Keeping mice out?? Help

[krusty the clown]

i live in the country, mice are just a fact of life. i really don't mind them as long as they aren't on the stove top flipping me off. the cats keep them from being seen but they are still there.

 

[Rickstir]

Live in the country, Four out buildings (one a chicken house with feed, etc) and the house. Five cats. Kind of like a bass tournament. We let them out of the garage in the morning and it is 'Katy-bar-the-door' as they take off to their favorite hunting ground. Never see any sign of mice, only dead ones. They do a number on snakes too, which is always a good idea in my mind.

 

[toxicz28]

Leaving a dead mouse in the trap all day tends to send some kind of message to the others.

Would that message be "Dinner!" by any chance?
My mice eat their dead. It's quite disturbing actually.
I believe the mice that frequent my house are direct descendants of Mighty Mouse. I watched one eat an entire box of poison, it watched me too, still kept going.
Empty traps, I've had quite a few. A 50-50 ratio of full vs empty sprung traps.
Sonic repellants, three on each level of the house, they still come.

 

[PCO6]

The only mouse I have ever seen in my garage was a dead one. I was sandblasting one day and all of a sudden my pressurized sandblaster became clogged. I pulled the hose off the bottom and nothing was coming out. I fished around the bottom of the tank with a peice of dowell and could tell the orifice was blocked. A mouse had fallen and couldn't get out. Ever since then I've covered up the top of my sandblaster when it is not in use.

 

[tdkkart]

My mice eat their dead. It's quite disturbing actually.

Empty traps, I've had quite a few. A 50-50 ratio of full vs empty sprung traps.

Had evidence of mice in our garage, including some blue shop towel remnants on top of the engine of the wife's jeep.

Put out a couple traps near our fireplace wood rack, had one of the offenders within 24hrs. When I took him out of the trap he had a hole eaten in his side, so I clearly had more than one.

Rest the traps, baited with peaunt butter. The next day one of them was sprung but empty, the other 2 were unsprung but had no bait left.
Bastards!!! Time to get tricky. Got out the chunky peanut butter and made sure that I had a little piece of peanut well wedged in each trip lever.
Fixed, had the other one in less than 24hrs.

 

[Tantara]

Another cat vote. Just don't tell the shelter the cat won't be in the house, they refused to give me a cat in that scenario.


Brad

 

[z28snksknr]

Another cat vote. Just don't tell the shelter the cat won't be in the house, they refused to give me a cat in that scenario.


Brad

Don't get me started on shelters and their standards for animals they plan on killing in 5 days. I had one ask my wife "how is your relationship with your husband?"

BTW, for those that are cool with mice being in your house, remember they **** everywhere (including your air ducts) and can do some significant damage to a car's wiring.

 

[hetkind]

We have harvested 9 mice in the shop in the last month or so using conventional spring traps baited with peanut butter.

I catch them by the kegerator. They seem to like beer.

Howard

 

[bazzateer]

I don't like cats so I'd go for a pair of Jack Russell ratting dogs. British actor/comedian Martin Clunes presented a two-part show a year or two ago about man's relationship with dogs (A Man and His Dogs) and saw some JRs in action. The speed and aggression those dogs had was phenomenal, and the sheer enjoyment they got from their 'work' was incredible.

 

[ZRX61]

Mothballs are still working for me, no mouse turds in my garage

 

[djd99]

Don't get me started on shelters and their standards for animals they plan on killing in 5 days. I had one ask my wife "how is your relationship with your husband?"

BTW, for those that are cool with mice being in your house, remember they **** everywhere (including your air ducts) and can do some significant damage to a car's wiring.

People who Like having mice in there homes are just plain lazy Mice are very dirty creatures and leaves your house unsanitary with there droppings and what not. I have a uncle that has mice living in his living room with him and he feeds them with his discarded hardee's left overs. this is just plain gross, get off your but and clean...... ok rant over!

 

[nissan_crawler]

I'd like a few outdoor cats to keep the mice and chipmunks away, but the cold and the fishers would do them in quick.

Traps for me. Gets all the rotten vermin out. Really honks me off when I find the reason for my car performing poorly is a mouse nest under the air filter.

Cold? Our cats could get in our shop, but it wasn't heated. They survived -35*F temps all the time. Also, we broke down and bought a 3'x3' fiberglass heating pad and put it in a wood box we built with a cat door, along with a heated water dish. Happy cats.

I also vote on getting a few shop cats. My house is old and isn't as sealed as it should be in some spots. My trio takes care of that:

 

[66HertzClone]

I put together this little puppy and it worked like a charm. As mentioned, a couple of floaters seemed to send a message to others. Just add a little plank for them to crawl up.

Mice try to get the peanut butter, but when they hit the toilet paper roll it is like they are log rolling and in they will go.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk31/Monte406SS/IMG_3563.jpg
http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk31/Monte406SS/IMG_3564.jpg

Perfect, I'll put one together this week and put it in the garage. Did you apply anything to the interior sides of bucket? I wonder if a little spray silicone wouldn't hurt.

