To think that there is an increase in mouse/rat problems in the Uk

[sockmuppet]

I used to think that mice/rat problems were limited to inner city areas or very rural and were not that common elsewhere. However, having moved from a city last year to a large town I am surprised that vermin is also a problem here.

I never remember anyone having problems with pests when I was growing up is this a new phenomenon?

AIBU to think there is an increase in mice living in houses countrywide?

I don't put food out for the birds and don't have a deck. The children have a pet hamster. I am a bit insomniac and one evening while I was watching the telly I saw a little black blur moving on the shelf next to the TV.

I spent a few hours on the internet researching what was the best course of action, and then proceeded to fill every possible way of entry into the house (tv aerial came through a fairly large hole, same with washing machine waste water pipe) with brillo pads as apparently this is only thing they cannot chew.

The next day I bought 7 humane traps (expensive!) and set them with chocolate & peanut butter, as advised in every room downstairs. None of them worked.

I have since found a few mouse droppings in the kitchen (yuck yuck yuck) and dining room, so have spring cleaned the house, put every single bit of food in clickclack boxes, Dettol'd every surface and put poison in every place I have found evidence of its (their?) presence. I am totally freaked out a bit worried at the thought of a mouse or more than one in the house... Plus it's costing me a fortune, between the traps, boxes, poison I think I spent almost £100 so far, and NO result!

The poison is regularly eaten, but I haven't seen or found any dead one yet, or smelled anything... It started just before Xmas and now I am really sick of it.

The lady who sold me the poison told me they have sold loads more than usual this year (apparently it's a kind that dessiccates them, so they don't putrify and smell) and she thinks they are coming into houses more because the land is so waterlogged they are pushed out of their usual nests... We have lived in this house 18 years and I had never ever seen a mouse or found droppings before. Even the hamster is taking all his food in his little house (which he wasn't doing a month ago) and I am sure he knows there is competition out there. AIBU to be so freaked out? I am at the end of my tether... I was insomniac before but now I can't sleep thinking about how to outwit this 10gr, 2", peasize brained mouse!!! Do you have any suggestions?

Mice also try and get into houses when the weather starts to get cold. We always have to make sure we don't leave the back door open. We got a toad coming in a couple of years back, looking for a cosy place to spend the winter.

That sounds like common sense that mice are getting flooded out Pinkbatrobi. We had them when we moved in and blocking all their ways into the house was the only way we managed to stop them. We also got an electronic thing and we haven't seen any more droppings.

Also, apparently they go made for chocolate, the worst thing you can do is to have any in cupboards or lying around, even crumbs on the floor.

we have a terrible problem here atm and I am even getting something in my car :( (rural)

I've been told this year has been unusually bad. But then you get years where there are much smaller numbers and tends to be related to the weather patterns around breeding time. But its not particular worse than any other peak years.

You will all hate me but i fed the local foxes and put food out for the birds, bats and squirels. I dont have decking and have never seen a rat but we did have mice in our loft but evicted them when we did our extension. There is signs they have been in the garage and they are quite welcome to shelter in there during the winter as they dont harm me and cannot get in the house. I have protected the wiring so there is nothing for them to damage either.

It hadn't occurred to me that rabbits could attract vermin. You'd think after all the problems we had at our old house I'd know that too . I knew chickens can attract rats, but hadn't thought about rabbits being a problem. We've been thinking about getting rabbits or guinea pigs. May have to rethink that one now.