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Original poster

Mice infestation - now what?

72 replies

MiceAttack · 03/01/2021 16:16

NC, obviously.

So I thought we had mice as I found droppings behind the chair the other day , cleared them and cleaned but didn't see more.

Just done under the kitchen sink and realised there's lots under the bottles. I normally just fetch washing up bottle in and out etc, don't really look.
I've cleaned it with antibac spray and wipes, wiped the bottles down etc. Think there's wee in there too.
There's a weird gap behind that I can't get into so I wonder if they're down there, can't rip it out as it's rented.

I'm going to call the Council tomorrow to see about getting someone out and disinfect am the floors tonight. I assume it's coming from garage

Will the council report it to SS as a safeguarding issue?

Is it worth buying some traps for the cupboard and garage before the council come out?

Would I be better paying an infestation company to come out but will they have to fumigate? I have a 1 yo, 2 yo and 6 yo, I've with SN so there's no where we can go for a week or whatever.

OP posts:
Original poster
MiceAttack · 03/01/2021 16:54

Ok metal scourers for holes, peppermint spray (rodent one), plastic ziplock bags for anything open. I have paper bags to put the fruit and veg in. Open box of biscuits in a plastic tub.

Flour etc is head height but will put in bags tomorrow.

Sealed boxes of chocs etc, are they ok on low shelves?

OP posts:
BigFatLiar · 03/01/2021 16:55

We had mice coming in from some wasteland at the back. Husband bought some electronic device that emits a sound that rodents hate, doesn't affect cats or dogs. Said on the device it takes a couple of weeks for full effectiveness. Seemed to work, no mice for years.

SmidgenofaPigeon · 03/01/2021 16:55

They will climb, jump, gnaw to get to what they want, and they’re pretty acrobatic, so no to things on low shelves unless you’re really sure they can’t get to them.

Original poster
MiceAttack · 03/01/2021 16:58

@Timewasyesterday

It’s not pleasant to see them dead in the trap but it’s not bloody. The traps we use say they’re reusable but I just put the full thing into the bin, didn’t fancy spending more time touching it than necessary!
Yes one time use only I think!!

O think I'd prefer someone else to come so they can see any spaces etc I might miss

The garage is cluttered. We did a big clear with skip summer but it is still full of toys and clothes the eldest grew out of / waiting for the next one's, most of it is on plastic boxes but it is laid with carpet

OP posts:
feelingverylazytoday · 03/01/2021 16:59

I put poison down, 2 deaduns so far this year.
We have concrete floors though, no floor boards, at least not downstairs. They often die under the floorboards, so you might prefer traps.

Original poster
MiceAttack · 03/01/2021 17:02

@feelingverylazytoday

I put poison down, 2 deaduns so far this year. We have concrete floors though, no floor boards, at least not downstairs. They often die under the floorboards, so you might prefer traps.
Think we're concrete floors downstairs
OP posts:
Original poster
MiceAttack · 03/01/2021 17:03

@SmidgenofaPigeon

They will climb, jump, gnaw to get to what they want, and they’re pretty acrobatic, so no to things on low shelves unless you’re really sure they can’t get to them.
Thanks @BigFatLiar I'll look.

Ok will do through the cupboards later. Doesn't help that we've got massive electric work being done tomorrow so I'm trying to give access to all the plugs so really need to be shoving stuff IN cupboards

OP posts:
dewisant2020 · 03/01/2021 17:06

Horrible things, I wouldn't suggest getting an expert in as they know where to put the traps and can usually find out where they are getting in from.
I wouldn't worry it happens to the cleanest of homes, I hope they are gone soon for you though

Original poster
MiceAttack · 03/01/2021 17:22

@wifterwafter thanks, the plug ins all seem to need to be plugged in in a certain position incompatible with actual plugs. Do you reckon one for the kitchen and one for the garage? Worried it'll drive them into another room tho

OP posts:
Changi · 03/01/2021 17:27

The plug in sonic things don't work. We had three... and mice.

Chucking the trap and mouse away could get expensive.

Original poster
MiceAttack · 03/01/2021 17:28

I've been googling looking for symptoms of if the children are ill from it but it's all vague. Muscle aches etc. How does a 1 year old tell me that? They've been a bit unsettled over night and haven't napped really today but how do I know? Will the GP even see me?

OP posts:
SmidgenofaPigeon · 03/01/2021 17:32

Why on earth do you need to see the GP about the mice?

Ohdeariedear · 03/01/2021 17:34

Sonic things worked a treat for us. We put snappy traps down to catch the active ones then put the sonic thing on. No mice since.

Original poster
MiceAttack · 03/01/2021 17:34

Because what if the babies have caught something from their wee on the floor that I didn't know about, I don't mop the floor every morning before they come down. What if they're grumpiness the last few days is a sign something is wrong?

OP posts:
PawPawNoodle · 03/01/2021 17:36

OP mice can eat through plastic and paper bags really easily, if you're going to go to the effort of securing the food it'll have to be in something more hardwearing.

Your children are fine, mice don't make a habit of going into highly populated areas such as playrooms and living rooms. They'll be going into your kitchen to scavenge and that's probably it.

Changi · 03/01/2021 17:39

They also stick close to walls and don't tend to run across open spaces.

BigFatLiar · 03/01/2021 17:40

[quote MiceAttack]@wifterwafter thanks, the plug ins all seem to need to be plugged in in a certain position incompatible with actual plugs. Do you reckon one for the kitchen and one for the garage? Worried it'll drive them into another room tho[/quote]
The ones we have put a signal onto the mains so it spreads. We have one upstairs and one downstairs.

SmidgenofaPigeon · 03/01/2021 17:45

OP I mean this kindly but that’s really over-anxious.

Original poster
MiceAttack · 03/01/2021 17:45

@BigFatLiar what make is that?

Thanks @PolPotNoodle and @Changi

OP posts:
Original poster
MiceAttack · 03/01/2021 17:54

@SmidgenofaPigeon

OP I mean this kindly but that’s really over-anxious.
But mice wee and poo is dangerous, that's why you're told to be so fastidious cleaning everything
OP posts:
catnoir1 · 03/01/2021 17:55

Snap traps with shortbread, find the hole they're coming through and plug it up.

SmidgenofaPigeon · 03/01/2021 17:58

It might be if you had a massive infestation and breathed in their poo all day but really OP at this level, it’s not going to harm your babies, that’s a pretty big leap.

TiddyTid · 03/01/2021 18:17

We live remotely next to fields in an old cottage and have had little visitors. I bought some plug in noise things and they've worked brilliantly. No issue since.

They were cheeky little buggers, used to run across the living room floor from wherever they got in front of us and the dog!

Original poster
MiceAttack · 03/01/2021 18:23

Ok I'll accept I'm over anxious @SmidgenofaPigeon

OP posts:
Changi · 03/01/2021 18:25

I've had the little devils come out and do a tap dance in front of me, two feet away from a sonic mouse 'repeller'.

The best repeller we have found has four legs, sharp claws, big teeth and meows.

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