Mouse's Wood: A Year in Nature

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They can also come into your property by climbing vines or trellis against the walls of your building. Unfortunately there’s not much you can do to prevent it. Cats are born hunters and, even when well fed, will continue to exhibit this natural behaviour. One of the biggest telltale signs that you have rodents is the sound they make when Scurrying, scratching, gnawing, and rustling around in your attic or inside walls. While both rodents make the same sounds, generally, those from a rat will be louder because of its larger weight and greater strength. Cover any household waste where mice can get access to it, close dustbin lids and cover compost heaps

Four species of shrew are native to the UK. Three of these are found on mainland Britain. The fourth, the lesser white-toothed shrew, is a species only found on the Isles of Scilly, Jersey and Sark. Field vole: larger body and shorter tail than bank vole (one of its alternative names is short-tailed vole). Overall it has shaggier fur, furry ears and is greyish or yellowish brown with a pale grey underside. Common in grassland, heathland and moorland but less likely to be spotted than bank vole as it spends its time in runs and burrows. If you have been bitten by a mouse, immediately wash the wound as thoroughly as possible; mouse bites are not often deep, but it’s important to do this even if the skin hasn’t been broken.

As it mainly lives outdoors, it has bigger eyes and ears than a house mouse. This is an adaptation to avoid predation. Less likely to be seen than bank vole as it spends more of its time in runs and burrows. Can be aggressive to other trespassing voles. When placing poison or traps, make sure they are in a safe and secure place out of reach of children and pets. Diet: The house mice eat around three grams of food per day and favour cereal. Rather than storing food like the field mouse, the house mouse tends to eat as soon as they have located a food source. WARNING: When using rodenticides always follow the instructions on the label, and importantly search for and dispose of any dead rodents in a safe manner.

Plants or vegetation – Search for rat burrows among the roots of trees and shrubs, in overgrown vegetation, or close to a wasteland.And keep those pegs handy - they have a really distinctive, strong smell so you’ll know if you have a large infestation of these unwanted guests. That’s why seeking help from a professional pest control company can be really helpful. Professionals will know the best methods to correctly identify the species and be able to take the necessary action to remove them. Additionally, experts will be able to identify the root of your rodent problem and take action to assist you in preventing recurrence.

But as the weather gets colder, those field mice currently surviving outdoors will look for warmer places to nest and begin to move indoors. Globally there are hundreds of types of mouse, including varieties such as the deer mouse (Peromyscus), house mouse (Mus musculus domesticus), wood/field mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus), Edible dormouse (Glis glis), spiny mouse (Acomys) and even the striped zebra mouse (Lemniscomys). In this guide Also known as water rat, it's the largest species of vole in the UK and is sometimes mistaken for brown rat. They are highly adaptable and won’t hesitate to take advantage of a cosy human structure during the winter months. Additionally, thought needs to be taken when placing poison or traps to ensure they are in a safe and secure place out of reach of non target animals, children and pets.These nibbling nuisances can also cause a lot of property damage, due to their compulsive need to gnaw to maintain their teeth at a constant length. Property and land owners have a legal obligation under the Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949 to keep premises rodent free, or, if rodents pose a threat to health or property, to report infestations to the local authority. Shrews don’t hibernate, but they do become less active in winter, living in burrows that may have been made by other species.