Mice in the living room!

[FatBottomedGal]

We currently have a mouse/ some mice in our living room that are going about and chewing things up like the back of our sofa and cardboard boxes. We’re in a rented property but are leaving in a couple of months so don’t particularly want to get the landlord involved at this stage as it will be easier for him to deal with when all our furniture has been removed. We’ve hoovered the whole flat, made sure there isn’t any food out and blocked up any holes that we can find with tin foil, but does anyone have any other suggestions for steering them away?

I do not want to use any methods that include killing the mice – if they’re chewing boxes and furniture it’s likely that they’re making a nest for their family and I do not want to harm them. To be completely honest I don't have much of an issue with them being there but my partner doesn't share my opinion funnily enough

If they're having babies you'll be overrun in a very short time.

You could try humane traps, but I've never heard of anyone who has conquered an infestation by using them.

I'm a wuss with snaptraps, so use poison.

The landlord needs to know asap, to arrange to inspect for holes, and block up any that are found

Do you know anyone who has a cat you can borrow? Even if it doesn't catch any the mice may smell it and stay away!!
Or if you live near me my 2 dcats are brill mousers!

We used humane traps baited with peanut butter. You have to take the mice at least 5 miles away, or they find their way 'home'.
Get some sonar plug ins as well to put them off. Depending on your layout, you might need quite a few

If there is one and it is mice then there is probably a family.

You might be lucky and it is a rat, in which case it might just be one.

With mice, you need to keep in mind that they can fit through a hole the size of a pencil. Thy do something with their vertebrae to get through tiny places.

You need to either call in someone or get some poison. Also tell your landlord, the amount of damage they will be able to do in a few months is amazing

Hi there, I've had great success with humane traps. It will take a few weeks to get rid of them all.
Buy 2 or 3 traps.
Put in peanut butter, a bit of chocolate, some grated cheese and (strangely enough) some unravelled loo paper. The mice like to chew stuff like cardboard / loo paper to make a soft nest.
You must check the humane trap every day. You need to look very carefully as a mouse can be hiding in the trap, in the little tunnel that lets them in (but not out).
When you catch one/ a few, you need to take the trap well away from your home. I drive halfway to work, find some parkland, and let them go. I tip out all the food and loo paper so that they have some supplies to start their new home (well away from my home).

If you let them out near your house... they run straight back in!

I hope you have success.

Get snap traps, honestly. You do not want them breeding, the last time we were overrun with baby mice i caught ELEVEN of the buggers. In my bathtub (trapped couldnt climb out), in my washing machine, IN A CUP OF TEA!!!! They might not seem much trouble but they could be destroying wiring in you white goods etc... Would your LL do anything? I know after 3 months any pest issues are up to me to sort out.

You cannot leave this until you move out. If they are chewing up your furniture they will also be chewing up the house and having babies everywhere. Tell your landlord and get it sorted ASAP.

I was advised to stop up hole with steel woo (I pulled apart cheap Brillo pads). But honestly, snap traps are the only way to get on top of the problem. We have a cat now and bloody stupid thing so far has brought us a live frog and a live mouse!

If you don't want to handle them once snapped and used, I used to place mine in take away tubs and just throw the whole thing out.

We wanted to approach the landlord to ask him to have someone round for a full inspection and blocking up holes - I will put this to my partner again tonight, I think he's just worried about costing the landlord money just before we're due to move out but I do see that it's in his best interest.

I had a terrible experience with poison in the past and it's not something I'd recommend to anyway (not least because it's only guaranteed for a year - without blocking the entrance holes up you're not fixing any problems). Plus, killing mice is not something I'm willing to do.

Has anyone ever tried using peppermint oil as a deterrent?

Dear god don't leave it three months. Six mice can multiply to over 60 in three months. They can chew through electrical wires and cause a fire, not to mention the damage they can do to the house, and the smell. If I were your landlord I'd be livid if you didn't tell me. Oh, and mice urinate almost constantly, so all over your kitchen work tops etc.