Some people regard mice as cute, little animals that they would love to have as pets, while others flee when they see one scurrying across the kitchen floor. Keeping pet mice in appropriate cages is one thing, but attempting to keep wild mice out of your home is quite another. Mice are nibblers when it comes to food. They actually contaminate or damage far more food than they could possibly consume. Mice are determined creatures when it comes to seeking shelter inside structures. What exactly can mice gnaw on? Let’s take a closer look at the question.
It all comes down to the teeth
Mice have front incisors that are constantly growing. As a result, mice must constantly gnaw and chew to keep their teeth filed down. Without this gnawing, their teeth would eventually grow to the point where they could no longer eat, resulting in death.
It isn’t difficult
Mice can squeeze through openings as small as one-quarter inch wide. That’s roughly the size of a dime. The pencil trick is a good rule of thumb to follow when attempting to keep mice out of your home. For example, if you can slide a pencil underneath the threshold of a door, a mouse can get in.
Please come in
If mice cannot enter a space through a hole or crack, there is a long list of building materials that they can chew through. Mice, for example, can chew their way through wood, plastic, vinyl, and aluminum, to name a few. That being said, you may be wondering, “Can mice chew through concrete?” The answer is yes, but only if the concrete isn’t properly cured. Steel wool is one material that mice tend to avoid. Is it possible for mice to chew through steel wool? Yes, but they usually don’t because a steel wool bundle has sharp edges that are abrasive to their nose. The issue is that they frequently grab the bundle with their feet and pull it out of a sealed opening.
There is cause for concern
Mice are known to be the cause of many house fires because they chew on electrical wiring. What causes mice to chew on wires? They chew on wiring inadvertently while gnawing to keep their incisors whittled down, causing the wires to short circuit.
Having mice as pets may be enjoyable for some, but if you have a problem with wild mice invading your home, contact the pest control experts at ATAP for help.