Mice are known to chew their way through wires boxes, trash bags and more. But mice can make more than just the “Tom and Jerry” style mouse-hole in the wooden molding of your home. Mice have powerful teeth that allow them to chew, chomp, and gnaw their way through everything from a piece of cheese, to solid brick. Rodents can be very tricky adversaries to a home, because they are resilient and can bite their way through most common household surfaces, given enough time.
Gnawing Through Brick
It may be hard to imagine tiny teeth overcoming such a strong material such as brick, but mice can be very diligent when they work their way into a structure. The front teeth of mice and rats are constantly growing. They need to gnaw on surfaces like hard nuts, wood, and even brick; to prevent their teeth from overgrowing.
Squeezing Through
Mice can fit through a hole as small as a dime, by squeezing through. A mouse doesn’t have to break down a whole brick wall just to get in. It will rather focus on one small area; usually with some sort of breakage already. Once a hole big enough to enter through is made, its open season for the rest of the colony to set up camp in your home. Other mice may even chew on the existing hole to make it wider. The best way to spot mouse holes is by brown or black stains on the bricks. When mice slide through, the oils in their fur will stain the bricks. These stains can be a good indicator of mouse or rat break-ins.
If you believe that a wild animal may be in your home, contact a local wildlife removal company. Do not try to remove the animal yourself.