Are mice any harm?

drunkmonkey

Got a few mice running around the house, you can hear them playing the piano and stuff, They don't seem to be doing any real harm, there only liffle field mice....

Is there any need to start setting traps, get the cat in, buy a sonar device etc? I don't mind them but a few guests have let the odd yelp....

Do they go away for the winter or hibrinate?

tks

beth-lou

As much as I love the little critters, if left unchecked, they will breed and very quickly you can be over run with them. Either get a cat to deter them moving in and the sonar or be prepared to find mouse poo in your cornflakes.

Whispered

Please don't get a cat just to get rid of the mice. Recipe for disaster. Sonar would be best, you don't have to kill them and deal with horrible traps.

But yes, they will breed very quickly if left unchecked.

drunkmonkey

There's a good few of them already, I'm not a cat or mouse trap fan....best I get in the sonar, will it just make them run away or fry their little mouse brains...I wouldn't like to hurt anything smaller than me..

Whispered

It doesn't harm them, it just makes the house not very nice for them to stay in.

Weidii

Yes, I'd advise getting a sonar device, as eventually the population in hour house will rise and it will become more unhygenic for you to live there. They can fit into surprisingly small spaces, so they'll find a way into your food presses and probably leave faeces about your house. It'd be best for you and the mice if you tried to keep them out

kerrysgold

There is no need to kill them, poison and traps are very cruel. They are harmless little things really, they aren't trying to do any harm, they are simply looking for a warm place to sleep for the winter which is understandable! They can bring germs in while they are there though so make sure you wash any surfaces you use for preparing food for yourself etc. The Sonar thing should work anyway and is harmless to them, they just don't like the "sound" it makes so go away.

Our man in Havana

Mice carry very nasty zooanotic diseases - they will eat EVERYTHING & worse pee on everything! Pregnant mice can cause miscarriage in pregnant woman - so they should be made to vacate the house ASAP! The pee can also harm animals - I hate mice they stink & could hurt my animals!

Check your food cupboards - I had mice eat a whole bag of flour! Great when I wanted to do some baking! Horrid stinky brats!

Rancid

kerrysgold wrote: »

There is no need to kill them, poison and traps are very cruel. They are harmless little things really, they aren't trying to do any harm, they are simply looking for a warm place to sleep for the winter which is understandable! They can bring germs in while they are there though so make sure you wash any surfaces you use for preparing food for yourself etc. The Sonar thing should work anyway and is harmless to them, they just don't like the "sound" it makes so go away.

This is the way to go about it.
No panic and no need for cruelty, the Sonar device will deter them, they'll leave voluntarily.
But do start cleaning up right away, there'll be lots of dropping where ever they've been.

lostinnappies

you can also get humain traps and let them go somewhere far away from your house. But yes get ride of them.

Cocolola

Hey as lostinnappies said you can get humane traps that are like tunnels. You place a piece of food in at the end and leave the trap where they are likely to be. When they go in they walk over a trigger which closes the door behind them. Next morning you can release them, just do it far from home!
You should be able to buy one easily enough from a hardware-type store.

sorella

Co- existing with mice is not a good idea. They are destructive wee beasties and dirty with it. And they breed fast.

Not just food, but if they take a liking to a settee or a cushion, they will nest in it. Also as they seek warmth you may find them sharing your bed.

You would spend forever bleaching surfaces and cupboards.

We never hesitated to use traps; they get crafty though. We learned to tie the bait on.

We tried the humane traps; they learned how to get the food out and escape:)

Up to you of course. Thankfully our two cats are an active deterrent,,,

peasant

There is an element of real danger with mice as well.

As they burrow into all sorts of nooks and crannies and expand their hidden walkways, they naw at everything that's in their way ...including the insulation of electric wiring.
These little critters could actually set your house on fire !

sorella

I had forgotten that. We once had a flood because a rat had chewed through a water pipe..

It was on Saint Stephen's Day and finding a plumber was..... interesting, and costly.

peasant wrote: »

There is an element of real danger with mice as well.

As they burrow into all sorts of nooks and crannies and expand their hidden walkways, they naw at everything that's in their way ...including the insulation of electric wiring.
These little critters could actually set your house on fire !

Thoie

As mentioned, mice are incontinent and pee absolutely everywhere. If you can get hold of a blacklight, it will help you check that you've cleaned everywhere properly - might also help you discover where they're coming in as well.

pseudonym1

yep they are cute little beggers - cute as in cunning!!
we had one of those device thingies which was refered to and the pitch was loud enough for a human ear but the mice were running past them with what I am sure was a sneer.

Id say get a cat you can get rather fond of those - or else train them to play a few tunes and they could entertain instead of annoy guests.

big b

I know there are plenty of stories about sonic traps not being effective, but I wouldn't mind giving one a try.
Can anyone recommend a brand?

BeansMeansHynes

I have a hamster who I absolutely adore and love to bits but the thoughts of mice in my house scare the hell out of me. I dunno why.

I think a cat is a good deterrent.

Is there really a humane way of getting rid of the buggers?

DonJose

We had a couple of mice in our house, it didn't bother me until I found mouse droppings in the cutlery drawer beside the teaspoons. That was enough for me to buy a set of mousetraps, caught 3 in 2 days and haven't caught any since even though the traps are still baited.

Our man in Havana

It is always the droppings that freak people out.

Our man in Havana

Whilst cats be a good deterent - my 12 still can't catch the filthy beggars in my pantry!!!

Whispered

By all means get a cat if you wnated one anyway, but please please dont get one just to be a mouse catcher. What if it's crap at it.