How Long Does A House Mouse Live?

The lifespan of a house mouse depends on numerous factors, but given the right conditions, a mouse can live up to 12 months. If there is plenty of food, shelter and a lack of predators, that lifespan can be extended for an additional 6 months up to an average of 18 months. This means that when mice are in the home, they have a better chance at a long life.

How long can mice live inside the home?

Mice are one of those animals that have adapted to live among humans, like dogs and cats. But unlike dogs and cats, mice provide no benefits and are quite the detriment to have around. They do not care however if they are welcome among us or not. They are simply looking for shelter and food, and when they can find these two things in an environment without predators, they can live up to as many as 24 months.

How long can mice live outdoors?

Outdoors, the life of a mouse can be very short. It faces harsh weather, scarcity of food sources, and many, many predators, from snakes, to birds and even rats – all of them will prey on mice. As such, a mouse will often live in the wild no more than 12 months.

Why infestations are so dangerous

When a couple of mice set up inside the home, they will start to reproduce, with a single female being able to give birth to as many as 90 offspring during its lifetime. When you add that a mouse will start breeding when it is about six weeks old, you can see how quickly an infestation can get out of hand.

As such, it’s key to get an infestation under control as soon as you see the first signs. Traps, poisons and exclusion tactics are some of the tools that you have at your disposal in order to stem the tide of rodents that might hit your home. If you can deny the mice access to the home, and access to food, you put an initial dent in their population growth. Then if you use traps and poison, you can start killing off the mice that are already inside. When these measures are consistently applied, the infestation should soon be no more.

Contact us today if you have any questions about mouse infestations, or if you need any help in dealing with one.