Updated: May 25
When you deal with a rodent infestation, one of the first things you’ll encounter is their droppings. Every rodent in the US will spread feces all over your house, and multiple ones at that. But what’s the deal with mice? How can you know if these brown pellets are mouse droppings or something else?
To identify mouse droppings, you’ll need to look for large batches of them, as mice produce much more feces than most rodents. In terms of the mouse droppings size, we can safely say that these look nearly identical to grains of rice, only brown in color. That said, what should you do if you find mouse feces in your house?
That’s exactly what we’ll cover in this article. We’ll take a look at some of the characteristics of mouse droppings, as well as what harmful diseases are spread by them. We’ll also compare these to rat droppings by utilizing our years of experience.
What Do Mouse Droppings Look Like?
Mouse droppings have a few distinct characteristics compared to other rodents’ feces. For starters, they’re pretty small and usually don’t reach more than ¼-inch in length. As we mentioned above, the feces we’ve encountered are very similar to brown rice grains.
Another distinct feature of this is their shape, as they have pointy edges and are fairly slim. In general, a clear giveaway that you’re dealing with mouse droppings is if there are many of these scattered around the house.
Mice produce 50-100 of these per day, which is more than double that of rats. This is pretty weird, if you ask us since rats are bigger than mice. Alas, there are a few things that can be confused with mice feces, which are also fairly dangerous.
What Can Be Mistaken for Mouse Droppings?
In terms of their size, mouse excrement can be mistaken for cockroach feces or eggs. Regarding their shape, they’re pretty similar to rat and squirrel droppings. Keep in mind that all of these indicate a pest or rodent infestation, so you should take action quickly.
Now that we know what these look like let’s find out where they tend to appear.
Where to Look for Mouse Droppings
Mice usually live in your attic, so that would be the first place you should take a look at. Yes, they won’t mind filling their living space with their own feces. In fact, because of their high production, any place they visit in your house will probably be a pair of droppings.
Also, since mice are quite intelligent explorers, any cabinets, whether in your kitchen or in the bathroom, are usually a great place for them. For one, the warmth inside these is very attractive to these little rodents. And, your kitchen is their primary food source, so they’ll take regular pillaging trips to it.
That being said, if you’ve not seen these before, you might confuse them with rat droppings.
Rat Feces vs Mouse Feces – Mouse Droppings Size
While this is obvious to us and any other rodent control company, many can’t tell the difference between rat and mouse feces. The most distinct difference between these is the size, with mouse droppings being about half the size of rats’ feces.
Also, in terms of color, rat droppings have a darker brown color than their mouse counterpart, with the latter having a grayish hue when they’ve been around for some time.
Can Mouse Droppings Spread Diseases?
One of the main reasons you should get rid of mouse excrement as soon as possible is the diseases they can spread. From the Hantavirus to Salmonellosis, these diseases can sometimes be fatal.
That’s why you must attend to mouse droppings and remove them from your house when you notice them.
What to Do if You Find Mouse Droppings
If you stumble upon a batch of mouse feces in your house, there are a few steps you need to take to get rid of them effectively.
For one, you must let air flow through the area for a few minutes. During this time, grab yourself a pair of latex gloves, a disinfectant (or a diluted bleach solution), and some plastic bags.
Next, use the disinfectant around the area where you found the mouse droppings, and dispose of them using one of the plastic bags you have at hand. Then, all you need to do is throw out the trash and wait for a day. If you notice mouse droppings at the same spot again, then you’re dealing with a mouse infestation.
Get Rid of Your Mouse Infestation, the Green Way
Mouse droppings are a health risk to you and your family. So, if you find them around your house, chances are you have a mouse infestation and need to contact a contractor immediately. And if you’re in Southern California, we’ve got you covered!
At Green Rodent Restoration, we will get rid of your rodent infestation, as well as clean up your attic afterward. Contact us now for a free estimate!
