A Bad Year for Mice

[The Riff-Raff Element]

Is it just me? We've had a constant stream of the little §**#!ers in the house and gites since late August. I shudder to think what the death toll is.

We've used conventional traps and humane traps, deployed sonic repellents (I can't decide whether they work or not) and I'm about to resort to poison bait. OK, we always get some, but this is by far the worst year I can remember. We're always careful about crumbs and so on. Anyone got any ideas for a repellent that I could add?

[safronsue]

don't you have cats?
mice in the house are horrid so i do sympathise. When we first lived in greece on one of the islands there were very few cats, the locals had killed them off using poison for the vermin. i remember people resorted to tethering cats to deter mice and rats and to keep the cats safe from poison. so yeah, cats are the for the job imo and poison needs really close control. actuallly those glue tubes are quite good, and at least you can clear away the corpses rather than them rotting in a corner somewhere unseen.

[MKG]

I have a theory. We've never had a mouse in the house, although there are loads out in the gardens, front and rear. But we feed the birds on a massive basis - also front and rear - and, birds being birds, a lot of that food ends up on the ground. We can sit and watch the voles and mice feasting. In fact, we find them quite charming to watch. We also have several wildlife-friendly spots around the gardens in which small animals can find shelter, insects, worms, and have a fag in complete safety.

The theory is that the mice feel no need at all to seek alternative food sources or accommodation. Seems to work for us.

Mike

[diggernotdreamer]

We have had wood mice moving into our house, my friend has them in her hot press (airing cupboard), my hens and ducks are fed just outside the house and she also feeds the birds, they also live in the barn and the byre, I suspect they are in the big bags of hay having a lovely kip. The postman in Donegal (who know about these things apparently) says it is going to be the worst of winters - so maybe the mice have been reading the papers and have read what the Donegal postman has said or they have a mice met office that has warned them of the impending cold spell and they are preparing early, perhaps we should follow suit. During the last spell 2010/11 our water froze for two weeks and we were stuck indoors for ages, luckily it had snowed and we were able to melt the snow on the wood stove to give the animals a drink (and us), it was -21 for several days before warming up to a balmy -18, which for Ireland is a bit unheard of.

[safronsue]

in which small animals can find shelter, insects, worms, and have a fag in complete safety.

lovely image of said creatures hanging out with fags drooping out of mouths, smoking.

wow, ireland gets chilly!

[Mustardseedmama]

Not having much trouble with mice so far this fall---the drought must've inhibited (re)production this year. Plus we currently have three cats.

When we do have one in the house I usually set up a bucket trap and "relocate" them within a couple of days. I keep Victor "clothespin" traps in the pantry at all times...gotta check them every day though.

[GeorgeSalt]

I can hear them in the roof of the extension.. I'm off to get a couple of break-back traps at the weekend. It's one of the parts of the house the cats can't get to.

[niknik]

I had aplague of them earlier in year, so prob get loads again very soon. the cats dont deter them , or cathch them, so traps, glue poison etc!
Mint is supposed to be a detterrent , so I put some of that in strategic places as well

[niknik]

Not having much trouble with mice so far this fall---the drought must've inhibited (re)production this year. Plus we currently have three cats.

When we do have one in the house I usually set up a bucket trap and "relocate" them within a couple of days. I keep Victor "clothespin" traps in the pantry at all times...gotta check them every day though.

whats a bucket trap?? or cictor clothespin trap??

[Green Aura]

We have no problems with any moving in of their own accord but spend quite some time removing the mice, birds and rabbits that the bloody cats have brought in. Where are we going wrong?

[Thomzo]

Like GA, the only problem I have with mice is catching the ones that the cats bring in! I have suddenly got rats in the hen house and they seem to ignore the poison I've put down. Will have to try another tactic.

Zoe

[The Riff-Raff Element]

We don't have a cat - we've got quite enough animals. I've invested €3.95 in a German made snap trap with permanent bait (some kind of pheromone, apparently) to supplement my range of traps. I await developments.

[Mustardseedmama]

whats a bucket trap?? or cictor clothespin trap??

A "bucket trap" is just that---a bucket. For example, if you have mice running your kitchen counters at night, you set a bucket in the sink with some bread or other tasty morsels in the bottom, and lay a wood yardstick like a ramp to the lip of the bucket. They go in for the bread, but they cannot get out, so in the morning you "relocate" them (code for taking them out to the porch and calling "Here kitty kitty kitty!"). I know it sounds ridicules, and when I first heard about it I laughed, but I have done it numerous times and it works.

Victor clothespin traps are an easily set mousetrap that sets by squeezing the back end together. You dab a little peanut butter in the "roof" of the trap and set it down where mice run. Works really well, and it looks like a big clothespin, hence the name.

[The Riff-Raff Element]

Victor clothespin traps are an easily set mousetrap that sets by squeezing the back end together. You dab a little peanut butter in the "roof" of the trap and set it down where mice run. Works really well, and it looks like a big clothespin, hence the name.

That sounds exactly like my German made trap, which is manufactured in efficient-looking recycled black plastic and has now been re-Christened die Wäscheklammer.

[contadina]

It might be worth having a check to see where they are getting into the house. We've had occasional mouse in the house issues until I discovered they were getting in via a hidden hole that a plumber made and didn't use. A bit of plaster applied and, touch wood, no unwanted visitors since.

my friend has them in her hot press

I have images of those panino grills being used on mice