Mice question

[Buford T. Justice]

I have a detached 30 x 30 steel shed. It is sealed pretty well (new steel door and frame with foam insulation), new insulated thermacore overhead door and frame, also foam insulated around. Two new vinyl windows, same thorough insulation. I have steel inside and out with 6" insulated sidewalls.

This whole long history is to say that I still see mice! I have put D-con down, set traps...still see the F-ING critters . If I get cats, my dog and them never get along with equally frustrating results as the mice. I hate putting the poison pellets down because I am so sure that my dog will find and eat the whole bait tray thinking he found a treat. Is there any other methods those of you with mice visits have done with success??? Getting frustrating finding little **** pellets in the tools...And yes, I live on an acreage so I'm sure I'm fighting a never ending battle. Sorry for the long rant.

 

[Torque1st]

Look around and figure out where they are getting in. A UV lamp helps to track the little buggers. Look on the web with the search term (without quotes) "DIY mouse trap -game". There are many novel designs that do not use poison and are safe around pets.

This one uses anti-freeze which is not safe if your pets can get at it. A modification would be to invert a bucket over it for a cover:
http://www.wikihow.com/Build-a-Mouse-Trap

 

[HOTFR8]

Put a cake of soap out as they will eat that and your pets will not. Has worked for me.

 

[cowboyjosh]

Call "Billy the Exterminator".

Seriously though, try not to poison, it will F up the whole ecosystem. Put down some mechanical traps, check the corners of the building where the building meets the footer / foundation, sometimes their is a gap big enough for the bastards to get in.

If all else fails, call in a PRO, for less then $100 they can put down some bait stations that are a little more humane then Decon and that your dog can't get into; and then the pro can come out on a regular basis until the issue is controlled to check the bait stations for activity.

I live on Acreage in both Colorado and Arizona, and in Colorado I get mice in the window wells in my basement, about every so often I have to clean out the deads, a nasty *** job; still better then finding a Rattlesnake or Scorpion like we have in Arizona though.

 

[HOTFR8]

Mechanical traps I try to use as well. If I catch a Mouse I then feed it to the Magpies.

By feeding them, come nesting season ( August, September, October. ) they do not attack me and they love a mouse. I have three Magpies I feed plus the usual young family when they are out of the nest.

 

[Torque1st]

I live on Acreage in both Colorado and Arizona, and in Colorado I get mice in the window wells in my basement, about every so often I have to clean out the deads, a nasty *** job; still better then finding a Rattlesnake or Scorpion like we have in Arizona though.

Find a branch or something that gives them a way to climb back out maybe???

 

[tigerbalm2424]

I have a detached 30 x 30 steel shed. It is sealed pretty well (new steel door and frame with foam insulation), new insulated thermacore overhead door and frame, also foam insulated around. Two new vinyl windows, same thorough insulation. I have steel inside and out with 6" insulated sidewalls.

This whole long history is to say that I still see mice! I have put D-con down, set traps...still see the F-ING critters . If I get cats, my dog and them never get along with equally frustrating results as the mice. I hate putting the poison pellets down because I am so sure that my dog will find and eat the whole bait tray thinking he found a treat. Is there any other methods those of you with mice visits have done with success??? Getting frustrating finding little **** pellets in the tools...And yes, I live on an acreage so I'm sure I'm fighting a never ending battle. Sorry for the long rant.

Very simple and cheap/reuseable. Fill 5 gallon pail 1/3 full w/water. Place of piece of wood (1x1 or wall trim) as a ramp extending from groun up over top of pail (yes, it will be steep). Attach string hanging down from end of trim/wood about 4 inches/. Tie something (i used a 20 ounce bottle cap) to end of string you can slap some peanut butter onto and it will not fall off.

Mice walk up wood and try to get PB. Fall in water an drown.

Very effective and all you do to reset trap is pull out dead mouse with shovel and throw out. Done.