 

[TAftw]

A BB gun? its getting cold, and you probably need something to do during the winter .

Otherwise, I'd say get more traps. We had mice running around the top of our drop ceiling last winter. We set up 4 traps, and in a couple days we had them all. They seem to like peanut butter, and it's harder for them to just pick off the trap like cheese. It was kind of creepy listening to them run around when you're trying to sleep!

 

[MScott]

I put together this little puppy and it worked like a charm. As mentioned, a couple of floaters seemed to send a message to others. Just add a little plank for them to crawl up.

Mice try to get the peanut butter, but when they hit the toilet paper roll it is like they are log rolling and in they will go.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk31/Monte406SS/IMG_3563.jpg
http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk31/Monte406SS/IMG_3564.jpg

I use a similar setup, but prefer to use an empty pop or beer can with a small hole drilled in each end and a wire through it instead of the toilet paper rolls. The can is coated with PB and spins very freely on the wire axle. I also usually put a mixture of water and antifreeze in the bottom of the bucket to allow it to be used during cold weather. I use one in the garage and another in the cottage and often find 8-10 floaters when it is checked.

 

[bazzateer]

Careful using anti-freeze anywhere you have cats roaming. They love the taste but it kills them very slowly and painfully apparently.

 

[djd99]

Here's my retired mouser's

The mancoon caught a mouse one morning brought it up the stairs and jump up on our bed with it hanging in her mouth!!! She was so proud.

 

[TAftw]

Careful using anti-freeze anywhere you have cats roaming. They love the taste but it kills them very slowly and painfully apparently.

Yes, antifreeze supposedly tastes sweet to animals. They lick it and don't realize what they're doing.

 

[PCO6]

Perfect, I'll put one together this week and put it in the garage. Did you apply anything to the interior sides of bucket? I wonder if a little spray silicone wouldn't hurt.

On a similar note, I spray the top half of my metal bird feeder poles with WD40 to keep the squirrels away. I was going to spary the whole pole until I realized it was more fun to watch them climb half way up and then fall off.

 

[R1chy]

Re: Keeping mice out

Mothballs are still working for me, no mouse turds in my garage

Mothballs are toxic to people (google it if you want to see for yourself), besides they make your garage and car smell like Grandma!!

I too use the wire through a can on top of a bucket of antifreeze method - works well. Also if you have a dog, then vacuum up some rugs where the dog lies and then dump the dog dander around your shop - they get the message.

R1chy

 

[jwkrehbiel]

Search the web for electronic mouse traps. I pay around thirty dollars each but these traps are worth every penny. They take four C batteries and work for up to thirty kills. Strong enough to kill squirrels but safe for children and larger pets. The mouse must enter the trap and step on two separate plates to make contact and then instant death. Just turn off the trap, dispose of the dead mouse and turn the trap back on. I average five kills per week on the five traps I have set in my two barns.

 

[mad57]

My cat P.C. is a mouser but she brings them in too the house through the doggie door. twice so far shes done it, late at night i hear the door open and a muffled meow. turn on the light she lets it go, then walks away 1st one i got with a have a heart trap, second one didnt fall for trap , got his *** swimming in the dogs water bowl. best bet so far old snake shedding from pet shops works great and all natural. ive been using it for years in my cars.

 

[dieseldodge01]

We made a metal housing that goes around the toxic "bait." The hole is about 2" in diameter and a nail in the middle that holds the poison in place so they don't carry it everywhere. Mouse turds in the trap so that its working

 

[twostory]

Careful using anti-freeze anywhere you have cats roaming. They love the taste but it kills them very slowly and painfully apparently.

You could use the "non-toxic" antifreeze that is used in RV water system to prevent freezing. Available at Walmart & other stores with a camping section.

 

[j-easy]

I am sure it has already been mentioned but I would get a cat, they love killing mice.

 

[STORMEASTON]

I have 3 cats.........1 is posted just for the garage, I have no mice!

 

[mkdive]

I agree get a cat or two from your local shelter. Save the cat and give it a great new home to keep rodent free!

We have a lot of pets. Our "dog pack" & trio of cats keeps us mouse, rat, squirrel & opossum free. Just this month, the dogs caught 2 roof rats & an opossum. Every day they tree squirrels, which is nice because they keep the squirrels out of the garden. Our cats are 100% indoor cats, so they keep the house patrolled pretty well.

 

[TheGrooveking]

Most mice are almost completely blind so they will run along edges of things, additionally they urinate almost constantly, which is their method of leaving a trail to follow. Their noses are hyper and their primary method of navigating. Get the following items

5 gallon bucket
2x4 about 3' long
an empy beer can with the top and bottom cut off
1/2" dia wooden dowel rod 20" long

Now take the beer can carcus and put in on the dowel rod, place the dowel rod on top of the bucket and put it against a wall. Lean the 2x4 from the floor up to the dowel rod. Fill the bucket about 12" deep with water and put peanut butter on the outside far edge of the of the can.

