They are attracted to homes with plenty of insects or accessible pantry foods. House mice feed on a huge array of food sources, including insects, fruits, nuts, seeds, garbage, food scraps, and pantry goods, rice, crackers, and cereal, eating up to 20 meals a day.ĭeer mice prefer small insects like beetles, earthworms, snails, seeds, fruit, and fungi. Once inside, the mice like to raid any food stores available. They often invade homes and businesses to build their nests in dark secluded places like wall voids, attics, pantries, and garages. This gives them reliable food and water, warm shelter, and protection from predators. However, in populated areas, mice like to live near humans. House mice prefer forested areas, pastures, grassy fields, and farmland, hiding in underbrush or other dense vegetation, such as tall grasses, shrubs, and vines.

In the wild, some mice like to burrow underground, while others live in nests on the surface. When they invade your home they are seeking food, water, and warmth, often due to falling temperatures as winter approaches. The two most common species of mice in Canada are deer mice and house mice. The mammals generally live no more than a year. The mating season often lasts from early summer to late fall however, indoors, mice may breed year-round. Newborns reach sexual maturity after about a month for females and two months for males. A typical deer mouse or house mouse may produce up to a dozen litters per year. Mice produce offspring in litters of five to six babies. Life Cycle/ReproductionĪs mammals, mice give birth to live young after completing a period of gestation, which typically lasts around 20 days. Each mouse feeds multiple times a day, with some mice partaking in upwards of 20 or 30 meals over a 24-hour period. The mammals also notoriously chew or bite through inorganic and typically indigestible materials, such as books, plastics, drywall, and even aluminum cans.

Like humans, mice are omnivorous and feed on a variety of food materials such as insects, fruits, nuts, seeds, and food prepared or discarded by humans. Pastures, grassy fields, and farmland represent typical habitats of mice in the wild, while mice in populated areas tend to live near readily available food sources away from the threats of predators. Most notably, mice tend to live in close proximity to humans and often find refuge in buildings, including homes, businesses, industrial factories and warehouses, and other structures like dog houses, sheds, barns, or lawn ornamentations. Outdoors, the rodents typically hide in underbrush or other dense vegetation, such as tall grasses, shrubs, and vines. Mice prefer environments that allow for total concealment. Deer mice also display white colouration in the feet, which differs from the pinkish-buff colours that appear on the feet of house mice.

The tail of the house mouse usually doubles the length of the body, while the tail of the deer mouse represents less than half of the overall body length. Much of the body length comes from the characteristic tail each mouse possesses. Both species feature oversized ears relative to body size, which typically runs between 150mm and 170mm in length.

Deer mice also possess brown or grey coats, but with white bellies and tail bottoms. House mice often appear brown or grey, with lighter colouring on the underside of the body.

Deer mouse house mouse