Caught hundreds of mice with this when I couldnt catch them with a mechanical trap.

Have fun!

 

[Keep]

Very simple and cheap/reuseable. Fill 5 gallon pail 1/3 full w/water. Place of piece of wood (1x1 or wall trim) as a ramp extending from groun up over top of pail (yes, it will be steep). Attach string hanging down from end of trim/wood about 4 inches/. Tie something (i used a 20 ounce bottle cap) to end of string you can slap some peanut butter onto and it will not fall off.

Mice walk up wood and try to get PB. Fall in water an drown.

Very effective and all you do to reset trap is pull out dead mouse with shovel and throw out. Done.

Caught hundreds of mice with this when I couldnt catch them with a mechanical trap.

Have fun!

I did something similar but just put dry dogfood in the bottom. Mice climb up, drop into bucket. You can then usually sell the little buggers to the pet store for snake food.

 

[MScott]

Very simple and cheap/reuseable. Fill 5 gallon pail 1/3 full w/water. Place of piece of wood (1x1 or wall trim) as a ramp extending from groun up over top of pail (yes, it will be steep). Attach string hanging down from end of trim/wood about 4 inches/. Tie something (i used a 20 ounce bottle cap) to end of string you can slap some peanut butter onto and it will not fall off.

Mice walk up wood and try to get PB. Fall in water an drown.

Very effective and all you do to reset trap is pull out dead mouse with shovel and throw out. Done.

Caught hundreds of mice with this when I couldnt catch them with a mechanical trap.

Have fun!

I also use something similar, but I drill holes in the bottom and top of a pop can, run a stiff wire through it and through both sides of the pail so that the pop can will spin. Spread PB on the can. Mice jump down on the can which spins, dropping them in the water. In winter, I use an antifreeze mixture in the pail, but you wouldn't be able to use this with pets unless you can place it high enough that they can't get to it. (Wouldn't work with cats thought.)

 

[CrashTestDummy]

Moth balls!

Cut down on that's attracting them, usually bugs. I have several shallow containers (tuna cans, baby food jars) containing moth balls distributed around my garage and shop. It really cut down on the bug infiltration, and therefore reducing one of the food supplies for the rodents. Put a container on both sides of each opening, and refill when they evaporate away.

The shop was built out in a field that had been a pasture for several decades, so I still have some control issues out there. I've seen very few bugs in the garage, and NO evidence of rodents in a couple of years in the garage.

Man, I'd love to live-trap the buggers and feed them to the local hawks, but when the birds so much as see a humon, they fly off.

Gene Beaird,
Pearland, Texas

 

[Heavy Metal Doctor]

I'm glad this came up --- some good ideas and so simple I don't know why I haven't done anything around my place sooner....
I hate mice - we have them getting into everything that's not frequently used - the garden shed and even the 40' land-sea container (which are suposed to be vermin-proof, so there must be a little hole somewhere). The suckers have even made a nest in a drawer of my tool box on winter. I didn't want the farm cats making messes in there, so I have be reluctant to leave things open for them to get inside catch the mice. eveything that must be kept mouse-free has to be stored in heavy plastic tote containers.

I'm gonna get mothballs out and I like the bucket trap ideas - I'm gonna put a couple of those together this weekend!!

 

[Cword]

Building a better mousetrap

The best solution for a self re-loading maintenance free mouse trap is the one Purplepickup shared with the RRT a number of years ago.

Follow this link for mousetrap information

 

[tdkkart]

Building a better mousetrap

The best solution for a self re-loading maintenance free mouse trap is the one Purplepickup shared with the RRT a number of years ago.

Follow this link for mousetrap information

This is flippin' awesome!!! I've got a shed that's gonna get one of these, maybe today.........

 

[Torque1st]

Building a better mousetrap

The best solution for a self re-loading maintenance free mouse trap is the one Purplepickup shared with the RRT a number of years ago.

