If you've heard about the mouse plague that's desecended on western NSW, and noticed a few unwelcome visitors about your house, you may feel uneasy.
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Your fears are likely to be unfounded, however, according to CSIRO researcher Steve Henry.
"Traditionally we don't get plagues of mice east of the Great Dividing Range, although we do get times where conditions are very favourable to mice," he said.
While there may be more mice about, it's unlikely the Illawarra and South Coast will experience anything like communities out west.
"Out there people are taking 60-100 mice out of their house in the evening; they run across the bed at night, eat food out of the kitchen cupboards and soil towels and linen," Mr Henry said.
"East of the divide there are enough to be annoying, not horrifying."
The number of mice being spotted around the Illawarra appears to be on the rise, but they're not escapees from the west.
Mr Henry said mice don't like to move around much, as it's dangerous for them to leave their burrows. They will only seek a new home in an emergency, but their population does have boom-and-bust cycles.
This can give the appearance of lots of mice where there were none before - they were always there, but not enough for you to notice.
A wet summer, like the one we've just had, makes mice more likely to breed. It also means there's more food about for them.
Michael Hession, of Pestfix Pest Management, said new developments can also disturb established mouse colonies. The mice are driven from their burrows in vacant land by excavations, and seek out new homes - often in nearby houses.
Mr Henry said there were a few good ways to keep your home mouse-free.
First, make the area outside your home unwelcome to mice. Clean up anything that looks like a mouse buffet - especially grain for chooks or an aviary.
Remove any debris around your house that might make a cozy home for a mouse.
Then, block any small openings in your walls with something like steel wool.
"Everywhere a pipe goes into a wall, a mouse could get in," Mr Henry said.
A door seal will also help. Seal all food in tough plastic containers, and if you still have mouse trouble, it's time to break out the traps and baits.
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Bunnings Wollongong Complex Manager, Aaron Mott said the store has experienced an increase in demand for mouse control products.
"Due to the demand, stock is currently low, however we are working closely with our suppliers to get more stock in store as soon as possible," Mr Mott said.
Take care when cleaning up the mess they leave - mice carry diseases that can be given to humans.
"If you do bait, it's important to clean up the carcasses so other animals aren't poisoned," Mr Henry said.
"Wear disposable gloves - and if you're cleaning out a space where mice have been a mask is a good idea as well."
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