If you hear scratching or scurrying at night, especially between 10 PM and 4 AM, you might have mice.
Mice are nocturnal and most active during these quiet hours. If you hear movement in the walls when everything else is silent, you likely have mice.
It’s completely natural to be worried when you hear the sound of mice. Scratching happens when they gnaw on wood, drywall, or wiring to keep their teeth filed down or to create pathways. It can make quite a racket too, and can even be scary in the middle of the night.
Scurrying sounds like quick, light footsteps as they run along wall studs between feeding areas and nests. You might hear faint squeaking as well, near nesting sites where multiple mice communicate.
Sound isn’t the only indicator of mice. Check for droppings along baseboards, especially in kitchens, pantries, and bathrooms. Mice traveling inside walls often come out through gaps near pipes or behind cabinets to forage for food. Fresh droppings are dark, glossy, and slightly soft—and usually about the size of a grain of rice. If you find them regularly in the same spots, mice are probably using that area as a regular route.
Look for greasy rub marks along walls near the floor. Mice have poor eyesight, so they travel the same paths repeatedly, staying close to walls to avoid getting lost. Their oily fur leaves dark smudges where they brush against surfaces. These marks are most visible on lighter-colored walls or around openings where they enter and exit wall voids.
You might also notice a smell of ammonia in enclosed spaces, such as under sinks, inside cabinets, or near wall penetrations. This is concentrated mouse urine. The scent is usually stronger in areas where mice actively nest or where multiple mice use the same pathways.
Lastly, if you notice mice during the day, that’s a big red flag. Mice prefer to stay hidden during daylight. If you see one during the daytime, population has likely grown beyond what wall voids can support. At that point, you’re dealing with an established colony, not just a few mice.
If you think you might have mice in your walls, calling on a professional is often the best way to deal with the problem. For that, Mosquito Squad of North Shore provides Complete Home & Yard rodent protection in Andover. As part of the service, entry points are sealed up and both the inside and outside of the home are treated. By pairing this with traditional barrier treatment, you can rely on one professional for all your insect and pest control needs—giving you the peace of mind that your entire property is protected.