Follow this link for mousetrap information

That is the same type of trap I linked to in post #2. The only problem is the trap needs a cover of some sort to keep the pets from drinking the AF.

 

[Cword]

That is the same type of trap I linked to in post #2. The only problem is the trap needs a cover of some sort to keep the pets from drinking the AF.

It is the same, I just had a look at the wiki-how article. It made me grin when I saw how sanitary that article looked compared to the real life car guy point of view at the RRT.
FWIW anti-freeze isn't really necessary, water works just fine, until it freezes.

 

[Buford T. Justice]

wow guys, alot of useful ideas. This stuff is exactly what I was after. Looks like a few projects to get going on tonight.

And just think, I almost didn't post this thinking it was a trivial problem. Glad I did now

 

[trainer]

It is the same, I just had a look at the wiki-how article. It made me grin when I saw how sanitary that article looked compared to the real life car guy point of view at the RRT.
FWIW anti-freeze isn't really necessary, water works just fine, until it freezes.

I've used this kind of trap at a seasonal camp using bleach or 50/50 bleach and water instead of anti-freeze. Not nearly as nasty if your away for a few weeks or months at a time.

 

[ZRX61]

I also use the mothball method, garage is 1000sqft, I just scatter about half a box around the place every few months.

 

[DuluthMN]

I have not tried this, but I have been told to take a 5 gallon bucket, put a clothes hanger with a pop can through it. put peanut butter on the can. mice eat peanut butter then fall into bucket...

 

[BlindViper]

Mice traps with peanut butter and sunflower seeds works with in hours for me.

 

[Keep]

Before you go off and kill them all, call your local pet store and ask what they would give you for live mice. You may be surprised! The big chain stores usually won't buy them but the smaller local shops will. Usually around $1 a mouse.

Of course if you only have one or two its not really worth it. But when that bucket is full of mice, well its beer money at least.

 

[osu69]

Reconsider cats. I had field mice in my attic (I watched one climb 20+ feet straight up a brick wall), my garage, and my motorhome. Tried most of the remedies suggested. Nothing worked.

Now I maintain my house and outbuildings mouse free with three outdoor cats. Male and female are equally aggressive and even a kitten will trot home carrying a mouse. Eventually, the mice get the idea and stay away from the area the cats very dilligently mark.

The solution is either cats or teaching a dog to catch mice.

 

[jabberwoki]

I have a detached 30 x 30 steel shed. It is sealed pretty well (new steel door and frame with foam insulation), new insulated thermacore overhead door and frame, also foam insulated around. Two new vinyl windows, same thorough insulation. I have steel inside and out with 6" insulated sidewalls.

This whole long history is to say that I still see mice! I have put D-con down, set traps...still see the F-ING critters . If I get cats, my dog and them never get along with equally frustrating results as the mice. I hate putting the poison pellets down because I am so sure that my dog will find and eat the whole bait tray thinking he found a treat. Is there any other methods those of you with mice visits have done with success??? Getting frustrating finding little **** pellets in the tools...And yes, I live on an acreage so I'm sure I'm fighting a never ending battle. Sorry for the long rant.

i`ve found that they don`t like moth balls but the cure may be worse that the problem

 

[slipknot]

i had that issue for years in the house it was just 1 like from the movie mouse hunt. man i hated that lil mofo but then as it went i started to kill'em bb gun's trapping them in a corner and well being mean but a quick death. no more sightings in the house but i've seen at least 1 in my building now (mainly going after my dogs bags of food solved that . my dog saw the mouse in the building one day near his bags of food and went after him, talk about a mess he tore up the building trying to catch it finally did didn't eat him but carried him off and dropped it in a small metal trash can. smart dog

 

[slipknot]

might also want to look into getting a pet snake try to find a big green snake and keep him around

 

[babzog]

I'd like an outdoor cat or two to control the mice, but it gets so cold here in winter, I'd be worried they'd freeze to death.

