I hate mice.

dragonchick · #1 05/07/08, 11:27 AM

My little abode has been over run with the dang things. I have restoted to poision and glue traps as they avoid the spring ones. I have probably caught 20 this way and another 50 or so died with the poision. So far no rats but I do see them outside. I have also found several holes that have been chewed in the corners of the walls. I have replaced the molding but they seem to chew through again. What can I cover or stuff in the holes that will stop them? I tried the steel wool but they push it out of the way and the tunnel is open again.

TIA
Andi

MullersLaneFarm · #2 05/07/08, 11:30 AM

Got free ranging chickens?? The best mouser I have

Windy in Kansas · #3 05/07/08, 11:33 AM

Try scattering droplets of peppermint extract or oil around as a repellent. In the past it has worked extremely well for me. However I recently did have to fight two mice because the shed I was using the extract in had a wall ventilator that would not contain the essence of peppermint.

DixyDoodle · #4 05/07/08, 12:07 PM

I set a trap underneath our lower floor bath sink. It sat there for a few days before I realized that the reason I hadn't caught the mouse was that it had managed to eat the PB without setting the trap off.

I re-set it today, I hope I catch him tonight.

wy_white_wolf · #5 05/07/08, 12:14 PM

Expanding spray foam insulation for the holes. Squirt some in and cover with duct tape. It'll takes a few days for them to chew through it as it will expand and fill there tunnel. Usually they give up before getting through.

Might even try poking a bounty dryer sheet in the hole first as I hear they hate the smell of it.

dragonchick · #6 05/07/08, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MullersLaneFarm

Got free ranging chickens?? The best mouser I have

YUP have 12 free ranging chickens but the dang mice still fine their way into the house.
I also have an inside cat but he will share his food with them, and unless they really make him mad, he leaves them alone (think Garfield). He doesn't eat the mice so hes safe from the poison.

I don't worry so much about the chickens getting the poison because its fast acting and I usually find them (dead mice) not far from the bait.

Maura · #7 05/07/08, 01:18 PM

Get a rat killing dog. A Jack Russell will probably kill your cats, but a rat terrier is supposed to be nicer, so I hear. A mouse or rat killing dog kills for the fun, where as a cat usually hunts for food, if they hunt at all.

Marsh · #8 05/07/08, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wy_white_wolf

Expanding spray foam insulation for the holes. Squirt some in and cover with duct tape. It'll takes a few days for them to chew through it as it will expand and fill there tunnel. Usually they give up before getting through.

Might even try poking a bounty dryer sheet in the hole first as I hear they hate the smell of it.

I have seen this done. It does work. expanding spray foam for the holes anywhere and the dryer sheets. You can still leave the sticky traps down to catch the stray ones

We have heard using the bigger rat sticky traps because they have to step on them to get the bait (they love peanuts or cashews) you put in the exact center.
We used the dryer sheet method for the cottage over the winter. It doesn't stop them all but it did deter most of them. We used an off name brand and we shredded them and put them on paper plates. We put the plates under the bed, in cabinets, under couch, etc you get the idea.

mnn2501 · #9 05/07/08, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dragonchick

I tried the steel wool but they push it out of
Andi

Steel wool caulked into place on both side with silicon caulk.
and/or get rid of the poison and get some cats (mousers) or even a rat terrier

Truckinguy · #10 05/07/08, 02:56 PM

Quote:

I set a trap underneath our lower floor bath sink. It sat there for a few days before I realized that the reason I hadn't caught the mouse was that it had managed to eat the PB without setting the trap off. I re-set it today, I hope I catch him tonight.

One thing my Dad used to do is tie a piece of twine or string on the trigger of the trap and then cover it up with peanut butter. As they are licking the peanut butter off the trap they don't notice the string and it usually gets them. Before that, they just licked the trap clean and were on their way.

Wildcrofthollow · #11 05/07/08, 08:14 PM

I had to repy to this one. We were having troubles with mice. DW was really ticked off at them after they ate a shawl she had knitted. So we went to war. Caught four mice in four traps the first evening. Another in the dawn hours. Laid their little dead carcasses out like cordwood on the stump in front of the cabin.
We were sitting outside eating breakfast and chatting about our mouse problem when DW says to me "Hey, there is a mouse under your chair!". I looked down and the little sucker runs out to where the birdfeeders are to collect some more groceries. I says "Quick, get the SOB before he goes back and tells all the other mice about our plans!" I grabbed the .22 rifle and took aim. Not to be outdone DW steps inside and comes out with her little .22 rough rider replica pistol and starts to head over to the log where the little bugger has holed up after I missed him twice. I says "what are you gonna do? hunt him down?" She smiles real sweet and says "yeah". The little mouse, I reckon, figured the jig was up and took off running for the cabin. DW whips up the little rough rider pistol and gets off a hip shot that sends Mr. mouse to his maker. But he's still kickin a little bit, so she puts another two rounds in him to make sure he'll be pushin up daisies.
Sometimes she scares me. I'm glad she's on my side....

fixer1958 · #12 05/07/08, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dragonchick

What can I cover or stuff in the holes that will stop them? I tried the steel wool but they push it out of the way and the tunnel is open again.

