But that doesn't necessarily mean we won't see more of them.

Mr Henry is currently running workshops across NSW for farmers on the mouse plaque, which is devastating grain harvests in parts of NSW and Queensland.

"Mice are not migratory animals, but they are present across Australia. Mice can move 100 metres from their nest or burrow to forage, but they will return at the end of the night," Mr Henry said.

The problem is there are just a lot more mice around because conditions are right.

"A mouse plague of this sort happens about every 10 years," Mr Henry said.

"Mice are currently responding to seasonal conditions. There's been good rainfall after several years of drought and the bumper grain crops grown over spring and summer provide excess food for mice. Shelter and food sources combined create perfect conditions for mice to thrive and survive."

"Mice live everywhere humans do, however, and most of the time go undetected. Recent reports of increased mouse activity in urban areas are due to a localised build up in the system," Mr Henry said.

There is more mouse activity than usual in urban areas for a number of reasons.

Existing populations are increasing because they have access to good food and shelter while the cooler weather encourages mice to find shelter inside homes, making them more likely to be seen.

Also mouse numbers are in abundance following the breeding season and juvenile mice disperse to find other places to live.

First and foremost is to stop them coming into your home and that means blocking up holes typically under sinks or where gas pipes enter the home from external gas tanks.

For $2 you can get a home brand packet of soap filled steel wool cleaners (mice can't chew through steel wool) which can be pushed into holes around skirting boards or under sinks, or alternatively use some type of expanding foam.

Put seals on doors and deny mice access to food sources. Clean up left-over pet food in bowls, bird aviaries and chicken runs.

Keep grass mown and clean up around the garden, remove anything that mice can shelter in and move piles of wood and timber away from your house, Mr Henry advised.

"Use snap traps, which takes away the need for chemicals. If using bait outside, pick up and dispose of any dead mice. Unlike agricultural baits, domestic poisons cause secondary poisoning which can harm domesticated and native animals," he said.

Usually, mice breed in early spring and usually finish breeding in autumn. Breeding tails off through winter.

Mr Henry said mice can breed from about six weeks old and can reproduce every 19 to 21 days. Their litters can have as many as 10 pups.

As soon as they have a litter, they can become pregnant again. While they are rearing a litter, they are gestating the next. After three weeks of rearing pups, they kick them out of the nest and start raising the second litter. There is no break in pup production.

Households and small businesses impacted by mice across NSW will be able to claim rebates for purchasing mouse bait from February 1.

Deputy Premier John Barilaro said backdating the program will help regional families and small businesses that were impacted by mice earlier this year.

For further details visit www.nsw.gov.au/mice.

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