Do Mice Come Out During the Day?

People often think that mice are only active at night because they usually spot them or hear them at night. In reality, you can see a mouse any time of day. Mice have just evolved to be more active at night because there are typically fewer dangers for them after the sun goes down. For example, in the wild, mice learned there were fewer predators out when it was dark, so this was the ideal time to go searching for food. This same principle can be applied to mice that are living inside your home. Once you turn off the lights and everyone heads to bed, including your pets, there’s a better chance for mice to find food and build their nests without putting themselves in harm’s way.

However, there are reasons that you might see a mouse out during the day. These rodents may be traveling to a place where there isn’t usually much movement in daylight hours. For instance, movie theaters and bars typically have fewer customers during the day, so mice might be more active in the middle of the day in these types of places.

Another reason that mice might come out in the daytime is if they’ve found a travel route between their nest and food that’s usually safe. These rodents eat several times each day—and sometimes as often as 20 times in a 24-hour period. You might see a mouse around your home if it’s looking for food, trying to escape an area that’s become dangerous or trying to find shelter.

If you believe you might have a mouse problem, but you’re not entirely sure, you should know that these creatures typically leave behind evidence that you can keep an eye out for. For example, you might see gnawing on your furniture or bite marks on a bag of pet food. Some other typical signs of a mouse or rodent problem include:

droppings;

damage to your walls, wiring, insulation or other parts of your home;

rodent nests or signs of nesting, such as shredded paper or bundles of cotton, twigs or grass;

alive or dead rodents;

strange noises coming from your attic or scratching noises in walls;

odd smells and

greasy track marks along baseboards and walls where mice have been traveling.

Unfortunately, pest infestations can happen at any time of the year and in any neighborhood. Additionally, it’s often difficult to tackle the problem unless you know for sure what kind of creatures you have in your home. Issues with other types of rodents and wildlife can sometimes look very similar to infestations by mice. For instance, a raccoon can get into your attic and make strange noises at night. Or, a possum may be eating the fruit from your garden. And, rat droppings look awfully similar to mouse droppings.