Why You're Seeing More Mice After Catching One, And How to Stop Them

Okay. Let's say you've caught a mouse. First, congratulations! It is challenging to catch a mouse. But, after catching it, you continue to hear noises in your walls at night and find droppings in your pantry. What is the next step? Do you add more traps? Do you invest in better traps? It can feel overwhelming to try to solve this mystery on your own. Today, we'll explain why you see more mice after catching one. We'll also tell you how to stop mice for good.

mice searching for food inside hampton roads home

What happens after you catch one mouse?

Several outcomes can happen after one mouse is caught. The best result is that you only had one mouse. If this is the case, applying exclusion materials to seal entry points in your exterior will help you complete the job. You're done if all the mice indoors are gone and the entry points are sealed. Unfortunately, this is not a typical result of DIY mouse control. Here's what is more likely to happen:

You continue to catch mice and detect signs of mice in your home, such as nocturnal noises and fecal matter.
You don't catch any more mice, but you continue to find evidence of mouse activity.
You don't catch any more mice, and you don't detect signs—but you still have mice.

The key issue with DIY mouse control is that, in most cases, it doesn't fully address the source of the problem. You need to deal with all the mice hiding in your home properly. If you catch one, there are likely more hidden in your walls and other secluded spaces.

How to get rid of mice and keep them out

Mouse control is a science. Have a licensed pest management professional tackle this job for the best results. Here are the steps that our locally owned and family-operated pest control company uses to get rid of mice and rats in our customers’ homes and businesses:

We inspect to confirm activity and locate conducive conditions and entry points.
We apply professional-grade products to seal potential entry points.
We use appropriate traps to collect rodents inside and install exterior rodent baiting stations.
We return every seven days for three weeks to evaluate the success of the control plan.

These steps may seem easy and like something you can do alone, but they can fail due to poor implementation. A licensed pest management professional has training and field experience. At Getem Services, we handle rodent problems daily and are ready to help property owners in Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, and Hampton Roads with effective rodent control services.

How to prevent mice from infesting your home

There are many ways to prevent a mouse problem. The secret is considering how mice behave and counteract their natural behavior patterns. Here are a few mouse prevention tips:

Mice follow their noses. Good sanitation practices can bolster your defenses and help keep these pests away.
Mice feel comfortable in overgrowth. Cutting grass and trimming vegetation can help to make your property less attractive to mice.
Mice hide in tight spaces. Removing junk piles and storing items in containers with lids can deter rodent activity near your home.
Mice love bird seed. If you have feeders, move them away from your exterior to deter mice.
Mice take advantage of poor home maintenance. Repairing damaged wood, replacing weatherstripping and door sweeps, applying vent covers, and tackling other home maintenance tasks can help keep mice out.
Mice can access a home by getting on the roof. Trimming tree branches that touch the roof or roofline can keep them off your roof. Combine this with installing rodent guards on pipes and wires, and you'll have a good chance of keeping rodents off.

Addressing potential food sources, hiding places, and entry points significantly reduces the chances of having a mouse problem.

Stop mice and other pests from infesting your home all year

You don't have to wait until you have a mouse infestation or other pest problem. Getem Services offers home pest control services that include quarterly pest treatments. This eliminates existing pest activity and prevents new problems from developing.

Don't forget the crawl space

Does your home have a crawl space? It is a uniquely attractive location for mice to build nests. Mice prefer dark, secluded, and earthy spaces. Unfortunately, it also allows these pests and other moisture-loving pests easy access to the rest of your home. Protect this space with professional moisture control services. Getem Services provides several solutions for this unique vulnerability.