Appearance:
The house mouse (Mus musculus) is a brownish mouse with a long scaly tail and large, naked leaf-like ears. Domestic forms of house mice vary widely in color, being white, black, or spotted.
Habitat:
The house mouse is not native to Florida but now occurs throughout the state, often in habitats associated with humans. In addition to houses, they may live in groceries, factories, or agricultural buildings where grain is stored. They may also live outdoors in old fields, pastures, or road sides. They may be a pest as they get into food, and gnaw in walls or clothing. As the weather grows colder, mice may become more active and seek indoor shelter.
Behavior:
Control of mice may be done by an exterminator or by the property owner. Mice may be trapped with glue boards or snap traps. Perhaps most effective is cleaning up debris and mowing nearby overgrown areas. Messy areas give mice food and shelter, and allow the mice to breed and spread. Additionally encouraging predators, such as barn owls in the area, may decrease mice densities.