Old fashioned traps with PB are working well for me. 20 last fall, 10 so far this month. Reminds me, I need to go have a smoke and check the traps.

 

[RobSmith]

Mechanical traps I try to use as well. If I catch a Mouse I then feed it to the Magpies.

By feeding them, come nesting season ( August, September, October. ) they do not attack me and they love a mouse. I have three Magpies I feed plus the usual young family when they are out of the nest.

We have classy magpies in NSW

 

[Keep]

If there is one thing that pisses me off its peoples "outdoor cats" Whats the point? All they do is run around the neighborhood and dig up gardens, get into trash, **** all over the place and piss my dogs off when I am walking them. Keep your damn cats in your own yard.

end rant

 

[scooterseats]

I got for the poison bait, I just place it high enough that the dogs can't get to it. It keeps them out of my shops.

 

[Buford T. Justice]

I got for the poison bait, I just place it high enough that the dogs can't get to it. It keeps them out of my shops.

I did that too but then I found that the bait pellets were getting drug off and hoarded somewhere else in little piles. My dog found one and that's how I found more...luckily he didn't start immediately eating it.

Anyway, here's the "mouse bucket" ready to go to work:

With a nice, big Interstate off-ramp to handle heavy mouse traffic if needed:

And with the PB smeared on the can:

 

[kdtjb]

Also if you have your dog food (dry) keep it in a metal garbage can. Don't feed the mice. No food any where.

 

[s_ontario]

what works best here is to get a box of boothill or what ever rat/mouse killer you have available and just sit the box on a shelf or open backed cabinet and let the mice find it themselves they will eat a small hole in the box empty the little packets and the whole time think how smart they are to be getting away with it

 

[Busted_Knuckles]

In my neck of the woods (corn I should say), the mice and moles never go away, you have to manage the problem. I'm blown away how fast they can set up shop, for example, I bring a car home, let it sit one week, and theres a nest in the tail pipe.

I'm using mechanical traps (peanut butter), and bait in vehicles. I have found the moles will eat the mice if I don't empty the traps quick enough. Right now, I have no "food" for the mice, as in the property has been vacant for a year (not living there, just playing and I go home for lunch), but the mice are everywhere, in the lawn, the house, and all the buildings. There is 9 acres of grass around the house and buildings (then surrounded by thousands acres of corn and beans), so I think they are feeding on grass and weed seeds, but they still come in all the buildings, not sure why.

And as far as building a place tight enough to keep them out, short of NASA designing it the materials just don't exist to build and stay that tight, you can surely give it your best effort, just don't ever think they have "gone away" or you have defeated them, in this part of the country, they are coming back... just wait !

 

[HOTFR8]

Soap is better than mothballs.

We have classy magpies in NSW

You will have to explain that one to us.

 

[blue dog]

What do you mean by soap? like bars of soap spread around ? they eat the bars and die? I'm confused. Please explain the soap theory. I do like the pb on the can over the bucket of death, thats great.

 

[Racer_X]

I use these to help control the mouse situation:

http://www.ratmousezapper.com/index.html

 

[5thRail]

I've used rolled oats mixed with plaster of paris as well. Put both into a bag and shake - idea is to coat the oats but not overdo it. Then you can put this anywhere dry and the little critters will eat it down. Larger animals can pass it, but smaller ones will find the plaster setting up in their bellies, which creates some difficulty for them leading to death. I've used this for chipmunks and other small critters because it is safe around cats and dogs.

 

[jds62f]

I tried the AF bucket peanut butter trap from this thread. One day, one mouse! This trap is going to be great as it gets colder.

 

[rickycobra]

Trap them or keep a few cats around. Everyone benefits.

 

[uhcrandy]

I leave my camper at the ranch over the summer. Last year they set up party central in my camper. Any idea how to keep deer mice out. I have heard irish spring soap and bounce dry sheets keep mice out. Anyone accually used this?