What kills mice? - briefly
Mice succumb to chemical rodenticides, mechanical or electronic traps, and predation by birds of prey, felines, and snakes. Extreme environmental conditions, severe disease, and starvation also result in mortality.
What kills mice? - in detail
Mice succumb to a range of agents that act directly on their physiological systems or indirectly through environmental conditions.
Chemical poisons remain the most common method of control. Anticoagulant rodenticides, such as bromadiolone and difenacoum, interrupt blood clotting, leading to internal hemorrhage after several days of ingestion. Acute toxins like bromethalin disrupt cellular energy production, causing rapid paralysis and death within hours. Zinc phosphide reacts with stomach acid to release phosphine gas, which collapses the respiratory chain and results in swift fatality.
Biological factors also contribute to mortality. Predatory species—barn owls, snakes, feral cats, and certain mustelids—capture and consume mice, employing venom, constriction, or sheer force. Parasitic infestations, including tapeworms and mites, can weaken hosts and precipitate death when combined with malnutrition.
Physical hazards include traps that deliver mechanical injury: snap traps sever the spinal column, while live-catch devices cause stress‑induced shock if mishandled. Environmental extremes—severe cold, excessive heat, or dehydration—can be lethal when mice lack shelter or access to water.
Pathogenic agents further reduce survival rates. Viral infections such as lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, bacterial diseases like salmonellosis, and fungal pathogens (e.g., Aspergillus) can cause systemic failure.
In summary, mortality in rodents arises from:
- Anticoagulant and acute chemical rodenticides
- Phosphide compounds releasing toxic gases
- Natural predators and their hunting mechanisms
- Parasitic and pathogenic infections
- Mechanical traps causing fatal trauma
- Extreme environmental conditions
Each factor operates through distinct physiological pathways, ensuring comprehensive lethality under appropriate circumstances.