Does digging always cause mice?

16 years ago

They are widening the street right behind my townhouse. I have a 90 ft long backyard, and then right behind my gate (maybe 4 feet or so) they have a dug VERY DEEP, I believe it's to put in new storm water management now that the street will be widened. They purchased some of our common area to do this.

Anyway, I was wondering, will this most likely mean mouse infestation if my townhouse is 90 ft from the digging. At the other end before my townhouse there is about 6 ft concrete patio. Mice would LOVE my house house -- plenty of entry on the patio perimeter, I'm sure of it. I'm doing stuff this weekend like getting rid of paper boxes, getting plastic bins, etc. I'm a clean person and don't even take food or drink (except water) upstairs.

Is there anything I can put down around my townhouse to maybe ward them off if it's pretty much sure thing they are coming? they just started the deep digging around Monday or Tuesday. If they're coming, how long before they come? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Oh, if this means anything, they just completed work across the road from me, but that digging didn't cause anything. Here's a picture of my backyard of that helps at all.

Comments (5)

airqual_guy
16 years ago
I can't really think of any reason the construction activity you describe would cause mice to invade your home. Unless some area alongside the street was heavily infested and is now being cleared, I would not think there was any significant population of vermin being displaced, that might come your way. The open area alongside a street is not the sort of area that would typically support a large population of rodents unless there is a great deal of uncollected trash and garbage.
pdg777
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks, Airqual, for a little assurance! The area right outside my yard sloped down into a small ravine so it wasn't very convenient to walk along and throw garbage/trash in. When they did the opposite side of the street, someone told me they got mice. His townhouse, however, was right behind an area that was previously wooded, and they had to clear trees and such. Also, he said the mice were in his attic, which leads me to believe they may have just been there anyway (maybe because he had wooded area behind him?)

I guess that's why I was concerned. He got rid of his so I was hoping that if there was any population, the digging across the street had already gotten rid of it!

I'll mouse-proof anyway, but I feel a LITTLE better!
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brickeyee
16 years ago
Mice are driven from their burrows by digging, but depth does not matter as much as how much area is disturbed.
The more area, the more likely to displace the present wildlife.
pdg777
Original Author
16 years ago
I guess the real question is, are mice EVERYWHERE underground? Even if you've never seen any in your house?
brickeyee
16 years ago
No, mice tend to be in areas with food.
Open fields often have plenty of things for them to eat (grass seeds, berries, etc.)
In more built up areas they may be around houses if trash is not well controlled.
They are very common in areas that used to be open fields and have been converted to residential use, but the typical mono-culture lawn does not support them as well as open fields.
They do like large piles of wood, brush, and even mulch.

They do not tend to burrow all that deep in fields (a couple feet usually does it) even though they can.
The larger the area disturbed the more likely burrows will be dug up.
If it is 90 feet away from the house they are not that likely to enter with warm weather.