get a cat,block any small holes near outside pipes.
There are chemical repellents out there to deter mice, but a simple natural way to do it is with peppermint. They do not like the smell of it. Soak some cotton balls with peppermint oil and put them...
Peppermint.
No, but if you need a mouser a Female cat is best. Males are lazy and the females are natural hunters.
Yes most types of mice are nocturnal.
Breeding