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Made in nl
Wolf Guard Bodyguard in Terminator Armor




So, recently, we went to visit the House of Mouse with the kids.
Ironically, when we came back, some actual mice had discovered our storecloset leaving their usual mess and nibbled stuffs.
So I've closed the hole with some steel wool and put up a new wall that's actually completely closed in said storage.
Going to put up some shelves in there and keep our foodstuffs in plastic boxes rather than just on the shelves.
Put down some traps as well, but they don't seem to like the food I put in.
I'd rather not resort to poison due to a) the smell of decomposing mice and b) one toddler who puts literally everything she gets her hands on in her mouth.

Anyone got any ideas what else I can do to get rid of our unwanted guests?
   
Made in ch
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The gun mousetrap.



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This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2019/08/28 10:25:23


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Made in gb
Decrepit Dakkanaut




UK

I can assure you that typical cats are pretty good at catching mice - as are huskies. Sadly huskies lack the small size suited to fitting into tiny indoor corners and cupboards and all those places mice like to hide. Bonus is that huskies are good at getting rid of moles (provided you don't mind husky holes in the garden).


Baited traps work, but you have to vary the food until you find what they like. A lot of people try only one food source and give up fast when that fails. You also have to change the food every so often if you've a far larger infestation and they stop taking the bait.

Sadly many of the "live catch" type traps can be quite expensive to very expensive, even though they are well built. This is because they are mostly aimed at researchers doing catch and release studies.
There's also the issue of what to do with the live mouse once you've got it. Release it too close and it will find its way back and they can travel a surprising distance.


Honestly traps is probably best and bait them with different feeds and see what works on your mice. It will sometimes take a while for rodents to go for traps since its something new in their environment. If you can block off all other sources of easy food (which it sounds like you are doing) then that will encourage them to go for the trap food. Blocking off entry points is also critical and the most important step. If you can prevent access then you've basically won the battle - if not then its a continual war.

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Southeastern PA, USA

I've used one of those rolling log mouse traps and caught mice with it.

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Courageous Questing Knight





Texas

Basic spring mouse traps with CHUNKY PEANUT BUTTER works fantastic. Work a chunk of peanut into the grip part of the catch so they work to get it. Not only can you hear the trap spring and know when you have to go grab it, but just pick it up using a small plastic bag and turn inside out and seal it up - like you do if you pick up your dog poop!

Of course, you need to keep the traps away from the toddler, so they can be hidden inside the cabinet or anywhere else you know they are running along. My old house had a few out in my storage shed and what seemed like a lot to me, was really only about 5 or 6. After I caught them, no more mice - if you jump on it early, that is.

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Southeastern PA, USA

I usually bait with peanut butter also.

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London, Ontario

Peanut butter would be my go to for bait.

Put the “Killy” side of the spring trap towards the wall. Mice prefer to stick to walls, and will approach the bait that way. If you put it the other way around, you have the potential of creating a (hilarious) mouse catapult instead.

If you have a lot of mice, don’t set the trap right away. Instead, bait the trap for a few days so multiple mice will feel it is safe to eat. You can set multiple traps side by side if you do this, and the mice will ignore the other dead mice and keep getting caught in the traps.
   
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Texas

 greatbigtree wrote:
Peanut butter would be my go to for bait.

If you have a lot of mice, don’t set the trap right away. Instead, bait the trap for a few days so multiple mice will feel it is safe to eat. You can set multiple traps side by side if you do this, and the mice will ignore the other dead mice and keep getting caught in the traps.


That is a great idea!!! Exalt for you!

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Lesser Daemon of Chaos




Olympia, WA

We have issues where I live with mice getting into garages and cars etc and I have found that cotton balls soaked in peppermint oil works as a good deterrent for those cases but you may not want your house smelling strongly of peppermint (or you might?)
   
Made in ca
Junior Officer with Laspistol





London, Ontario

If you’re trying to keep mice from entering, I’d suggest using...

Expanded metal lathing

As a screen. If possible, galvanized metal would be best. Reasons being. Wounds from galzanized metal heal poorly. As the mouse tries to bite through the expanded metal, the sheared edges of the metal will cut their mouths. They’ll either stop or bleed to death. A double layer is all but impossible for mice to breach. 5 years down the road, if it looks rotten just put another layer on.