TIA
Andi

Cut up beer cans that are stapled down and poison them. You have to put up with the stink of the dead ones for awhile with poison.

Quint · #13 05/08/08, 01:16 AM

I've resorted to decon in my garage. My fat, lazy yeller tomcat just isn't getting the job done. He'll catch one, eat it and then catch another to torture for the rest of the afternoon between naps.

Buttermilk · #14 05/08/08, 02:40 AM

If your cat dosen't mouse then you are feeding him to much. Mine catches every thing and brings it to the door to show me he is doing his job.

CaliannG · #15 05/08/08, 04:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buttermilk

If your cat dosen't mouse then you are feeding him to much. Mine catches every thing and brings it to the door to show me he is doing his job.

Sometimes, it is simply the cat.

My best mouser is a very spoiled, very well fed princess who doesn't even have front claws. (She came to me declawed, as a rescued ex-housecat.) She is a pure demon when it comes to catching mice and rats. I swears she stacks them up and makes bonfires out of them or something. No cat can eat THAT much! I wouldn't be surprised if I got up early one morning and found her doing cat dances around a ceramic bowl full of mice. Burning mice.

However my thin, barely-eats-anything, ex street-cat? I am very sorry, but she cannot be bothered. She KNOWS what it is like to have to hunt dinner...and now that she doesn't have to anymore, she will spend her time curled up on the bed in a sunbeam, thankyouverymuch. In fact, she will eat the dog's food before she will lift a paw to catch a mouse.

Both cats have high-quality dry food whenever they want it, and high-quality canned food twice a day. One simply likes to hunt and the other doesn't.

Peace,
Caliann

Otter · #16 05/08/08, 07:32 AM

My experience is with CaliannG. If a cat has to hunt for it's supper, it will hunt for supper and nothing else. I have 11 cars and they all hunt like crazy, despite being regularly fed. It IS something they learn from their mothers. If you want a good mouser, find one that's been allowed to tag after a hunting momma for 11 or 12 weeks. I even have a tiny little she cat who will kill rats nearly her own size every chance she gets. The first time I saw her dragging one home, I ran out with a shovel to kill it. It was dead, but so big she had to drag it backwards like a dog would and I thought she was still wrestling it.

So if you adopt a cat that already hunts, or an older kitten who learned the ropes, feed them so they will hunt for pleasure. My cats go to the neighbors (where they are encouraged and welcome) because I don't have anywhere near enough mice to keep them busy!

tiffnzacsmom · #17 05/08/08, 08:02 AM

I had a cat that used to bring home rats, snakes, moles, birds, anything he could snatch and some of them were bigger than him. It really does depend on the animal some are pure hunters and others are way toooo domesticated to want to bother, just like humans.

AJ Williams · #18 05/08/08, 11:50 AM

Use the steel wool and expanding foam together. Push in the steel wool and coat it with the foam. It works good especially if the foam completely goes in and around the steel wool. Mice try to chew through it and cut their gums and noses up.

soulsurvivor · #19 05/08/08, 12:34 PM

We used to keep rat poison under the house foundation, that is until the year that we had a rat crawl up in our outside wall behind our kitchen cabinets and die and decompose over the next year and a half. Smell that for very long and you'll never be tempted to use rat poison around the house anymore.

Our cat has more than earned her keep in the past 3 years. She was a drop-off and we're really glad she found us. We haven't had a rat, bunny, mouse, frog, mole, vole, or crawdad since. She's fed good, kept up in the shop every night, fixed, still has really sharp claws and knows how to use them. She's a hunter and we've seen her kill and give it to the cat next door to eat. During the hatching of baby robins, we keep her locked up a lot, or at least try to watch her around the nests. We like our birdies.

Quint · #20 05/09/08, 01:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buttermilk

If your cat dosen't mouse then you are feeding him to much. Mine catches every thing and brings it to the door to show me he is doing his job.

It isn't that. I rarely feed him. He just eats when he's hungry. There may be a hundred mice in the garage but if he's full he ain't moving. He'd much rather lay in the sun and torture a mouse. he's the most sadistic cat I've ever seen. Most cats are fairly sadistic and they'll play with a mouse for a while before killing it but he's exceptional. He takes pleasure in it. He'll remove parts or split them open and watch them try to get away and then drag them back. Over and over while he lies there in the sun. Finally the thing will die or he'll eat it. After he's done he'll take a nap or go find another to torture for a few hours.

Makes me real glad I'm not the size of a mouse. I'd hate to have him get a hold of me. Sure, he's all affectionate when he lays down in front of you wanting you to scratch his belly but if you were magically reduced to an edible size.......