Native to Central Asia, the house mouse arrived in North America on ships with settlers from Europe and other points of origin. Before attempting to clean up premises where deer mice have been present, contact your county health department or the California Department of Public Health, or see the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website ( for information about how to prevent hantavirus exposure. In addition, the tail on the house mouse has almost no fur on it, whereas the tail of the deer mouse is moderately to well furred and is light underneath and dark on top. The deer mouse has larger eyes and a white underside with a distinct line of demarcation between the dark coloration on top and the white underside. The house mouse is distinguished from the deer mouse by its overall gray coat. While the house mouse hasn’t been found to be a carrier of hantavirus, the deer mouse, Peromyscus maniculatus, which sometimes invades cabins and outbuildings in California, harbors the Sin Nombre virus, which causes a rare but often fatal illness known as hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). Mice are active mostly at night, but they can be seen occasionally during daylight hours. House mice have a characteristic musky odor that reveals their presence. Mouse nests are made from finely shredded paper or other fibrous material, usually in sheltered locations. An adult is about 5 to 7 inches long, including the 3- to 4-inch tail.ĭroppings, fresh gnaw marks, and tracks indicate areas where mice are active. They weigh about 1/2 ounce and usually are light brownish to gray. House mice are small rodents with relatively large ears and small, black eyes.
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