It is sharp, pokey, dangerous, sharp, somewhat difficult to put into a small area, pokey, and *painful* to work with if you aren’t very careful. But it works better than anything else I know of. Use screws with washers to get a good, snug fit to surfaces. A gear-clamp is good too, If you have something to go around like a pipe, or vent.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2019/08/28 16:20:36


 
   
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The Conquerer






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Sticky paper traps work phenomenally well, and unlike the typical snap trap they can catch multiple mice. Stick a glob of peanut butter, or whatever bait you use, on it and you can probably catch 2-3 mice in a night. Then just toss them in the garbage the next morning.

As for what bait is best, you want something that has a scent to it. Peanut butter, cheese, and fruit will all work well. Vary it as mentioned above.

This is a good type of trap you can use too. Easy to make.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SIlYiiCGLI

Instead of that cylinder he uses there, you can simply have a wooden dowel and have a soda can in the middle of it that can spin freely and put the bait on that.

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Southeastern PA, USA

 Grey Templar wrote:
This is a good type of trap you can use too. Easy to make.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SIlYiiCGLI

Instead of that cylinder he uses there, you can simply have a wooden dowel and have a soda can in the middle of it that can spin freely and put the bait on that.


That was the one I referred to earlier. It must have been an incredibly infested place to pull that many mice in one night. But I've definitely caught them using that device.

After you clear out the critters, red fox urine can keep them away. It stinks like crazy though, so definitely don't use it inside.

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Sealing up holes in the outside is important. Once they're in the walls though, you kind of need poison. I forget exactly what it is I used, but it's essentially salt which leaves the mouse bodies to dry up and mummify in the walls. I also put the blocks of poison in the walls via both mouse-holes and a few entry-exist points I found. Very important to make sure there's no food around where they can find it, as they need to be hungry for that bait.
   
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 gorgon wrote:
 Grey Templar wrote:
This is a good type of trap you can use too. Easy to make.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SIlYiiCGLI

Instead of that cylinder he uses there, you can simply have a wooden dowel and have a soda can in the middle of it that can spin freely and put the bait on that.


That was the one I referred to earlier. It must have been an incredibly infested place to pull that many mice in one night. But I've definitely caught them using that device.

After you clear out the critters, red fox urine can keep them away. It stinks like crazy though, so definitely don't use it inside.


That video was definitely taken on a farm. But you'd still be surprised how many mice/rats can live in an urban area.

Trash cans are basically an all you can eat buffet. People dump their garbage in the trash cans outside till the trash man comes to collect, but in that week the mice can come and eat everything thats in it. And since its happening on each house on every block, that is an insane amount of food for the mice.

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Chocolate is a good bait. And while I know we are talking about killing a living creature and its a bit hypocritical, any form of glue trap is inhumane and should not be used.

Sorry, kill them quickly or not at all.

Cheers

Andrew

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2019/08/28 18:21:56


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Normally I'd agree that we should be humane to animals. But mice and rats are the exception for me. To hell with the vermin.

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Lesser Daemon of Chaos




Olympia, WA

 Grey Templar wrote:
 gorgon wrote:
 Grey Templar wrote:
This is a good type of trap you can use too. Easy to make.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SIlYiiCGLI

Instead of that cylinder he uses there, you can simply have a wooden dowel and have a soda can in the middle of it that can spin freely and put the bait on that.


That was the one I referred to earlier. It must have been an incredibly infested place to pull that many mice in one night. But I've definitely caught them using that device.

After you clear out the critters, red fox urine can keep them away. It stinks like crazy though, so definitely don't use it inside.


That video was definitely taken on a farm. But you'd still be surprised how many mice/rats can live in an urban area.

Trash cans are basically an all you can eat buffet. People dump their garbage in the trash cans outside till the trash man comes to collect, but in that week the mice can come and eat everything thats in it. And since its happening on each house on every block, that is an insane amount of food for the mice.


