concerns as well as unpleasant odors.
If mice die in your home, you may smell decaying flesh and a disturbing rotting smell. Mice nesting materials produce a musty odor, especially in hidden areas like attics and crawl spaces. However, these smells won’t linger forever and will slowly dissipate when all mice are gone from your house.
How to Handle a Mouse Infestation
If you notice signs of foul odors around your home, mice scent marking could be to blame for keeping mice populations healthy and thriving where they don’t belong. Fortunately, the highly experienced extermination professionals at Precise Termite & Pest Control are skilled in removing mice and rats from challenging spaces to prevent the spread of disease and give you peace of mind.
At Precise, we offer free inspections to help you assess your mouse infestation situation and devise a customized solution. Before your extermination appointment, we recommend clearing away household items from mouse-prone areas and making a list of questions you have for your exterminator.
If you address mouse communication patterns at the first sign of mouse activity, you’ll be able to rid your home of these pests more quickly and easily. For your free inspection or to learn more about our experience with common mouse behaviors, please contact us online or call us at 866-971-2847.