You’ve probably had an encounter with a mouse on more than one occasion in your home. But when the holidays roll around in Chicago, they’re typically an afterthought – after all, you’re well occupied with seasonal traditions. However, still very active during the winter, mice take full advantage of this and rely on our North Shore homes’ food to survive. Learn all about their diet, and keep them away this time of year with effective mice control methods.
Holiday Home Cooking: Perfect for Mice
Mice are warm-blooded mammals like us, and they don’t hibernate in the winter. That means they’re looking to get out of the cold to stay alive. They often come into our homes as an escape, making them even more of a burden throughout the cold months. It doesn’t help that the holiday season is when we bake tons of sweets and prepare large feasts for our families. Mice, who take advantage of our warm conditions and abundance of food, like a lot of the same foods we like.
They Love Carbs…
As omnivores with massive appetites, mice eat a variety of foods. Specifically, they crave anything high in carbohydrates, as well as sugars and salt. Think grains, seeds, fruit, and sweets. Take away their food sources by cleaning up spills and messes, stowing away leftovers safely in the fridge, and keeping desserts in closed containers. Yes, even your fruitcake (as unappetizing as it may sound to many) is at risk if left out.
…But They Eat All Foods
Mice may go to carb-heavy foods first, but that doesn’t mean they don’t love the stereotypical cheese and peanut butter. Any food with nutritional value is of value to them, and they’ll even rummage through trash if they have to. Mice, quite simply, are scavengers, and they’ll eat just about anything to stay alive during the holidays: bread, meat, dog food, or even your aunt’s weird casserole. No matter the dish, keep it out of their reach.
Get Professional Mice Control This Winter
North Shore’s winters are cold enough, but mice only make things worse. Who wants to deal with infestations when you’re busy wrapping presents, baking cookies, and hosting family? But you don’t have to spend time preparing traps and baits; let Chicago’s mice control experts at Terminix Anderson take on the dirty work. We’ll help you make the most of the holidays without the worry of mice contaminating your holiday helpings.