It is difficult to know how many of them actually live in an area. A buddy of mine moved in to a new subdivision next to a large stand of trees (several acres worth) and never had any issues with mice or other rodents. They began building another subdivision next to him where the trees were, and as they cleared the trees his entire subdivision was over run with mice. They were raiding the garbage cans and eating the wiring in peoples cars/invading their houses. Apparently the Volkswagens and their associated company vehicles were hit the hardest. His neighbor had (I say "had" because the vehicle was totaled from the damage) a Porsche Panamera that sat in his garage for a month while he was underway on sea trials and they ate all of the internal wiring harness and most of what was under the hood.
   
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Yeah. Mice can be odd sometimes. They'll stay in one area they feel safe, then you disturb them and they look for a new home and swarm an area they never were before. Despite the fact they were in quite close proximity.

Weather can change it too. If you get a severe hot or cold spell, that can drive them into homes too.

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Decrepit Dakkanaut




UK

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWVw-j8eYSk

If you want a scary pest problem consider that - the result of invasive species with no natural predators.

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Southeastern PA, USA

 Overread wrote:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWVw-j8eYSk

If you want a scary pest problem consider that - the result of invasive species with no natural predators.


Other than maybe a combine harvester, that is.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Nurglitch wrote:
Sealing up holes in the outside is important. Once they're in the walls though, you kind of need poison. I forget exactly what it is I used, but it's essentially salt which leaves the mouse bodies to dry up and mummify in the walls. I also put the blocks of poison in the walls via both mouse-holes and a few entry-exist points I found. Very important to make sure there's no food around where they can find it, as they need to be hungry for that bait.


Gotta be careful with poison, though. Used inside the home, you can end up with a lot of dead decomposing critters inside your walls. Which is a fragrant thing.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2019/08/28 19:05:48


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Thanks for the tips people! We're not cat people, so getting one of those isn't really an option. My wife does like small dogs though (huskies are too hairy and need to work/exercise, though I love dogs like that).
Maybe some kind of terrier or dachshund could help.

The leave traps unset for a bit is a good idea. I'll definitely do that.
It's a bit late for the metal mesh thing, but the wall's not been papered yet. I guess I could still unscrew the boards and put it behind.
It's been extremely hot here this summer. Perhaps that's why they got in.
   
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Decrepit Dakkanaut




UK

They will generally try any place they can, if they find food (and rodents will eat many things we'd never consider food) then they will likely settle if the region is otherwise safe. A predator (cat/dog) can deter them from certain regions that those predators work in, provided that they do hunt (a cat/dog that makes friends with the mice won't help).

In general though if you reduce easy access and store your food in sealed containers/out of reach and you put down a few traps you'll drive them out. Remove the access, remove the food, remove those that remain and you'll knock the population down



The problems people tend to get are along the lines of:
1) Not securing access. If they can get in they will so a messy yard or areas of the property with weak points/gaps/areas to climb etc... Basically leaving not just access points, but also a mess/hard to spot new access points.

2) Not isolating the food. Sometimes impractical to impossible in some situations, eg feeding livestock; but in general every effort helps. Isolating food stores is a must, even if the food is open the air is should be sealed away in a room that cannot be accessed. In the old days many food stores would be set on raised platforms to further reduce the chance of access.

3) Using the same poisons. Rodents (esp rats) can get a mutated immunity to poisons. If you keep using the same formula all that happens is all the non-immune rodents die off; leaving behind the immune, who then have pick of the food and breed and repopulate. At which point any further bait is just feeding them up.
It's why if poisons work and then suddenly stop working you have to change formulas.

4) Lack of upkeep after infestation clear-out. Doesn't have to be a nightmarish thing, but checking that the walls are secure; that food is isolated etc... Keeping the site clean around buildings etc... Basically once you're on top do your best to stay on top. Still deploy a few traps in key locations; keep an eye out.

For your typical house this might just be keeping an eye on the food and listening out for wall scratching sounds.

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Terriers are literally designed for hunting small rodents. There are actually a lot of people who go around and exterminate pest problems with dogs.

If you get a terrier, it will actively hunt down the little buggers. They're better at it than cats. Despite the fact that cats do hunt for fun, they'll usually catch one prey item at a time and be content with playing with it for a while. A terrier will catch, kill, and immediately try and get another one. And unlike cats they're better equipped to handle bigger rats. Adult rats are actually too big for most house cats to bother hunting as they could actually hurt the cat.