The mice will run up the 2x4 and negotiate the rod to get on top of the can to get the peanut butter and while trying to walk across the can, the can will spin there by dumping them into the water. Mice can't swim, so they drown. Check it every day and throw the water/mice into the field.

TheGrooveking

 

[Bobbys60w427]

Last year I used the sticky traps. Worked great. Untill I let it go for a couple of days. Checked it and found 4 feet. That's it, just feet. Alway's wondered what else his pals did to him before he was ate? Went back to regular traps. Now I just feed the local tom cat so it hangs out more.

 

[TheGrooveking]

Last year I used the sticky traps. Worked great. Untill I let it go for a couple of days. Checked it and found 4 feet. That's it, just feet. Alway's wondered what else his pals did to him before he was ate? Went back to regular traps. Now I just feed the local tom cat so it hangs out more.

They'll chew their own feet off to escape. Probably dies not to long after that, so you may find his/her.

TheGrooveking

 

[79stang514]

You guys ever smell mothballs? Hard to get their little legs apart, isn't it?

Thank you, thank you. You can use that one on your friends.

We have a dog, Brady, that's half Jack Russell and he's a hunting machine. He'll jump and leap thru the field, and it's quite funny to watch. When we ended up getting a second dog Moe later on, he taught him how to hunt. Moe had no interest when he first got here, but Brady showed him how within a few weeks. I went out the door the other day to find a chipmunk tail and two hind legs hanging out of Moe's mouth. About a month ago, I found them with a Blue Jay! I've seen them work together and get a robin and all kinds of rodents and snakes.

 

[M3Pilot]

Back on the farm we kept a black snake in the feed barn. No rats. Ever.

 

[BlindViper]

I use the sonic devices that you can buy at HD, 6-8 for $20.. haven't seen a mouse since.. Put a couple in wall outlets close to doors and one in the attic... done!!

Those things are nice, but I can hear them and they drive me nuts!!!

 

[Golden40]

Here Kitty, Kitty! You get a cat and you will get rid of the mouse problem. Just don't feed the cat too much meow mix or he/she will be too full/lazy to catch mice!!!

 

[rikmeister]

rats love peanut butter. if you put a mary jane or reseese cup on a trap you will get a vermit in hours. too bad it does not work for the 6 foot vermits (politiicians).

 

[Carnut12]

Traps with peanut butter, you only need like 4-6 of them.

Just a little dab of peanut butter, depending on how many you may have the traps will be hit the first night, I would gaurantee it.

I had this issue twice, 2 different houses. Traps took care of it both times.

 

[GSMetal]

Please feed the cat. Starving him will have no affect on his mousing.

I have to agree - feed your cat.

A cat's mousing ability has nothing to do with whether you feed him or not. Its born inside them to hunt. Mice aren't exactly great things to be eating even if you're a cat.

We have two fairly stout house cats and they are both great mousers.

Charlie, our big 15 pounder is a relentless mouser going on patrol every night. We had 3 teenage deer feeding on our patio a few weeks back and Charlie was hunched down, ears back doing the **** wiggle thing on them. When he pounced, the deer took off running - pretty funny.

I wouldn't want to be mouse in my house.

 

[KStrom]

I used to have mouse problems every fall, they come in from the big field out back.

Finding mouse turds in my kitchen cabinets set off a total war on the little suckers and a cleaning frenzy of the whole damn kitchen.


I use two methods that have worked great. first I use one of the plug in sonic type things already mentioned.
second I use a poison bait system that works on the outside of the house or shop.

It's called the Maj-ik box and it works pretty darn good and the pets can't get into the bait.
you place the bait boxes outside along the foundation in a few places and allow the mice to feed OUTSIDE instead of eating inside and dying in your walls.

I have not seen a mouse in my house or any evidence in the three years since I did this.

Here is link to the Maj-ik box website if you are interested in reading up on mice and their habits.

http://www.maj-ik-box.com/


I bought mine at a local hardware store, not sure if they are available everywhere, might have to mail order them.

 

[Snap50]

I've tried many of the conventional methods short of poison and none worked UNTIL I tried the simplest.........just leave some lights on. Mice are nocturnal creatures and don't like the light.

I just replaced 3 light bulbs with compact florescents that only draw about 15 watts each and problem solved, even with open sacks of bird seed in there.

Before that there were mice in the car's engine compartments, air cleaners, glove boxes, etc.

Give it a try. It's cheap and safe.

 

[Yardgoat]

I didnt read all the replys but what i use in my shop are MOTH BALLS i get a couple boxes throw up on the shelfs,in boxes ect on the floor under cabnets.There sence of smell is super good so moth balls are very strong and not to bad for us.Cats /dogs dont like em.You could build them a little house out in the corn field,just kidding but MOTH BALLS WORK...................................YG