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Original poster

Getting rid of mice - all tips welcome!

76 replies

TheBlonde · 06/08/2007 16:57

We have mice

So far I have 2 traps and we are making progress with the body count

Any tips for getting rid of them for good?

Can I use poison or is that a bad idea with toddlers?

OP posts:
dizzydo · 18/08/2007 07:05

I think different things work for different people. We had pest control around three times and still they didnt get rid. I am beginning to think the only answer is a cat but I so dont want to go down that route. Thought we had got rid of ours, after the sticky pad incident in February but our babysitter saw one last week. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Original poster
TheBlonde · 18/09/2007 22:24

I have not caught any more but I was still woken by a mouse in the night

Is there any point in using bait if your house is always accessible to new mice?
We are in a draughty terrace

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dinny · 18/09/2007 22:35

Please - get a cat. A female if you can. Or two, even better!

MamaMaiasaura · 18/09/2007 22:49

TheBlonde - we have caught 6 in our traps. They love peanut butter! Have also put down the blue poison stuff (as advised by ex who is pest controller). If you are able to find little holes where they are coming in from, fill them. We are at the end of a terrace (very old) and they are coming across for next door. So many little holes that can block all ours.

They are a real fire risk as they chew wires so personally i dont have any qualms about killing them. Prefer that than having a fire.

Make sure all food inaccessable and peservere.

hth

1dilemma · 19/09/2007 00:55

Did you see my message little f$$&^(*s back again. Mind you dh left me a sandwich in the living room for lunch in wrong place (all wrapped up) been there at least 5 days!!!
They chewed through plastic ate loads of bread then sat there looking at me.
I'm really peed off since I've been floor sweeping & dish washing for ages to get rid!!
I reckon it's all the builders, in 2 doors down now!

1dilemma · 19/09/2007 00:55

Must re add call council on my to do list I just want to moan at someone!!!

Original poster
TheBlonde · 19/09/2007 07:30

Awen - I would be here forever trying to seal up holes. We have gappy bare floorboards

I am still not seeing any droppings and trying to keep all food away and clearing up crumbs

1dilemma - only saw your msg last night

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isgrassgreener · 19/09/2007 07:55

Get a cat, its the only thing that worked for me.

penguinmum · 23/09/2007 10:58

OK, have tried snap traps, humane traps (variety of bait), poison, sonic repeller and as a final resort, glue trap. Glue trap was only one that caught a mouse, but it managed to get off (leaving about half it's fur behind. Now avoids all glue traps as well. What else can I do?????????????? I do not like cats. DH keeps promising to go to pest control (he works next door to them) but he keeps forgetting. Told him me and DD moving out if he doesn't get it sorted. Am at the end of my tether and fast approaching a nervous breakdown!

Wilbur · 23/09/2007 11:20

Blonde - we've got mice too (is Balham overrun?), but only sporadic sightings and no luck with the humane traps. Was considering a sonic thing as the one we use on the garden against foxes and cats has been brill. last sighting was a little one, calm as you like, sauntering down the stairs, practically waved hello and then wandered away again. I tried to catch it, but it disappeared into thin air. Grrr.

Wilbur · 23/09/2007 11:21

I would really like a cat though, but I am allergic. Would I get used to my own cat if I had it from a kitten?

Original poster
TheBlonde · 23/09/2007 20:58

Hi Wilbur

Yes I think Balham is overrun!!!
I'd like a cat too but DH is allergic
I don't think you can get used to them completely but you might gain some tolerance

Sonic things are rubbish apparently
We need to seal up all the holes in our house

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fishie · 23/09/2007 21:08

sonic things are really good. we have several and no mice for 2 years. rigorous hoovering helps. also block up holes which lead to outside, ours were gappy round kitchen sink / washing machine outlet pipes. i stuffed bits of polystyrene in. and we live in victorian terrace with cellar and empty next door.

1dilemma · 26/09/2007 00:00

really really meaning to phone council about this especially after seeing the rat at the weekend (dead but!!!!)
Wilbur how did you try and catch it?..
Bit brave

AeFondKiss · 26/09/2007 00:05

peanut butter is useful for tempting them to their death(we did try the "humane traps" but they managed to get out of them, so they were too humane)

I still feel guilty about killing mice, they were very cute, just came into our house for the winter

Original poster
TheBlonde · 26/09/2007 07:59

We are trying choc raisins but haven't had any more bodies lately

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Original poster
TheBlonde · 26/09/2007 11:26

1dilemma - where was the rat?

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1dilemma · 26/09/2007 21:09

other side of the road other end of the street, it had been carefully placed in the open earth around a tree IYSWIM
Will try again to remind myself in time to call council!

margoandjerry · 26/09/2007 21:17

Just to depress you:

Here's how long we have been trying to rid our block of flats of mice:

8 years.

That's thousands of pounds of pest control. I have now given up. Flat is perfectly clean plus I'm on the fourth floor but they are supermice.

1dilemma · 26/09/2007 21:19

Thanks Margoandjerry!
Makes me want to move

Original poster
TheBlonde · 26/09/2007 22:51

I thought there were supposed to be more rats than people in London (or is it just a myth?)

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brendar75 · 27/09/2007 15:16

How about trying to get some cat hair from a cat-owning friend, poke it down the holes / gaps where you think the mice are getting in, or behind appliances etc in the kitchen - the smell should be enough to put a mouse off, I would think?

(I have lots of spare cat hair, if anybody wants some posted to them. Maybe I could start a new Ebay business ....)

geekgirl · 27/09/2007 15:21

There's a poison you can get which is harmless to other animals & people and just dries them out so they don't stink - it's called Eradimouse, have a google.

It bungs them up somehow so they can't absorb water and dries them up at the same time.

Original poster
TheBlonde · 27/09/2007 15:21

Interesting suggestion - alas DH is allergic

OP posts:
Original poster
TheBlonde · 27/09/2007 15:22

x-posts

allergic to cat hair not mouse poison

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