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Original poster

To kill the mice??

58 replies

ElephantsSitOnSmellyPants · 31/08/2019 20:19

We live semi-rurally and this time every year we end up with mice in the house. I don’t really know why but the neighbours complain of it too.

I have two small children. Keeping the house clean is difficult with toddlers but I work hard at it and I think it’s pretty clean generally.

The mice drive me to distraction. I find poo everywhere including in the toy box. I have to put food away into tubs. It makes me feel like everything is dirty and it really gets me down.

I have tried humane traps and it doesn’t work fast enough. So we bought poison blocks from b&q this year and put them down behind the kitchen units.

So today I was at my in-laws for lunch and my sister in law was there. We generally have a pretty good relationship. Mother in law asked about the mice (cheers for broadcasting that!) and I said we had put poison down. Subject was changed.

Got home and SIL has messaged me on WhatsApp basically to tell me she’s “disappointed” that we would choose to “murder” the mice in this way, she simply “could not do that” and “could we please just use the humane traps - I’ll even buy them for you??”

Honestly. I mean I like animals and I am not delighted with the fact that we are poisoning the mice. I just try not to think about it to be honest. But this is our home and I just need them gone!!

OP posts:
Mia184 · 31/08/2019 20:39

We have mice at work and there is poison to kill them. It is a nightmare to see a mouse dying from poison and people have cried seeing that (luckily I haven’t so far).
If it is possible, why not get a cat? A colleague told me if a mouse gets caught by a cat, its adrenaline skyrocks and it doesn’t feel much pain. According to the colleague, it would be a much more humane way to get rid of the mice.

Btw, my employer had been unsuccessfully trying to get rid of the mice with poison for 12 years now.

mama345 · 31/08/2019 20:45

I would also like to suggest a cat or traps; ar least traps kill mice instantly as the they snap shut and break the mouse's neck.

Original poster
ElephantsSitOnSmellyPants · 31/08/2019 20:47

Again the snap traps don’t work fast enough. They were catching one mouse a week or something.

I can’t just get a cat Confused we are out at work all day what’s it going to do? There’s no one here to let it out etc.

OP posts:
BigBairyHollocks · 31/08/2019 20:47

Just kill them, living rurally you’ll never get rid otherwise.Maybe get a cat for the scent, but no way should you live with this.Bad luck for the mice but that’s the circle of life (or something like that) for ya!

MereDintofPandiculation · 31/08/2019 20:47

A human trap may not be much more humane. You either release them in your garden, in which case they'll just find their way back in, or you release them farther afield, where they won't know where they are or where the safe food is, and are likely to die a slower death.

I've seen it suggested that break-back traps are the least inhumane.

MereDintofPandiculation · 31/08/2019 20:48

humane no human

LazyFace · 31/08/2019 20:48

Just get normal snappy traps please. Poison can kill cats, birds of prey and I wouldn't trust children not finding it either.

ranibowsprimkle · 31/08/2019 20:49

Ignore her. If she brings it up again explain that you have tried humane traps and they don't work. If she persists tell her you'll leave the mice be if she comes and cleans their shit up everyday.

Cats are not a humane or effective way to get rid of mice.
I've caught my cats using live mice as a play toy on several occasions and many pet cats just don't bother with hunting.

CCquavers · 31/08/2019 20:53

Humane traps need emptying within 24 hours especially if mice are small or they’ll die of dehydration. Problem with humane traps is the same mice will find their way back unless you literally walk across a stream to change scent.

I’d put poison around the outside of your house and make sure there is no water or puddles for them to drink.

Dollywilde · 31/08/2019 20:55

Honestly a cat is fine if you work. We both work late - he has a cat flap during the day that gets locked on entry only when the first of us gets home.

I know it’s not your question but honestly the only house I haven’t had rodent issues in is the one with a cat living there!

lavenderandthyme · 31/08/2019 20:56

I have this problem too. I have a cat who kills them regularly. I used to get very upset and keep releasing the mice, but have given up now. I come down nearly every morning to a dismembered or terrified mouse. I've tried humane traps but they don't work .I have also bought a sonic plug in which doesn't work either.
I could never put poison down. I couldn't poison a living animal. Buy the traps that kill them outright, it's much kinder. The mice are beautiful little creatures, it is heartrending to see them dead, but I know they need to be got rid of.
My cat enjoys torturing and playing with the mice and I hate it.

