Haven't been doing a lot of garage projects lately but today was out there and noticing a lot of mice poop. I don't keep any food out there, the little bastards are bringing in their own food (acorns) and chewing them up. Probably got a couple living in there. Any newfangle traps or just get some old school traps? Don't want to poison them.
Dangit. Mice droppings all over the garage
- Thread starter wahoowad
- Start date
couch67
Well-known member
there were some good threads on the topic in the last few months. My fave is still the wooden traps with PB on them.
tncatadjuster
Well-known member
bucket trap works great
Jinks
Well-known member
I keep posting this but get little feed back. It's cheap, easy, & worth a try. Take a shredder & shred a couple of bars of Irish Spring soap. Scatter the shredding around the shop in out of the way places. See what happens to your mice... 
We had critters living under out A/C pads & nothing would get rid of them. Saw this on the web, so we tried it. Solved the problem. A couple of friends up north got rid of mice & chipmunks the same way. If it doesn't work all it cost was a couple of bars of soap.........
We had critters living under out A/C pads & nothing would get rid of them. Saw this on the web, so we tried it. Solved the problem. A couple of friends up north got rid of mice & chipmunks the same way. If it doesn't work all it cost was a couple of bars of soap.........Beauregard
Well-known member
If you’re seeing acorns, it could also be chipmunks or squirrels. You do NOT want them getting into your vehicles, dealing with that in my shed. Chipmunks have made a nest in the JD tractor, lil buggers…
Yes, the bucket traps work pretty good as well as the old school mouse and rat traps.
Maybe get a cat??
Jinks, just saw your post, I’ll pick up some Irish Spring tomorrow!
Yes, the bucket traps work pretty good as well as the old school mouse and rat traps.
Maybe get a cat??
Jinks, just saw your post, I’ll pick up some Irish Spring tomorrow!
65ranchero
Well-known member
I know you said don't want to poison them but....
Outside bait stations, glue traps, spring traps
Outside bait stations, glue traps, spring traps
58Yeoman
Well-known member
I've made my own bucket traps with a spinning bottle or can held above the bucket with 1/4" threaded rod, then bottle covered with peanut butter. They jump from the ramp to the bottle/can to get the pb, and the bottle spins and they fall into the water. Problem in winter is you have to use antifreeze. I use a gallon of w/s washer fluid. I like the slip and slide better, may have to look into getting a couple.
I've only dealt with mice once. Tried many things with minimal results. I found some very large sticky traps. I put trail mix in the middle of the sticky traps and solved my problem quickly. I now, sticky traps are inhumane, etc., and I understand the logic. But I didn't and still don't care about the life of a mouse. Cruel or not, sticky traps work.
nadogail
Well-known member
Where are the Hungry Cats?
Crazyjake8493
Well-known member
These, and smear some peanut butter. Never fails me. I buy them by the 6-pack and reuse as much as possible but eventually if the plastic breaks or we have a messy kill, the whole thing gets tossed.
I save all our almost-empty peanut butter jars and scrape the last bits out for the mouse traps.
AC-WC
Well-known member
Above is a good one. Menards has a similar plastic trap named Jawz with large teeth that works a little better. I used to use the small wooden traps but the plastic ones are so much easier to set. Just a dab of peanut butter otherwise you end up feeding them
I also have the 5 gal bucket in the youtube, works good but you have to check it every day. I use all kinds of poison in the out buildings and outside either the packets or in a box. No mercy on vermin here.
I also have the 5 gal bucket in the youtube, works good but you have to check it every day. I use all kinds of poison in the out buildings and outside either the packets or in a box. No mercy on vermin here.
bluedog225
Well-known member
But then the whole place will smell like high school in the 70s.I keep posting this but get little feed back. It's cheap, easy, & worth a try. Take a shredder & shred a couple of bars of Irish Spring soap. Scatter the shredding around the shop in out of the way places. See what happens to your mice...
PassnThru
Well-known member
Like most problems - planning ahead is key instead of waiting for the problem to surface. I know mice are going to get in my garage every year no matter how tight I make it. So there are spring traps in the garage that are maintained on a regular basis. They are out of the way but can be checked visually easily. That way you find dead mice instead of turds. Rebait when it starts to get cold and other times during the year and monitor the traps.
I think I got one mouse last year - none so far this year. In years past - when I waited for signs that they were already there - at least 4 to 6 between both garages.
I think I got one mouse last year - none so far this year. In years past - when I waited for signs that they were already there - at least 4 to 6 between both garages.
I had a sudden infestation of mice in the shop a couple of years ago. In 4 days, I caught 20 mice with snap traps and peanut butter. About then a female feral cat showed up at the house. I fed her and showed her how to come in and out the doggie door. Now she lives in my shop with Barney, my Lab. I haven' t seen a mouse since she came except where Katy Kat piles up the dead ones outside the shop door.
Last edited:
jmarkwolf
Well-known member
Mice seem to vacate if they even smell cats.
Do they take the bucket outside and dump it?
NORTON'S SHOP
Well-known member
I use Tomcats with peanut butter. Had a couple mice in my basement a few years back. Caught both of them while I was setting up multiple traps, so I guess they worked well for me. Set them up against walls and in corners. Seems that's how they travel.
Photo from the web.
Photo from the web.
