Mice - Stress - How long to get back to normal?

[wornoutparent]

Compared to many of the problems in these threads mine is relatively minor but it is causing me anguish and I would love some advice.

We have an infestation of mice in the house, and although it is getting treated they're regularly heard in the walls and between floors. Very limited evidence in the 'open' but occasionally skuttling in the rooms and despite going through everything I haven't found them.

I am losing my mind. I feel in a constant state of panic, my heart is racing and I am barely eating/sleeping because of the worry about what they're doing and how to get rid of them. Whenever I hear a noise, during the day or night I am completely on edge. I am really snappy with my children over the slightest things like spilling a crumb at mealtimes, its really not fair on them. I know my reaction is over the top but I can't find a way to control it.

I am also worried about the future, will I ever feel safe or relaxed in this or any other home again? Even visiting other people's houses and public buildings I find myself on edge listening and looking out for mice/rats or gaps they can come through.

IRL no-one else seems to understand the impact on me or is be bothered by the situation.

I was hoping others, who might have had similar experiences could share their advice on how to cope until the situation is resolved and whether things will ever go back to 'normal'? Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

It did thank you. I'm still more alert to odd noises and do tend to keep an eye out for any evidence of mice but it feels like my home again now they have gone.

I suspect if it ever happened again I would be able to cope better, I have been through it once and know the way to deal with this (get in a professional without hesitation, remove all available food, identify and block potential entries etc).

I still don't let the kids eat in their rooms though.

just read your post and everything you said is me now , I had a problem last year and since then my nerves are totally shot . I'm on sleeping tablets I sleep with with white noise on its totally ruined my wellbeing
I'm OK in the day but has soon has it's nighttime I'm listening for every sound its made me so ill.
my house is going up for sale has I can't live here any more .

@silvertree I am in the same position, I have been mentally on edge for two months as we’ve had mice and it’s taking its toll. There’s still at least one in the house that is avoiding traps 😔 I just want to move at this point, my love for this house has gone :-(

I completely get what you're saying we didn't have them in our house but my neighbour did and I was terrible with it 6 weeks later and I'm just starting to feel comfortable in my own house again x x

Are you sure they aren’t 🐀 rats?

We live in a 19th C house and mice are really quiet in my experience-
Rats are noisy !
You need to block any gaps and holes - steel wool &c
I had a rat in lockdown when there was a heatwave and heard a massive commotion and rustling in the bin

I found a cache of cherry stones in a neat pile under the sofa.

I bought an effective bait and since then have a superb vermin killing dog who dispatches vermin with a couple of shakes.

I had a friend who was a pest controller- There is never “Just one” mouse!

They live in colonies-

When I cleaned out under the stairs ( Victorian house) I found a mouse nest made of shredded newspaper and tissue that they must have found around the place-
Ditto under a skirting board when the floorboards were lifted.
Pest controller said a hunter cat or small hunting dog is the best deterrent - or Difenacoum (?) bait.

Have you put traps down and contacted pest control. My neighbour told me she had an infestation of mice last year, she borrowed her friends cat for a couple of weeks, this solved the problem.

I had this problem in our last house, it was an old house with so many potential entry points, a neighbour with multiple unoccupied rooms, a flat roof on part of the property and some old crumbling decking - basically ideal conditions for a rodent infestation and it was rented so nothing we could do about the big stuff. Snap traps did take care of it for the most part, we would usually catch a handful in autumn and that would be it apart from the odd one in winter. I hated the sound of them pitter pattering in the attic.

I am glad we have moved though I don’t know if i’ll ever properly relax about a potential rodent infestation again. We don’t eat in bedrooms at all…it used to be one of life’s great pleasure taking to bed with snacks and a book! And i’m forever out with the dustpan and brush in the kitchen.

Incidentally, the old house is now being sold and I feel sorry for the buyers. If i knew them i would warn them. I imagine the place will be totally infested after sitting vacant for months with no traps out.

I had fleas in my house a couple of years ago and I thought I was losing my mind, cos no one else was being bitten, but i had been eaten alive. So, i can sympathise with how you’re feeling.

Mice wee constantly, cos that’s how they communicate with their wee pals.
Peppermint disturbs that network and can often stop them coming back.
You can dot peppermint oil around the places they’re getting in and all the places where they seem to congregate.

Don’t put it on anything remotely edible, cos they’ll probably eat it.

Best of luck.