Just like rats, house mice are doubly incontinent. Although they seldom carry Leptospirosis, they can spread other nasties such as Salmonella and Listeria. They are extremely nimble, good climbers and a gap of more than 5mm will give Mus Musculus access.

They are also very inquisitive (unlike rats who are extremely suspicious) so they just love exploring your work surfaces, stores, food preparation areas etc. for anything remotely edible. They will have a nibble at just about anything, before moving on to the next interesting looking morsel, leaving behind their tell-tale droppings and the not so obvious trail of urine.

As well as the obvious health risks, they also pose threats due to their other annoying habit – chewing. Like all rodents their teeth constantly grow and so need wearing down. This they will do by chewing. Many fires have been caused by mice, rats and squirrels chewing through electric cables, and floods caused by them chewing through water pipes, not just plastic, but also copper and lead.

A word of warning.  Mouse droppings closely resemble those of bats, who are highly protected.  It is illegal to harm or disturb bats or their roosts whether or not the bats are in residence.  The scratching and rustling in your loft could easily be bats or mice.  A professional pest technician will know the difference.