Mice are driving me CRAZY!

[Sarah K.]

Every winter we get mice in our scuttle attic, and I'm about at my wit's end trying to get rid of them. Initially they seemed to be climbing between the side of the house and the vinyl siding, but they came back after plugging the gap with expandable foam insulation. I used to have luck setting traps just inside the attic access, but the last go-round they weren't getting to the traps. It's possible they're only in the soffit or under the insulation. Could they be climbing up the outside of the siding? If anyone has been in this situation and/or has any tried-and-true mouse eviction methods, I'd love to hear them!

Thanks,
Sarah

[Natural Beauty Farm]

Little green mouse bait blocks work wonders. Put them where no dogs can get to them, their said to taste bitter, but no reason to find out the hard way. I've had them out for years, seems to keep the rodent population in check. Everytime I see extra critters, the blocks start disappearing and the population dwindles down again.

[FarmboyBill]

I usta have mice, then I had mice and rats. Then I got a few cats. I only saw one and 1/2 moses last year. 1/2 of one was in a kittens m,outh. I see I got some in my grain bin. I fed them in a cage so that I can catch them. Ill put them in the cage with feed, then in the grain bin for the night.

[ErinP]

I swear by peppermint oil. It even keeps them out of the shop and barn.

[BarbadosSheep]

In the attic or crawl space, I'd use mouse poison. Don't use it if the mice can come into the house and die. Its amazing how BAD a little teeny dead mouse can smell if it's hiding under the couch.

[bajiay]

When I was helping out a couple from church to get rid of the infestation in their home, I called Orkin. We are too far away for them to come but the guy I talked to was a lot of help. He said to fill every little stinking hole that will fit a pencil eraser in it with the foam, or the mice will get in. He said not to use ANY KIND of bait bars or what have you because it is "food" and actually attracts the mice. They may die for now, but others will follow their scent to the house. Anyway, I cleaned the house and then used up a heck of a lot of foam, and no more mice! (He told me I had to look on the outside of the house, as well as on the inside around the foundation (basement). Good luck!

[Our Little Farm]

Originally Posted by ErinP

I swear by peppermint oil. It even keeps them out of the shop and barn.

I agree.

[ErinP]

And it smells SOOOO much better than the rotting carcasses of poisoned rodents.

[bajiay]

How do you distribute the peppermint oil around? How often do you have to replenish it?

[Sarah K.]

Thanks for all your responses! I'm a bit squeamish about having poison around at all, since we have cats and a toddler. I will think if there's any way that I could do it that I would feel 100% safe about. I second the questions about peppermint oil- I tried putting some on the foundation in the area they seem to be getting in, and also tossing some oil-soaked cotton balls into the attic. That didn't seem to help, but maybe there's a better way?

[ErinP]

Oil soaked cotton balls is probably the best way (and you have to make sure to use essential oil, not extract like you find in grocery stores). Though I've gotten to where I just put it in a little spray bottle and soak the wood in specific areas. Replenish every week until the population is gone and then every few weeks to maintain...

But if it's not working, I don't know what to say. Not only does it work for mice for me, but it keeps packrats out, too.

[Blackbear]

snap traps my favorite. We rented a house a few years back that was very old and had alot of mice.Snap traps worked great and I sprayed the foundation area with fox pee, natural predator of mickey mouse and his amigos. It helped but the house was old and had many entry points.We didn't stay very long.

[fishhead]

I doubt they are climbing up the outside of the siding.

What time of the day do you hear the scratching? If it's at night it could be flying squirrels.

For mice I use the newer clothespin like looking traps with peanut butter smeared above the trigger so they stand on the trigger to reach it. Set them perpendicular tight up against the wall.

Before my new neighbor moved in with her cats I caught 50+ mice in a single fall.

[Sanza]

I use the mouse blocks and since the mice dry up there is no smell. I notice when the blocks get chewed on but hardly ever see or hear them.