Oh god bloody mice

[Gusthetheatrecat]

We had a mouse (please don't say we probably had loads, I am in denial...!) I put down poison, it was ignored. I sprinkled the poison with porridge oats and studded it with chocolate. Ignored. I bought two other types of poison and we left them all out in a kind of poison buffet.
Silence! Success!
This was about a week ago. And tonight I heard the familiar scuffle scuffle under the kitchen cabinets.
So what should I do now? Shall I bite the bullet and call out the professionals? Bearing in mind that much of the poison is still in the kitchen! Grateful for any advice.

[Mamia15]

You need to find out how these are getting in and block all entry points (e.g check outside for taps, vents, pipework etc).

Its no good killing them if more will take their place.

[Coughingchildren5]

Yes there will be many more. Call the professionals or a cat.

[MistresssIggi]

We have had professionals in in recent weeks. Bastards are still here though.

[ACubed]

Sticky pads worked for me but it was the most horrific experience ever and I still feel a bit traumatised by it! They seemed to do the job though, but this was in an upstairs flat so maybe it wasn't easy for them to enter? Good luck I hope your sort it, it's so intrusive having a pest problem x

[OhTheRoses]

Check entry points and block. Pest control. Cat. Pest control advised me to get a cat. They were right.

[FormerlyCatherineDeB]

We live in the middle of nowhere - mice are a part of life here.

We have traps set in the pantry and under a couple of units in the kitchen at all times, just old fashioned traps, they work, you can just pick up the trap with the mouse in and throw it in the bin if you don't want to get too close.

Although I would love a cat ...

[DollyBarton]

We have an old farmhouse with too many entry points. They come in the first cold day every year. Since I got the cat though they stay firmly in the walls and behind the units. They do get caught in the traps weve set but I notice when I hear something in the wall we inevitably get one in a trap shortly after so I do think it's under control mostly thanks to the cat.

[FormerlyCatherineDeB]

Old farmhouse here too Dolly. We have had three a week for the last month or so, I haven't checked them this morning. My sister asked me if we used humane traps! No ....... snap traps actually work.

[Gusthetheatrecat]

I would LOVE a cat but sadly my husband and my youngest are both allergic to them.
I put down more poison and haven't heard the mouse again. I suspect they are getting in via our basement, which is a bit rambly and rubbly so hard to mouse proof, but I'll start trying!

[unlucky83]

I've had problems with something setting the burglar alarm off in the house we are renovating...set snap traps with peanut butter and found one set off, empty, peanut butter gone but no mouse (was actually slightly worried it might be too big to get caught in a mouse trap - might be a rat) ...but the other traps haven't been touched although dd knocked one and set it off and the peanut butter flew off - I left it on floor (not in a trap) and it didn't go...
There is no other food there -no crumbs nothing (it is a shell really ), it isn't particularly warm ...heating comes on to just stop it freezing ...and it is almost impossible to stop up entry points as it stands ...
I did find a plug on a lawn mover flex chewed but that had been in the garage so it could have been done there...otherwise no sign at all - no droppings etc -and I have looked...
At the moment I haven't dared to put the alarm back on (since it woke the neighbours up at 5 am - it does stop after 20 mins but at that time of the day I'm sure it feels like a lot longer...)
I am pinning my hopes on the massive slightly feral looking cat that I see prowling around outside on a regular basis ...with no food inside surely they will have to go out to eat?
I did feel dislike for said cat - used to chase it off when I saw it - it shits on the grass and I am nervous about how much it will bully my (timid, old girl) cat when we do eventually move in ...but I am a lot more tolerant of it now...

[MistresssIggi]

I thought the ultrasound thing we had worked actually, but now also have rodents of the pet variety so don't think it's safe to use.