To expect the mice to have fecked off now we've got 2 kittens!!!!

[MorocconOil]

We've had mice now for about 6 weeks. We've removed all food sources, had the pest man in 3 weeks ago and even got 2 kittens last week.

DH has just opened a cupboard in the kitchen to find a mouse scuttling away. I can hear them scratching in the cupboard at all times during the day.

Our kittens are 9 weeks and completely adorable. Does anyone know how long it will be before the mice become afraid of the kittens?

I hate mice so much, home just doesn't feel like home anymore.

Any other ideas about how to get rid of mice are very welcome.

Yes but at least if you poison some, you will have less chance of seeing one scurrying around.

I think break-back traps are far more humane than poison. Must admit that even though I loathe rats I was uncomfortable with the fact they were going to die nasty deaths. Would try traps first before resorting to poison.

Startouch, how did he do that? I thought they'd be rotting away in wall cavities and under floorboards. Eughhhhhh. I can't stop shuddering. Our pest man didn't offer any follow-ups. We were ripped off weren't we?

Our rats were outside, we had corpses all over the garden. But your man should at least come to check, some must be accessible, and if the mice are still there then he should be going for mouse removal plan B (i.e more poison.)

Just looked in my Country Wisdom book for you and it says to put down wormwood (artemesia). Think you may be able to get this as an essential oil (it's not safe to use in baths or whatever but you could put some on kitchen roll in your cupboards and in that sense it wil be no more dangerous than warfarin.) Try googling Bay House Aromatics.

Corpses all over the garden

I'm definately going to have some mouse/rat dreams tonight.

Do they eat the wormwood, or is it a deterrent they hate the smell of? I did read that they hate peppermint oil too.

Deterrent - no corpses. My book says spearmint also, but I know wormwood is very strong - spearmint sounds a bit wimpy, but easier to get hold of.

The dead rats were hideous, we had a dog and a cat and we packed the cat off to my dad's and kept the dog in for a month. Ugh!

You might be able to get a wormwood plant if you have a good nursery near you, one that does a lot of herbs. Then you just cut bits off and put in your cupboards. Am trying to remember if it is evergreen, I think it is.

Bay house aromatics don't stock wormwood. Will try a local nursery. I am willing to try anything.

You need to block the holes where they are getting in from.

ie, gaps around pipes that go through the wall, putting fine gauge mesh over air vents, brush strip on the bases of external doors etc.

As you know - you need to remove all its food sources - that includes any grease/fat that may have accumulated under your cooker (yes - grim, but true - they love the stuff). No food spillages - all food goods to be kept in upper cupboards or in plastic/well sealed containers.

Put poison down - under kick boards and along skirting boards. Always align traps/poison (traps not very effective, btw), against a wall - they have piss-poor eyesight and will therefore usually run along walls rather than across a room.

Lastly - religiously remove/clean away droppings. It makes it easier to determine whether the problem is getting better or not.

Google Jekka's Herbs. They will have plants by mail order.

You could also try Southernwood, another artemesia and easier to come by.

Tried to fill in holes VVV but the house is old, and we have stripped floors ,a cellar etc so there are loads of holes.
They have been seen near the Aga and I have cleaned as much as possible around that area. I have put the kittens basket next to the Aga and thought this would keep them away from there.

Looks like you'll not be completely rid then. But you can keep it under control.

I think they must be eating the children's paints, chalks, crayons now because they are the only things they can access in that cupboard now. DH and I are going to completely empty and clean it out again tommorrow. Just couldn't face it tonight

Will try other essential oil suppliers.

I've put them in the bedrooms Kerry. The pest control man said if you use them the mice just move to another part of the house. I put them in my bedroom after hearing scratching under the bed one morning

Presumbly if every room in the house had one they'd go though wouldn't they? I think he said they could put up with the noise if they are starving though.

Oh I just wish they'd GO!!

The ultrasonic things are a waste of money.

You need to exclude, restrict and destruct....

block holes, mesh vents etc to prevent more coming in. Clear away any potention food sources and nesting sites. Put down bait/poison.

Tis the only way....

Cats will hunt if fed but are much better and effective if they rely on the hunt for their food. City cats are wuses in the hunting game. Cats I grew up with would put hunt any city cat and there would be none of this bringing the kill to the owner as a gift - too bloody hungry

Our cat is a avid mouser and she's very well fed by us. I think the mice who were living in the garden have packed their traps and gone since she's captured at least 4 or 5 to our knowledge (and one may even have been a small rat!).

I would lend her to you but the silly cat has got herself a cold so is confined to barracks at the moment .

I have heard less scratching, but there are still more droppings and they have got into a packet of creamed coconut and a new packet of breadsticks. I'm going to get the council pest control in.

Cheap snap (break back/neck ) traps along the skirting borads or in the back of the affected cupboards and then dispose of trap with dead mouse still in it. Block up all possible entry routes with wire wool or something unpleasant to chew.

My parents were horrified to hear that I throw away the whole trap with the dead mouse still in it. "But they're re-usable" said my mum, "Money to burn" commented my dad.

Honestly, life's too short and traps are too cheap to be fiddling around with mice corpses !

We've got about 5 of them set up in the cupboard with peanut butter bait, but they've not been touched. They seem to be very intelligent mice around our parts.

Reading this thread has made me wonder if that rattling around above my head when I lie in bed is mice! I was thinking it was birds walking on the roof tiles. Now I'm all paranoid that it's mice

we've got mice as well and the ultrasonice thingy hasn't worked. Getting professional help on Tues, I cannot wait, I truly have a mouse phobia and shake and cry when I hear or see one