Rodent Identification

All,

We recently heard a creature running in the ceiling above our living room (about a month ago) around 8-10 pm every night. I finally put some traps behind the kitchen sink, and we caught a mouse about 2-3 days later. Unfortunately for me, I disturbed some mouse feces (probably 10-15 droppings) when putting the traps under the sink and was not wearing a mask. Anyway...can anyone ID this rodent? We think it is a deer mouse and just want to make sure we are being cautious.



Thank you,

Central Illinois

 

I don't know mouse species all that well, I've always just categorized them as mice. Much of this mouse is hidden from view anyway. That's a nice trap, by the way.

I've also been pretty lazy about taking precautions with rodent droppings. I've cleaned up a lot of them in a wide range of situations and I've never gotten sick nor do I know anyone who has. Famous last words, maybe. Complacency is not good. For me, I'd use wet paper towels to collect a small amount of droppings and then sanitize the area with a spray from a trigger bottle as there is less blast from that then an aerosol can.

Don't count on the mouse you caught under the sink being the one(s) that you heard in the ceiling. In any case, there is usually more than one.

What is above the living room ceiling?

 

PAbugman,

Thank you for your thoughts and advice.

We have not heard the scurrying since this mouse was caught, so who knows. Above the living room ceiling is a second floor bedroom. I've checked around the room/closet and have not seen any droppings or other signs of a mouse in that room.

Thank you.