How Fast Will Mice Reproduce Inside My House?
Most mouse infestations in Cleveland, Ohio are deer mice.
Deer mice are larger mice with white bottoms.
And these mice reproduce slower than you would imagine. From spring through fall, each female produces two to four litters. They are pregnant for about a month. And the average litter size is five or six. So, on the low side one mouse can have ten offspring per year. On the high side, a mouse could have around forty.
Why You Do Not Have a Hundred Mice Inside Your House.
- Mice are prey animals. You will find them at the bottom of the food chain. Thus, the mice inside your house will travel outside and get eaten by something.
- It is unlikely that your home has enough food for that many mice.
Many people think cats will keep mice out. In reality, mice and cats share the same food dish.
Once I saw someone with cat food consistently left in the basement. In that case, house mice reproduced quickly. Most people only have a few crumbs at best for mice to forage on. Or grease residue on the stove.
- Deer mice do not reproduce as fast as you think. Yes, they can have up to ten offspring in one litter. But that litter would take another three months to have their own litter. That is, if they survive that long. By then it will be the end of summer. Is it likely that you will let mice run rampant in your house for that long? No, that is not very likely.
- Mice are easy to detect and easy to control. Mice poop wherever they go. They have no control of that. When mice are around, you’ll notice their droppings. Additionally, mice are inquisitive creatures. They are going to inspect new objects in their territory. And they inspect their entire territory nearly every night. As a result, you will catch almost every mouse within three days if you do it right.