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Housekeeping

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Mice :-(

33 replies

Piemother · 12/01/2013 23:53

Tell me theres a clever way to disuade them without killing them?

Just moved the furniture around in my living room assume I've uncovered a hole or something as been here a long time and no droppings etc just a little dinky mouse dashing about!

OP posts:
Blottedcopybook · 13/01/2013 00:09

If you've seen one mouse, there's more. You can get humane traps and plug up holes with steel wool but honestly? You really want some poison down. Mice drip pee everywhere as they don't have a sphincter on their bladder, they really are revolting.

If you go with humane traps, you need to release the mice miles away from your house. Don't stick them in the back yard or they'll just come back.

PigletJohn · 13/01/2013 00:11

come back in a few weeks, when you don't mind killing them.

Selks · 13/01/2013 00:13

If you use humane traps just remember to check them daily, that is all. Sad

CointreauVersial · 13/01/2013 00:17

We've had mice too; we put down a humane trap and caught one within a few hours, and haven't heard any more in the house, but still hear them in the loft occasionally.

I don't mind killing the buggers but have heard too many stories about mice trapped but not killed in a snappy trap, and I couldn't deal with that.

Quite happy to drive 1/2 mile down the road and turf furry critter onto grass verge in the middle of nowhere though!

Get some humane traps and bait with peanut butter.

Piemother · 13/01/2013 12:52

Thanks folks. Humane trap it is then. Dc would love the releasing part but have nightmares about seeing crushed mice Hmm

OP posts:
NewYearNewTown · 13/01/2013 13:27

Poison, break back traps and plugging up holes. It's the only way to be truly rid.

DeepRedBetty · 13/01/2013 13:30

Our rat problems were solved by BettyCat's arrival. She killed and ate (most of) several, and the others were too scared to live in the house any more.

chewingguminmyhair · 13/01/2013 13:35

Show no mercy. Get as much poison as you can carry and kill thevfuckers. Put it everywhere, under cupboards, in gaps

You can get poison that dries them up so they won't smell when they die.

They will hide to die so you won't find one in the middle of the living room.

neveronamonday · 13/01/2013 16:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Piemother · 13/01/2013 18:28

Good lord! I've found the hole already I will be sticking with the humane traps I have no desire to hurt them unnecessarily especially when dc love their Beatrix potter books so much. It's so far one mouse which is probably ignore if not for small dc.

OP posts:
PigletJohn · 13/01/2013 18:50

there's never "one mouse"

After they have eaten and soiled your cornflakes, biscuits, clean towels, best jumper, flour, electric cables, fridge insulation, cutlery, plates and carpets, you will start to feel differently.

chewingguminmyhair · 13/01/2013 18:52

It is not one mouse. You'll have dozens.

NewYearNewTown · 13/01/2013 19:06

It isn't one mouse. For every mouse you see, I have heard estimates of between 10 and 30 you haven't seen yet. It is dribbling urine over every surface it runs across.

I personally feel that break back traps, which should give a clean kill, are often more humane than leaving a terrified mouse trapped in a box for hours on end. IYSWIM.

TeaOneSugar · 13/01/2013 22:20

We've haven't seen a mouse since we got a plug in deterant device, like these.

You need to make sure you get one big enough for your house, worth every penny. Ours clicks but you do tune it out, like a ticking clock.

CointreauVersial · 13/01/2013 22:21

NewYear - the problem with the snappy traps is that the mice can sometimes be trapped injured, and I couldn't cope with that.

Interesting about the no-smell poison - that was always my worry, that the loft would slowly fill up with stinky rotting corpses.

MoreBeta · 13/01/2013 22:25

We had a large number of mice under our kitchen units (rented property).

I discovered they were coming in through the air bricks so I put a very fine wire mesh over the bricks and then I put down killing traps and poison. Gone in two weeks.

AloeSailor · 13/01/2013 22:28

Mice carry salmonella. The mummifying poison is good.

attheendoftheday · 13/01/2013 23:19

We had a successful experience with humane traps and blocking up the ways in. I found chocolate buttons were the best bait, and the mice need to be released a mile from your house (and not near anyone else's house). My tip would be when you think you've caught all the mice to keep putting the traps down for another week and checking them daily, there always seem to be a couple extra hanging around.

Piemother · 14/01/2013 00:06

Thanks attheend - I found the hole it's where I've moved a sofa away from the wall so I can sort that out easily enough.
I can't kill them however naive that sounds that's just not how I live. Plus I've been here over a year and be we had then until now so in fairly confident this one hole is the problem Grin

OP posts:
JamNan · 14/01/2013 17:17

Honestly Get.Rid.Of.Them.Now.
As they scramble all over your worktops/food/furniture/ when you are asleep or not watching they piss everywhere leaving behind disgusting diseases.

Get a cat.
Get Nipper traps (they like chocolate and bacon).

The poison AloeSailor recommended is good as it dries out the corpses and they don't smell too badly.

JNan goes downstairs to look under her sink to find out brand name for you...
back now... it's Rentokil Rat and Mouse Killer £6.99. Not harmful to humans. Little feckers pests have eaten their way into the Bio Slug Pellets though. That'll learn 'em. Grin

LifeofPo · 14/01/2013 17:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

attheendoftheday · 14/01/2013 23:04

We can form a being nice to mice club, piemother. I'm veggie and I don't like to kill things. I don't mind if people think I'm naive.

Piemother · 14/01/2013 23:30

I can't kill Hunkamunka!

OP posts:
Fianccetto · 14/01/2013 23:38

You can kill 4 mice this week, or pay a fortune to get rentokill in to kill hundreds of them in a few months. Your choice.

crazynanna · 14/01/2013 23:40

I had mice when I moved into this (very old) house..would come into the lounge in the morning,turn on the light, and see them scurry everywhere.. Iwas a nervous wreck.

Got crazykitten...but she was a baby. When she got to about5 months, I just realised one day I hadn't seen or heard one for ages ...

As a side....got a new fridge freezer delivered today, with the option for them to takeaway the old one. Told the guys "I am scared to move that fridge...I used to have mice! He then pulled it out, and said "Look Jim,look at the size of that bugger! And it's still alive!!!!" Shock I just froze to the spot.

He then looked at me, laughed, and said "only kidding!"

I just gave him a filthy look,and a loud tut. Twat.

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