Tips for dealing with MICE... The b**gers are back....

[cookiemonstress]

Last year for the first time (started Sept), we noticed some mice had moved in. 2 pest control companies and a lot of money later, we finally got rid of them after 4 months.

Almost to the day a year later, they were spotted again and I'm desperate. I can not bear them, end of story (my only diva concession).

Any tips for getting rid? I tried a JML plug in thing which seemed to do the trick (after a week of sending them into a frenzy - cue much hysteria from me).. this seemed to die over the summer and I've invested in another. Feel like a bit of loosing battle as neighbours on both sides also tell me they have them (and don't like to kill them apparently) so clearly they are running under the terrace in a big old free for all.

They are coming up through a largely inaccessible hole at the back of the kitchen cupboards which is impossible to get unless the kitchen is ripped out or I can train my toddlers to get handy with some board and a hammer.

Please please help me. I can't do another winter of me hiding in the bedroom leaving DH to fend for himself downstairs!

[ivykaty44]

Chocolate traps

Have you got decking?

A cat would be a good start, a hungry cat better.

[tissy]

I suppose a cat is out of the question?

We have never seen a mouse in our old country farmhouse.....

[goodasgold]

A cat? or a terrier?

[FiveGoMadInDorset]

We have the sonci things but you have tried that.

[random]

Terriers are good ...and definately chocolate in the traps

[countingto10]

I had a really bad problem with mice - neighbour had them and did nothing to get rid of them.

The council came to deal with mine - cost about £60.00 - but they did keep coming back putting fresh bait down until they were all gone. The council thought I had them all over my house including in the cavity walls !!!!! It took 4/5 weeks to get rid of them completely.

I had a couple in the house recently - bought a baited "Rentokil" trap from local hardware store which seems to have worked although our ancient cat (19 yrs) does still sniff and stare in certain nooks and cranies (I think he's senile tbh).

Also had rats in the garden 2 yrs ago (courtesy of neighbour not reporting them when he saw them in his composter) - again council dealt with them, free of charge in our area.

With regards to laying the bait, the council were very good as I had yooung children and a cat.

[MrsBick]

you can buy live traps which catch up to 10 mice at a time.

bait it with choc.

if one gets trapped it tends to attract the others.

you can then either let them go or drown them.

we did that last winter and it was very effective.

had a recent panic cos we thought a rat had moved into the loft- nope mice again. council sent some guys round and they baited adn got rid of them but i don't think it will be the last we hear of them this winter.

disgusting little things arn't they?!

[girlandboy]

I think it's the sudden colder weather that's bringing them in.
I've got one which wears clogs - I can hear him clog dancing in the kitchen ceiling. Unfortunately it's a 400 year old house with no access to this part of the roof - no insulation layer or anything, just the ceiling and then the slates.
Last autumn I remember dh going out when mousie was clog dancing and squirting wasp spray under the slates! Maybe it scared it to death because it all went quiet! That is, until 2 days ago.
Other than that, we have resorted to bait (which I don't like to be honest), or break-back traps which you have to remember to check frequently else you find a rotted corpse some time later. Yuck.

[beansprout]

Where are you? After a year of murders, we have had a really good company sort them out. Council and Rentokil were both crap.

[tearinghairout]

The last straw for me was when, in bed one morning, a mouse run across my pillow!! I had had traps but hadn't caught any.

Anyway I borrowed a friend's kitten. Kept it in the house for two days. It saw the mice but didn't do anything (first time it had seen mice) but the mice never came back.

[cookiemonstress]

Tearing hair out, that is my worse nightmare. If i thought they had found the upstairs, I would freak!
Thanks for all replies and useful suggestions! Good to know I'm not alone! No don't have decking but have heard that mice and rats love it!
Interesting that Rentokil were no good as for the money for we paid, they should have been. We are based SE london so any good suggestions of company would be appreciated.

Yes, cat is definately an option but would like to consider it as last resort as somehow both my kids have extreme cat aversion. Will be going and buying traps etc this week. The problem is that house is very open plan so I don't feel like downstairs that there is I can hide from them! No recent sightings this week but found my paper napkin stash in a very nibbled condition. Will also get in touch with council.

Will post an update..

[traceybath]

I posted a week ago about my mice - and i hate them.

Found droppings in my airing cupboard and called the council. £11 one off charge and they come until the problem is sorted.

He put down traps (peanut butter in them) and we caught 4 in 12 hours in airing cupboard - eeeuuugghh! Also bait down.

He also thinks he's found the hole they're coming in through and has blocked that up.

You need to find out where they're coming in through from and get council out - or at least thats what i'd do.

I do sympathise though - i nearly cried over having mice and i am by no means a wimp or girly girl but i really hate them.

Oh and plug-ins crap in my opinion - i had them in airing cupboard and still caught 4. Council man also said that they don't work.

[HereComeTheGirls]

I feel your pain, was just in bathroom and there was a mouse there, it wasnt even scared of me and ran over my foot! Luckily I am not scared of them but I do so want rid of them, we have tried everything!!!

[pinksocks]

we had mice earlier this year, drove me crazy as we could hear them during the night running across on the wooden floor. a friend told us about the STICKY MATS they certainly did the trick. they are available at the pound shops. put them in the corners of the room that they are in and you'll see them stuck on the mats with in 6 hours.

[JackieNo]

pinksocks - but what do you do with them then? Do you have to bludgeon them to death (not for the mice - I hate them - but for the person that has to do it).

[HereComeTheGirls]

i killed one in my sleep last night! Woke up and my duvet was on the floor, lifted it up and there was a dead mouse under there!!

[JackieNo]

herecomethegirls. Well done.