Mice find comfy home in Howell, NJ closet

Recently, a was sent to a residence in Howell, NJ. The homeowner had contacted Cowleys after a surprise run-in with two mice in the kitchen the night before. Since mice are nocturnal, if these is a mouse sighting, it is usually at night when they are doing their foraging. Mice are experts at staying hidden and you’ll usually find signs of mouse activity like droppings, nesting materials, and relocated food well before observing the rodents themselves. Also, mice don’t travel far from their nest and they are not loners. Mice live in groups known as a horde or mischief of mice, so if you see one or two, it’s a safe bet that there are quite a few others hiding in the wall voids or behind your kitchen appliances. 

I first checked the basement. Often, mice first gain entry through gaps and cracks around the foundation. The perimeter of he home appeared well sealed with no obvious entry points. Asking the homeowner, where he saw the mice running to before he lost sight of them, and he said they had scampered from a closet to underneath the refrigerator. Mice commonly nest underneath refrigerators because the area is well hidden and warm from the motor. Here, I moved the fridge to look behind and there were no openings in the wall behind. Next, I checked out the closet, and found a hole in the wall along with mice droppings in the area. When these mice weren’t foraging for food in the kitchen their home was a wall void that they accessed in the closet. 

I temporarily sealed the hole with chew-proof copper mesh until the homeowner could permanently have the hole patched. I also placed rodent stations in the closet, and for good measure, also put two rodent stations in the basement. Upon a closer exterior perimeter inspection, I found one potential crack that could have ben used to gain entry into the home. I also sealed this opening with copper mesh and also set up another rodent station nearby.  With these internal and external holes closed, the mice infestation should resolve. I told the homeowner to contact us if he saw any new signs of mouse activity, and we would be out there again for a follow-up.