MsMightyTitanAndHerTroubadours · 31/08/2019 20:57

get better snaptraps, bait them with something sticky...they need to spend time trying to get at the bait

block all points of access....basically anywhere utilities come into the house you need to make sure there are no gaps, a mouse can get though the space that you can poke a pencil into. Use wire wool/brillos/ steel wool. Block inside and outside!

Set traps around the edges and in corners, go behind furniture, in the backs of cupboards, mice like to scuttle

As addressed above humane traps are not humane, mice have their own internal maps and removing them from their territory condemns them to starve to death!

Tell your fluffy bunny SIL to wind her neck in, this is not Disney, it's WAR!

DontCallMeShitley · 31/08/2019 20:58

Any creature that will eat the mice will die. If they go back outside there will be dead owls, hawks, foxes, and probably pet cats, among others.

If they die inside your walls or under your floor they will stink for 6 - 8 weeks per body.

If you insist on killing them you need an electric trap that will zap them, or snap traps. Unpleasant but not as bad as dying slowly in agony from poison.

Fatted · 31/08/2019 21:01

I used poison boxes when we had mice. Came downstairs to one on the kitchen floor on Christmas morning.

I wouldn't trust a cat to kill them. My neighbours cats bring live mice and birds into the house.

Nottodayx · 31/08/2019 21:01

Poison is not the best thing to use only because they go off an die and then your house could potentially smell of dead rotting vermin.

I’m talking from experience as we had a a rat problem last year. Snap traps worked the best. We caught 4 in the first few hours.

I would suggest getting a pest control service out as you need to locate How the mice are getting into your house.

Mia184 · 31/08/2019 21:03

If you continue to use poison, please do not use it in a way where wildlife may either get to the poison or a poisoned mouse.
If you cannot get a cat (btw, I work fulltime and have a cat) either try a humane trap or a snappy trap.

Sugarformyhoney · 31/08/2019 21:08

Take no notice of your MIL. Mice carry disease and it’s unsanitary to have them in your house. Go ahead with the poison.
I do have to say though we had exactly the same problem and since getting a family dog I’ve not seen one since

Sugarformyhoney · 31/08/2019 21:09

Oh and if they die under the floorboards they do smell, but only for a week or two. Personal experience sadly 😬

IAmALazyArse · 31/08/2019 21:15

I recommend snap traps and put simple bread in it.
It's the season when they start coming in to hide. When I used some posh trap bait, they didn't come near to it. Bread worked wonders and I had both of them in one night.

YANBU to want to get rid and the humane traps ain't that humane....

makingmammaries · 31/08/2019 21:17

My cats do a great job of keeping us mouse-free. Cats don’t need human presence all day, just food, water, a cat flap, and some mice to be getting on with.

NChangingAgain · 31/08/2019 21:23

This is absolutely no help at all I realise...but we have a pet mouse and they are clever, friendly little creatures - so whatever you can do which causes the least pain/ keeps them alive so you can move them would be best from that point of view!

DdraigGoch · 31/08/2019 21:24

I can’t just get a cat we are out at work all day what’s it going to do? There’s no one here to let it out etc.
It's a cat, not a border collie. The things sleep for 14 hours a day. As long as there is food and water out, and it is trained to use a litter tray then it will be fine. Likewise if it is out when you leave in the morning, just make sure it has access to water and it will take care of itself until you return.

SuzieQ10 · 31/08/2019 21:25

I live in a busy part of the city, in a Victorian terraced house. We had mice last year. I tried putting poison down and wiring up any points of possible entry. It did help, but didn't completely solve the problem. I called the pest control, who did similar. We thought we were all clear but still went ahead with getting a cat! She caught 2 mice soon after arriving and we've had no problems since. She's part of the family now and an excellent huntress (she catches loads of moths and flies etc from outside). With little kids, honestly I think it would be irresponsible to let this continue - it's not hygienic... poison / snap traps / cat. Whatever works best.

we are out at work all day what’s it going to do? There’s no one here to let it out etc.
Cats use cat flaps! And are extremely independent and happy to spend the daytime alone.

TypicalMeBreakMyTypicalRules · 31/08/2019 21:26

The humane traps don't work sadly. Had to use the the quick kill ones. Hated it but had no choice. Don't worry.

DdraigGoch · 31/08/2019 21:26

Oh, and if SIL is so concerned about their welfare then simply use the provided non-lethal traps and take the mice to her for re-homing.