ALinCarolina
Well-known member
I've had mice get into every house and building I've ever owned at some time or other. On the rental properies I've called exterminators. The first thing they do is crawl around and try to eliminate any cracks or other entry points. Get some caulk and foam made specifically for pest exclusion and seal up anything possible. Then put out bait stations and traps. If you just use traps or cats there will be an endless supply to replace the deceased and like most rodent and prey species they have a high reproductive rate. The problems I have had are worse in winter.
four.cycle
Well-known member
has it yet been mentioned in this thread that mice hate Lavender ??
I did not know that, and I have some growing in an herb garden bed. I'll give it a try.has it yet been mentioned in this thread that mice hate Lavender ??
NORTON'S SHOP
Well-known member
So do I.has it yet been mentioned in this thread that mice hate Lavender ??
four.cycle
Well-known member
^ Sequim, Washington claims to be the Lavender capital of the galaxy. There are a mess of places up there where you can order it in bulk. Or find someone with a gigantic lavender bush that needs pruning.
Stuffed into corners and drawers in massive quantities it will drive mice out.
Stuffed into corners and drawers in massive quantities it will drive mice out.
I use camphor blocks in the drawers and cabinets. Haven't seen any droppings or pee stains on those tools since I started doing that. Also seems to help prevent rust. Too bad they aren't so effective in the open.
pima67
Well-known member
I have a 3 layer defense: outside solar led spot lights aimed at the bottom sides of the doors, then glue boards inside at each corner of the door, then mouse traps bated with peanut butter. Added benefit: Glue boards catch a lot of bugs so have to be replaced periodically. Did "catch" a Gila Monster once.
HalfTonTom
Well-known member
A small Have-a-Heart trap with cracker pieces inside. Once caught, take the trap over to your ex's house and release the little guy.
freudianfloyd
Well-known member
Mice poop has been my reality the past few days. I am slowly starting to move my stuff from our old house to my grandpa's old garage where we just built a new house. He hadn't been able to maintain it much the last few years of his life, and the mice had a field day in there.
I have been throwing all kinds of things away and literally everything is covered in mouse poop. Every drawer is filled with nests and skeletons. I pulled one drawer out a while back and found a nest of baby mice. I took care of them and fast forward a few months, and the nest is back but bigger and there are three dead full grown mice sitting on top of it. I took the entire drawer out and threw it in the dumpster. Threw the cabinet out too. It's all too gross.
I moved some boxes under one of the shelfs and there was large pile of **** ****. Really the garage is more **** than wood at this point.
Walked around back and there was a dead mouse sitting on the steps to the garage attic. Looked like it tried to get out of the cold but didn't make it.
I have been throwing all kinds of things away and literally everything is covered in mouse poop. Every drawer is filled with nests and skeletons. I pulled one drawer out a while back and found a nest of baby mice. I took care of them and fast forward a few months, and the nest is back but bigger and there are three dead full grown mice sitting on top of it. I took the entire drawer out and threw it in the dumpster. Threw the cabinet out too. It's all too gross.
I moved some boxes under one of the shelfs and there was large pile of **** ****. Really the garage is more **** than wood at this point.
Walked around back and there was a dead mouse sitting on the steps to the garage attic. Looked like it tried to get out of the cold but didn't make it.
I like the Tin Cat traps. Reusable. Bait with peanut butter. You want to set them free after catching you can. If you forget about checking the trap, they'll eat each other. Clean it out, bait again, and replace it.
They're durable. Nothing tricky to set. Nothing to break. I've had mine for years and even purchased a few for a friend a few years ago when she moved into a house with mice.
Tin Cat
They're durable. Nothing tricky to set. Nothing to break. I've had mine for years and even purchased a few for a friend a few years ago when she moved into a house with mice.
Tin Cat
jollygreengiant
Well-known member
Any of you guys had experience with those hypersonic emitters? Do they work?
Snap trap with a Sunflower seed wedged in the trigger with peanut butter on it.. Place the trigger side against a wall.. secondary is a glue trap with peanut butter and a couple of sunflower seeds in the middle of it.. These work great for me.
earl84
Well-known member
I had some mice problems and got one of these. It actually seemed to work. I read that it will work for a short time, then the mice get used to it and it won't work anymore. I set old school traps and bucket traps along with this and it works for me. Haven't had evidence of mice at all this winter. Incidentally, I have had 2 pack rats in my garage. You think mice are bad, you ought to see what they can destroy.
Shiftless
Well-known member
It cost my neighbor’s insurance company $7000 to repair the wiring on his new Prius after mice chewed up the wiring.Wait until the mice start chewing on your cars wiring...
Then you'll be posting on "What did you do in your garage today"
PS... Why did MINI go with soy based wire insulation...
How are you fitting a bar of soap.in a shredder?I keep posting this but get little feed back. It's cheap, easy, & worth a try. Take a shredder & shred a couple of bars of Irish Spring soap. Scatter the shredding around the shop in out of the way places. See what happens to your mice...
Mine fits maybe 12 sheets at most.
Maybe German mice like Irish Spring? I put a couple bars, albeit unshredded, in the garage but it didn't seem to work. The entire garage had a hint of soap smell so I'm not sure why I was still finding droppings and catching them. It's a never ending battle. I've found that peanut butter in snap traps works best for me.I keep posting this but get little feed back. It's cheap, easy, & worth a try. Take a shredder & shred a couple of bars of Irish Spring soap. Scatter the shredding around the shop in out of the way places. See what happens to your mice...
Fortunately for me, one of my rear fog lights stopped working after I assumed it was a failed bulb...
Had to remove the rear bumper to find the wire chewed in half...
Ordered 4 of these OWLTRA electric zappers and used peanut butter to take care of the problem...
No poison involved... LED's indicate if a victim is present..