The Florida House Mouseis the house mouse. (MUS musculus) Old and New There are New World Mice and Old World Mice:  The Old World Mouse
(MUS musculus) is located along the Gulf coastal states through Florida and up into New York,
infesting indoor and outdoor areas inhabited by human beings. The best known North American form of the New World Mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) is the deer mouse.The Reproductive capacity is enormous. A female is capable of producing up to 8 litters a year with up to 12 young per litter. The mouse is ready to breed within a little over 4 weeks after birth. The gestation period is approximately 19 days and then you have a new litter to contend with.  House mice thrive
on food that humans eat, and also like to nibble on soap and glued areas.
If the food becomes scarce they will find things to eat outside of the buildings. They can
carry parasitic, viral and bacterial diseases! (Where did they find a suitcase that small?)They love to nest in shredded paper or soft materials. They contaminate the places where they have been with urine and droppings.  The odors
from the urine and droppings can become quite strong and will attract other mice.
Although, isn't it strange, if the odor becomes too strong they move to a new nest.Is there anything that can be said for the good of the mouse? It may come as a surprise to you; mice do have several redeeming factors. They eat seeds such as acorns, weed seeds, bugs and whatever they consider edible. Incidentally, not ever having been a mouse, and I'm not into eating bugs, I don't know the variety preferred by them. The second good point for them is that hawks, owls, eagles, egrets, snakes and gulls, to name a few, are predators and they really appreciate a tasty tidbit for lunch.  Remember,
when a desirable environment is created for the House Mouse, they will reproduce
and thank you with smells, messes, gnawed wood, shredded paper and any other soft materials used for nesting.
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