Where Do House Mice Like to Build Their Nests?

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Like other rodents, house mice build nests to care for their pups. However, these pests cause structural damages because they create nests in different parts of the house. It’s crucial to find their dwellings as soon as possible and destroy them before they can breed.

So where do mice usually build their nests? House mice prefer to live close to man-made structures that provide them with enough warmth, food, and water. These include places like basements, garages, closets, sheds, inside walls and upholstery, and under piles of debris. House mice use furniture stuffing, paper, twigs, and grasses when building nests.

Where Do House Mice Live?

The same things that make our homes comfortable – such as food, water, and warmth – are also the things that attract house mice to build a nest inside a property. According to NPMA in 2014, around 29% of US homes experience rodent infestations every year.

If you hear scurrying and night and notice gnaw marks on the food in the pantry, it’s time to check the following areas for mice nests:

  • Sheds
  • Closets
  • Basements
  • Storage rooms
  • Garages
  • Inside walls
  • Inside upholstery
  • Vegetation near the house

House mice also like to stay behind kitchen appliances such as the oven, dishwasher, and refrigerator because they are good sources of food and warmth.

How Does a House Mice Nest Look Like?

House mice limit their activities to a short distance near their home. They are typically found within a 25 feet radius from their nest. The nests are ball-shaped structures that measure around 4-6 inches in diameter. They can also build nests by loosely piling the same materials together, such as wood chips, pellets, and fills from hamster cages.

Since they are not clean creatures, there will be more droppings and scavenged food as you get near the nest. Another way to spot a possible house mice nest is to look for the lack of cobwebs in an isolated place of the house. Since there are more signs of activity near their nest, house mice will get rid of the cobwebs in their pathway. It’s also likely that a house mouse already ate the spider near their nest.

What Are House Mice Nests Made Of?

Once house mice have taken their space in the home, they will use almost any material they can get their little hands on. Here are some of the most common materials they use to build a nest:

  • Furniture Stuffing – House mice prefer their nests comfortable, which is why they will scavenge the place for soft and fluffy materials, such as furniture stuffing. They usually utilize this as the base for their nest. To obtain the stuffing, they will chew through pieces of furniture, such as a couch. This results in costly damages, especially if the furniture they damage is expensive.
  • Paper – Most species of mice gather paper when building their nests. Since this material is always available in homes, there’s a huge chance that the mice will raid the storage rooms for paper products. House mice only take small pieces of paper from a large sheet, which is why gnaw marks on paper are a good indication of mice infestation at home.
  • Twigs and Grasses – Mice that stay outside usually utilize twigs, grass, branches, and other plant materials to create a nest. When they decide to move indoors, they might take some of these materials to build a nest in your property. If there are piles of twigs and grasses in hidden gaps around the house, it might be a good time to call mice control services.

How Many House Mice Live in a Nest?

Although an individual house mouse can only live up to 9-12 months, this rodent species can breed rapidly. House mice can start reproducing 40 days after their birth. A sexually mature female house mouse can give birth to 10-12 pups after three weeks of carrying them.

An average nest can house about one to two dozen mice. The exact count will depend on the average age of mice living in a nest and the number of mice in a nearby nest. Since their nest is the place where pups are raised, they need to find an area that’s warm, dry, well-protected, and near a food source.

Prevent House Mice from Nesting in Your Home with Pinnacle Pest Control

Although house mice are a lot less aggressive, they can still bring the same diseases and cause the same damages as rats. If you notice different signs of mice activity in the house, call a mice exterminator immediately to prevent the infestation from worsening.

Here at Pinnacle Pest Control, we offer rodent removal and decontamination services to eliminate house mice and prevent them from coming back. For a complete list of our service areas, visit our website now.

Read more: Home Remedies for Mice in Walls

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