Where there’s one mouse, it’s a safe bet that many more are nearby. Mouse colonies are often huge and for good reason. Mice can reproduce at rapid rates year-round. This means that a small group of mice can quickly explode into a full-on infestation. But just how fast do they multiply?
Mouse Multiplication
Mice become sexually mature anywhere from 4-8 weeks after their birth, depending on species, gender, and other factors. A female mouse can get pregnant 5 to 10 times per year, with each pregnancy yielding 3-14 offspring. Mouse pregnancies usually take up to 3 weeks to gestate fully. Generally speaking, a single pair of mice can rapidly bloom into a few thousand in just a year.
Mice Lifespan
In the wild, mice can live up to about a year. But, when they take refuge in a home, they can live up to 2 years longer. With every year comes more offspring, and an even more rapidly reproducing horde of furry critters. When out in the wild, mice are susceptible to predators. But when a colony resides in a home, they are much less likely to be hunted. This leads to more rapid population growth. With more growth comes a higher likelihood that they can bring destruction and disease to your home. Mice will gnaw and chew through almost anything, from boxes in your attic to electrical wiring. Mice are known to cause drafts from burrowing through insulation, property collapse from weakening structures, and fires from fraying wires.