If you get a terrier though, you can expect your yard to look like a bomb range as they go after all the gophers.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2019/08/28 19:42:31


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Devon, UK

Just be aware that not all terriers are created equal. I wouldn't go sending a Yorkshire or West Highland terrier after a big hairy dog rat!

Jack Russels, however, are basically little hairy Terminators.

Basically any working breed will do though, as long as they've got that element in their DNA. Our spaniels, ostensibly bred for the flushing out and retrieval of game birds, will happily mouse in the hedges out on the walk, they'll even have a crack at moles and one even specialises in hedgehogs!

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Jack Russells ( I have 2) -- Or, in the UK, Parson Jack Russells? The real ones, not the pudding jacks -- are indeed little terminators. They absolutely will not stop, ever. They will do very ugly things to mice, and very quickly too. Be prepared to clean up some gruesome messes. They will also dig and chew through walls to get to the vermin. They are amazing dogs, but they are NOT for everyone. They are so prey driven, and active, that most people cannot handle them.

Oh, and they follow things like groundhogs and foxes underground. You have to dig the little guys out of the burrows sometimes. See Working Terrier

Quick kill traps baited with cheese, peanut butter, crackers -- you wet the cracker to make a paste, and apply it to the bait area. Let it dry and mice cannot resist it.

My parents had a pair of Muscovy Ducks that would hunt mice. And eat them too. The little pink mice babies were apparently quite the hors d'oeuvres. If the ducks found a nest, They would swallow the pinkies whole. And alive. And make very pleased with themselves sounds while doing so. Such big fat tasty "worms".

Oil of peppermint -- the really strong stuff -- keeps them out, but if they are already in the house it's too late.
Clean and disinfect the floors where they've been. They leave scent trails -- urine mainly -- which they follow. Clean those trails and they get disoriented. Clear away plants and other things from the sides of the house.

Finally, don't leave food around where the mice can get it. This means lids on trash cans. Keep food in sealed containers, not just bags.

 
   
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California

The one time I had a mouse problem I used glue traps, and they do work. But imo they are unnecessarily cruel, and I learned that after finding one still alive in it.

I've also seen people use mothballs to get rid of them due to the odor....yeah....bad idea. I had a relative throw a bag of mothballs up in the attic...the smell of mothballs lingered for about 2 months and it was strong. I had to climb up there and physically remove every single one that's how bad it was. The ones I couldn't find eventually evaporated.

 
   
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Norristown, PA

I used to get mice all the time in my old house. I'd see the droppings and get pissed and lay out the traps.. then when I'd actually catch one I'd feel sad and cruel and evil when I'd see it laying there with its head nearly snapped off. I switched to those sticky glue traps for a while, but felt like those were more mean.. it would be stuck there and would basically have to starve to death and be horrified forever, at least with the old fashioned snap trap it's over quick.

I always just used plain ole american cheese and it worked fine, never had to change it up. I would have just gotten a cat, but I'm allergic to em :(

 
   
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There are Hypoallergenic cat breeds.

Self-proclaimed evil Cat-person. Dues Ex Felines

Cato Sicarius, after force feeding Captain Ventris a copy of the Codex Astartes for having the audacity to play Deathwatch, chokes to death on his own D-baggery after finding Calgar assembling his new Eldar army.

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Decrepit Dakkanaut





 gorgon wrote:
 Overread wrote:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWVw-j8eYSk

If you want a scary pest problem consider that - the result of invasive species with no natural predators.


Other than maybe a combine harvester, that is.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Nurglitch wrote:
Sealing up holes in the outside is important. Once they're in the walls though, you kind of need poison. I forget exactly what it is I used, but it's essentially salt which leaves the mouse bodies to dry up and mummify in the walls. I also put the blocks of poison in the walls via both mouse-holes and a few entry-exist points I found. Very important to make sure there's no food around where they can find it, as they need to be hungry for that bait.


Gotta be careful with poison, though. Used inside the home, you can end up with a lot of dead decomposing critters inside your walls. Which is a fragrant thing.
Which is why I used the stuff that lets them dry up after expiring so you don't get that stench of dead, decomposing stuff in the walls.
   
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This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2019/08/29 18:30:06


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