mice invasion - what to do?

[sillyme]

i am posting this on behalf of a friend: mice have invaded her house, are crawling all over the place behind the walls (drywall) and have chewed up various wires (alarm system).

does anyone know of a clever way to get rid of them without harming them? (i'm thinking along the lines of 'plastic owl' deters pigeons rather than just putting down poison).

any insights / experiences greatly appreciated!

 

[agbagb]

I use new plastic traps baited with peanuts. They are powerful and easy to set. Alot less cruel than poison.

 

[RF Lighting]

Killing them is the only way which really works.

Poison is very quick, as are traps so the mouse will suffer very little.

If you don't kill them they will keep coming back.

When they have run out of alarm wires to chew, they might move onto the mains wiring, and this can easilly cause fires.

Get them killed. It's you or them.

 

[mattylad]

Little snapper traps with a bit of sausage on!

Its the only way, humane as other methods may be, they will return if you do not show them who is boss

 

[sillyme]

many thanks for your input, everyone.
my friend did try traps with bits of cheese - which the mice happily left perfectly untouched! it's good to know peanuts and sausages might do the trick!

 

[sillyme]

how about 'pest control' companies like Rentokil or Dyno Rod? are they any good? or is it possible to get rid of the mice just by laying traps?

 

[breezer]

cheese is from watching too much Tom and Jerry.
The best has to be a slice of mars bar, why? because it sticks to the trap, unlike most other foodstuffs which can fall off.

pest control companies are best for commercial premises, they cost a lot, and often only put down poison, all poison does is kill vermin and leave you wondering where the smell is coming from when the dead mouse rots.

mice breed at a phenominal rate, you are going to need more than one mouse trap.

 

[gregers]

buy a cat.

 

[sillyme]

now it seems it's rats not mice!
would there be a difference in how to deal with them?

 

[sillyme]

i agree, too much watching tom and jerry!
i like the mars bar trick - makes perfect sense! (unlike talking/dancing mice in T&J)

do cats really do the job, and how are they with rats?

 

[agbagb]

Combine the peanuts and mars bar.. could call it a marathon, or am I too old.

Rat need bigger traps, they are available but they are clever so you might need to vary the bait. Check the traps twice a day and when you think you've got them all still leave a few traps about.

And find out how they are getting in.

 

[sillyme]

Combine the peanuts and mars bar.. could call it a marathon, or am I too old.

good one! but wouldn't that give the poor things bad cholesterol?

 

[breezer]

cholesteol will be the least of their problems.

although it is said that rats are intelegent, rat traps have been around for years, and they don't fail to kill rats.

I would not bother with a cat, you have to get one first, and often they will bring the mouse to you (often alive) as a "present" some cats will not go after rats.

stick with rat traps and mars bar slices, they work 24/7 cats don't

 

[xerxes]

I use plastic traps, which are very easy to set, and peanut butter (not peanuts). Some mice can learn to dislodge bait and eat it without springing the trap; peanut butter sticks in place and is very attractive to mice. Chocolate is also good.

And we have cats, which are very effective killers of vermin and help to discourage them from coming into the house.

Mice can be very destructive and because they have no bladders, dribble urine everywhere they go.

 

[breezer]

i dont think that vermin learn to disslodge bait, i think its that the bait is not "stuck" in the first place, so it easily comes off.

Just out of interest poison is far from quick.
modern poison is an anti coagulant, so the vermin knocks it self i.e gets a bruise, but the blood does not clot and it bleeds to death, vermin bloke on life of grime showed a rat with blood "over it" on tv last week.

Its also why you should not use poison in a house, it does not kill instantly, so as already mentioned the vermin will die hidden and then smell as it rots

and do not be tempted by any electronic gadget they dont work, or the vermin dies laughing at it.