Which cartoon got it right about mice?

Being a mouse exterminator, we always get asked about these vermin. Where do they come from? Where do they live? What do they eat? And most importantly, how can we stop seeing them? Let me tell you, we know a thing or two about mice. All this information should help in getting rid of mice. I remember the first time I saw a caught one in a live trap. That did not end well for the mouse, and I learned to stop at that.

But I’ve always been fascinated by the complicated work animators do to depict what we can’t usually see. Among the endless list of cartoon movies and series that tried to use mice as main characters, I don’t believe that anyone really cared as much as the creators of Cinderella. Yes, Cinderella was basically a mice-based movie about a princess; I said it. Yes, she took care of them initially but then they worked their butts off the entire movie trying to help her, risking their own lives. Mice risking their lives for a human? Only in cartoons, believe me, I’m a ,mouse exterminator after all. Anyway, the gif above answers a lot of questions.

Starting with where they come from. All house mice are basically field mice that got too comfortable with the city lifestyle. That means they initially get into our homes from the outside for food. So, does that mean if we have the exterior walls all sealed up, will we be mice-free for the rest of our lives? Of course, we will. However, can we, indeed, have a 100% sealed exterior? No, we can not. That would mean knowing that there are no points of entry underground or above it that lead to the interior wall voids. New houses built honestly would fall automatically into this category, not the rest. And hence most houses would sooner or later need to call a mouse exterminator.

So, how do they do it? and what can mice exterminators do?

First, mice get in looking for something to eat, and then they figure that our wall voids are much more comfortable than their outdoor borrows. We got dark and warm walls with insulation, paper, tissues, and paper towels that they could use for nesting material. Not to mention, it’s much closer to the source of food, our food. So they settle in, mate, and start reproducing, becoming proper house mice.

So what do they eat? About anything. Mice are commensal, defined as “eating together at the same table.” That means that they eat what you eat, not so picky. Chicken, nuts, chocolate, cereals, snacks, you name it. So if you’re trying to trap one, put some of your favorite foods in the same way you’d try to please the ancient gods. That’s what an exterminator like us would do.

Lastly and most importantly, how do you stop seeing them? You can try to “humanely” trap and release them, and you’ll keep getting new mice, if not the same ones you threw out. You can try killing them all, emphasizing “ALL,” and you’d probably help the entire neighborhood, but still see them getting in once in a white. The answer is to seal them out of your living space, go foot by foot, and pull out appliances, ensuring the interior perimeter is inspected and fixed. And that’s what we do as mice exterminators.

Bonus questions, where do they die if they’re sealed out? Most of the time, that’s going to be where they lived. The walls for many, and out for some. Would you smell them around your living space? Not necessarily, predominantly if your interior walls and/or ventilation system are not significantly defective.

You can learn more about mice here, where pestworld have put together some valuable information. If you want to know how we get rid of them for you, you can check here.