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Beasts Begone! White-footed Mouse & Deer Mouse

WHITE-FOOTED MOUSE AND DEER MOUSE

Small (approximately 1 oz.), with relatively large ears and eyes. Bicolored, including tail: upper parts are brownish, lower parts are white. Tail long and furred. Largely nocturnal. Frequent invaders of basements, attics, wall voids, and miscellaneous crawl spaces. Particularly common in rural and suburban situations.

Access Routes

Trees and bushes adjacent to the structure; certain types of siding; brick chimneys. Physical cover near the foundation can facilitate access; check firewood stacks, debris piles, and crawl spaces under decks or additions.

Entry Sites

Holes larger than 1/4 inch in locations similar to red squirrel and Eastern chipmunk. Check holes in fascia boards of eaves, dormer tie-ins, architectural returns, and similar sites along the roof line; vents (roof, soffit, gable, fan); uncovered chimneys; deteriorated roofs, eaves, and walls. Often gains access to crawl spaces and wall voids via attached garages. The white-footed mouse, particularly, is a good climber and often enters high on a building.

Sounds

Squeaking. Scampering; gnawing.

Gnaw Marks and Food Remains

Gnaw marks on wood, plastic, nut shells, etc. Food caches (the white-footed mouse in particular will rob traps set for larger animals and cache the food).

Fecal Droppings:

Dark, elongated, hard; about 1/8 to 1/4 inch long. Similar to house mouse droppings.

Odor

Lacks musky odor of house mouse.

Hair

Back and sides of animal: brown to reddish brown, black tipped, 1/4 to 1/2 inch long.
Belly: each hair partitioned into black and white segments, 1/8 to 1/4 inch long.

Other Signs

Body rub marks around entry sites. Runways in attic insulation. Nests made up of fibrous materials and lined with fine materials such as fur, feathers, or shredded cloth.

Tracks:    Front: 1/4 in.  Hind: 5/8 in

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