Mice Advice!

neveah123

I've a problem with mice the last couple weeks now, I'm hoping someone who has gotten rid of them before can give me some tips!

I put traps down with peanut butter/nutella in them a couple days ago but haven't caught any yet, I seen a video of using a bowl with oil & peanut butter in it to trap them, I caught one this way and released it, but haven't caught another since.

The problem seems to be getting worse, I was woken at 6am this morning to the noise of scratching but couldn't figure out where it was coming from, though I assumed it was behind the kick boards in the kitchen.

The house is quite old so blocking entry points just seems impossible, I'm just getting fed up with them now as they seem to be making themselves right at home!

TIA

Cherry Blossom

Thread moved from Animals & Pets, Please be aware that a new charter now applies.

hairyslug

We had no luck with the old type wooden traps, the hard plastic ones worked, also made a big difference where we had the traps, always along a wall. We ended up having to get professionals in as the nice had gotten inbetween walls and up to the attic, they were able to spot where they were coming in fairly quickly.

Sleeper12

Once you do get rid of them invest in a couple of good plug in sonic devices. My mother started using these 20 years ago and hasn't had a mouse since yet had them annually since the early 60s. I've been using them myself for 10 years and again we no longer have mice entering the house.

neveah123

Sleeper12 wrote: »

Once you do get rid of them invest in a couple of good plug in sonic devices. My mother started using these 20 years ago and hasn't had a mouse since yet had them annually since the early 60s. I've been using them myself for 10 years and again we no longer have mice entering the house.

And you find they really work? Isn't it just a high frequency sound it plays? I'd be worried it would drive my dog crazy

neveah123

hairyslug wrote: »

We had no luck with the old type wooden traps, the hard plastic ones worked, also made a big difference where we had the traps, always along a wall. We ended up having to get professionals in as the nice had gotten inbetween walls and up to the attic, they were able to spot where they were coming in fairly quickly.

I'll have to get some plastic ones so. Just difficult to put the traps into the places they seem to be running about, behind the oven/fridge etc.. they're in the walls, under the floorboards & in the attic here.. was it costly to get professionals in? I'm just praying none of them die somewhere I can't get to them & the smell :eek:

Cloudio9

Are they taking the bait from the traps? If yes get new traps, if no then obviously traps in wrong place.

There’ll be droppings in any place they visit. They’re not going to just stay in the walls and underfloor as they’ll be in the kitchen looking for food.

Sleeper12

neveah123 wrote:

And you find they really work? Isn't it just a high frequency sound it plays? I'd be worried it would drive my dog crazy

I 100 percent think they work. We have two dogs & they don't seem to bother them.

I do remember a few years ago a friend of my son who was about 20 years old said he couldn't stay in the room due to the noise. He's the only person I have come across that it bothered. I'm sure if he visited the house now his older ears wouldn't be able to hear it.

neveah123

Cloudio9 wrote: »

Are they taking the bait from the traps? If yes get new traps, if no then obviously traps in wrong place.

There’ll be droppings in any place they visit. They’re not going to just stay in the walls and underfloor as they’ll be in the kitchen looking for food.

I don't think they are, I'm not too sure as I have nutella on the traps. Tonight I've moved the traps to different places, hopefully I'll catch some. I don't really like the idea of killing them but also don't want it getting out of hand. Oh I can hear the dog at night lunging across the kitchen obviously after one so I do know they're out and about in the kitchen.

I've found droppings behind the oven/fridge but haven't noticed them anywhere else as of yet.

Sleeper12 wrote: »

I 100 percent think they work. We have two dogs & they don't seem to bother them.

I do remember a few years ago a friend of my son who was about 20 years old said he couldn't stay in the room due to the noise. He's the only person I have come across that it bothered. I'm sure if he visited the house now his older ears wouldn't be able to hear it.

To be honest I'll try anything, especially if it's a deterrent rather than killing them. Where could I buy them? Do you just have one in each room or what's the story?

Sleeper12

neveah123 wrote:

To be honest I'll try anything, especially if it's a deterrent rather than killing them. Where could I buy them? Do you just have one in each room or what's the story?

Woodies have them but they are for keeping mice out of the your house and not for getting rid of them

neveah123

Sleeper12 wrote: »

Woodies have them but they are for keeping mice out of the your house and not for getting rid of them

So if they're already in it won't work?

Sleeper12

neveah123 wrote:

So if they're already in it won't work?

I t that how it work's. I was suggesting them for when you do get rid of the mice.

The last year I had mice was 10 years ago. We had a bad infestation. I was catching them in traps but it was endless. In the end I gave up and got in someone like rent a kill. Paid the guy around 70 euro and they were sorted in a week or so. I got the sonic devices then & we have been rodent free since

BrokenArrows

Any friends with cats? If so just borrow them for a while. Might be enough to just have them in the house to cause the mice to find a nicer place to live.

As for the sonic devices. I dont know if they work or not, but they are designed as a deterrent.
The sound is supposed to be slightly annoying so its only makes your house slightly less attractive than somewhere else which is why its only used when you have already solved your infestation.

Mice wont care about the sonic devices is they have already nested in your house. They will just put up with the sound.

I have one of the sonic devices as i occasionally would hear some scratching every few months. I plugged it in for a few weeks but eventually took it out because i began to hear the sound.

sky6

The Sonic devices do work but are only a deterrent. If there already settled into there nice surrounds as said above the may put up with the noise.

Mice are clever little buggers, They won't go near a Trap if they detect a Human scent. What you need to do is bait the Trap and hold it over a naked flame for a few seconds. Then lay it gently where you think they are.
I found a piece of Rasher the best for catching them.

vicwatson

Main thing though - find their access point. You’ll just have problems year after year otherwise

neveah123

I caught one mouse in a trap the night before last, but nothing since, though I haven't really heard them since either. Though, I am not under the illusion they are gone. I am considering getting a kitten, as I am an animal lover anyway. Finding the access point(s) would be near impossible as this house is quite old.

Sleeper12

neveah123 wrote: »

I caught one mouse in a trap the night before last, but nothing since, though I haven't really heard them since either. Though, I am not under the illusion they are gone. I am considering getting a kitten, as I am an animal lover anyway. Finding the access point(s) would be near impossible as this house is quite old.

Mice usually get in through the underfloor vents as they are quite low to the ground. You can't block these up anyway.

Lumen

Sleeper12 wrote: »

Mice usually get in through the underfloor vents as they are quite low to the ground. You can't block these up anyway.

Isn't that exactly what mouse mesh is for?

Sleeper12

Lumen wrote: »

Isn't that exactly what mouse mesh is for?

It could well be. I've never heard of mouse mesh before tbh

Lumen

Sleeper12 wrote: »

It could well be. I've never heard of mouse mesh before tbh

Galvanized weldmesh with 6mm square grid. I just bought a 15m x 1.2m roll for €85 to protect the underside of a shed.