Mouse Bites: First Aid, Risks and When to Get Help

Do Mice Bite? Yes, mice can bite, but it’s very rare. If a mouse bites you, rinse the wound under warm running water straight away, then get medical advice if the skin is broken. Most mouse bites heal without any problems.

Mice avoid people. They feed after dark and run at the first sign of you, so most people with mice in the house are never bitten. A mouse bites to defend itself: when you pick it up, corner it, reach into a trap or disturb its nest.

Field mice that come in from the garden behave the same way. Seen a mouse at home? Start with what to do about mice in the house.

What does a mouse bite look like?

Usually one or two small puncture marks, or a short scratch from the front teeth, sometimes with a bead of blood. Mouse bites are rarely deep. The skin around the bite may go a little red.

Woke up with itchy bites in bed? They’re far more likely to come from fleas or bed bugs than a mouse. Here’s how to tell flea and bed bug bites apart.

What to do if a mouse bites you

1. Rinse the bite under warm running water for a couple of minutes, even if the skin doesn’t look broken.
2. Remove any dirt or hair from the wound.
3. Gently squeeze it to make it bleed a little, unless it’s already bleeding freely. If it’s bleeding heavily, press a clean pad or sterile dressing on it.
4. Dry it and cover it with a clean dressing or a waterproof plaster.
5. If the skin is broken, get medical advice the same day from your GP.

Is a mouse bite dangerous?

Most aren’t, and the bite itself usually heals well. The risk comes from germs in the mouse’s mouth, and serious infections are uncommon. Keep an eye on the bite for a week.

Rat-bite fever can start after the bite has healed, so don’t ignore a fever in the week after a bite. Take extra care with babies and young children, older people, pregnant women and anyone with a long-term condition such as diabetes.

Mice spread more germs through their droppings and urine than through bites. See which diseases rodents carry and how to clean up mouse droppings safely.

Get medical help straight away if

• you have a fever of 38C or above, chills or sweats
• red streaks spread out from the bite
• the glands in your neck, armpit or groin swell up
• the bite is deep, on your face or won’t stop bleeding

How to avoid being bitten

• Never pick up a mouse with bare hands. Wear thick gloves to empty traps, and read how to handle and release a live mouse first.
• Don’t corner a mouse. Open a door to the outside, step back and let it run.
• Keep food out of bedrooms and clear crumbs, so mice have no reason to come near beds.
• Deal with the mice. Fewer mice means less chance of meeting one: here’s how to get rid of mice.

Bitten by a rat rather than a mouse? See our guide to rat bites.