Deer Mouse Control in Colorado Springs
Deer mice are a normal part of life on the edge of the Front Range. They live in the grass, the scrub oak and the pine, and they move into sheds, garages, cabins and houses when it gets cold. Utah State University Extension describes them as brown to gray with a white belly and a furry tail, a bit smaller than a house mouse.
The reason they get their own page is hantavirus. People catch it by breathing in particles from deer mouse urine, droppings or saliva. Garfield County's health department, in a 2024 notice, named Colorado among the hot spots and gave a 36 percent fatality rate for the illness. Not every deer mouse carries it, but cleanup needs to be done carefully either way.
Where deer mice show up
A CSU Extension answer about field mice in northwest Colorado Springs pointed out that hantavirus hosts aren't usually tied to dense city areas, but deer mice do come into homes in suburban and rural places. That's a lot of El Paso County: Black Forest, Monument, Falcon, the homes along the foothills in Rockrimmon and Broadmoor.
- Sheds, barns and detached garages
- Cabins and places that sit empty for months
- RVs, campers and stored vehicles
- Crawl spaces and attics on homes near open space
Cleanup the CDC way
If you find droppings, don't sweep or vacuum them. That's the big one. For a shed, cabin or barn, the CDC says to open the doors and windows for 30 minutes and stay out while it airs. Then put on rubber or plastic gloves, spray the droppings and nests with disinfectant or a bleach solution of one part bleach to nine parts water, and let it soak for five minutes. Wipe up with paper towels, double-bag everything and put it in a covered trash can. Wash your gloved hands, take the gloves off, and wash again.
Heavy infestations call for more protection, including a respirator. If you're looking at a building full of nests, have a company handle it. Attic and nest cleanup covers what that involves.
What the provider does
Trapping, sealing and cleanup, in that order. The tech should wear protection when working around deer mouse nests and should not be dry-sweeping. Expect them to look hard at the lower parts of the house and any outbuildings, since that's where deer mice come in from the field.
Questions people ask
What are the symptoms of hantavirus?
Garfield County Public Health lists fever, deep muscle aches and severe shortness of breath, showing up one to five weeks after exposure. If you get sick after being around rodents, see a doctor and tell them about the exposure.
How do I tell a deer mouse from a house mouse?
Deer mice are brown to gray on top with a white belly, and their tail is furry. House mice don't have the white underside.
Available in Briargate, Rockrimmon, Black Forest, Monument and Tri-Lakes, Falcon and Peyton, Broadmoor and Cheyenne Cañon, Manitou Springs, Old Colorado City and the West Side, Fountain, Security-Widefield, Powers and Stetson Hills.