Mouse infestation

[Esther]

We have tenants who just called to inform us that our rental duplex has gobs of mice. They have tried traps etc and want me to spend over $300 to get both units treated. Funny thing, there have been several families in that unit and these folks are the first to have a problem.

By gum if it was where I was living, I'd be darned if mice would take over. Maybe if they'd try cleaning up the place inside and out and not running a restaurant for mice, the problem would dissappear.

The joke is, the rent was due the first of September, and they called with a big sob story about being late this month so I said, "OK". They have been good though and paid fine all along before.

Anybody have any ideas? They don't want to use Decon because of their pets and don't want the mice dieing in the walls. I would set traps all over the house and garage, mow the lawn, and weed whack along the house.

[karen J]

A timely post. We knew we had mice, especially when my daughter would say "look! A mouse!"

I (me only, not my more knowledgeable hubby) decided to get live traps. The kind that traps the mouse, but does not kill it. We placed 4 in the basement. We caught 8 mice over a few days. One of the traps was destroyed by a mouse, chewing his way to freedom.
We took the mice to the Forest Preserve and let them go. It was a busy day at the preserve, so we felt quite stupid driving around for an appropriate place to let them go.
When we got home, we had caught another mouse. Then another one. Unfortunately, when mice are hungry they do what they do. I woke up one morning to the wails of my children- upset because one had "ripped apart and ate" the other.
Since we have 2 mice as pets, we keep the "found" mice in an extra 10 gal aquarium with food and water until we get a few to be released at the forest preserve.

I think a better way is to use "killing" traps. Get rid of them once and for all. This is the season for mice to come in. Seal all cracks, foam up all holes, stick steel wool in any crevice that can't be foamed. Get a cat. Get traps. Good luck!

They are pretty cute, though. :'(

[livetogarden]

They are cute animals but knowing some carry disease now creeps me out. Ick!!! I don't know if this is all over the country but there have been deaths and severe illness caused by mice in the western (which is a more open area) of our state (Nebraska) in the past several years.
We have 2 cats and they do a good job catching them but when they first start coming in from the cold even the cats can't keep up. So we use traps. We've never had any luck with the live traps. I don't especially like to kill any animal but if it comes down to them being in my house they lose.
I would say set traps and tell your tenants to have cereal, crackers, cookies, etc. in plastic storage containers.
Cath

[Esther]

Yup, I found a really good article about searching the house and out buildings for stray food and clutter etc, keeping the grass mowed real short around the house, and plugging any entry holes in the house. They supposedly have tried traps of several sorts and are "tired" of trapping mice.

So I think we will go over, mow the lawn, week whack at the edge of the house, put Decon out away from the house and set traps all over the place and check them once a day. I'd rather do that than pay a company that much money to get rid of the mice.

I read on line that mint is a natural deterrant for mice. So I'm heading to the local garden center today and see what I can find.

[EagleEye]

They are pretty cute, though.

Karen, I don't think so.

Steve

[Teresa]

I've been watching this thread cuz I've never had mice . . . . . now I know that if I ever do have them, I don't wanna know about it. . . . .

[Esther]

Teresa, it's likely if you ever have mice in the house, you'll first notice little black droppings a little smaller than a kernal of rice. They can crawl through any opening as small as a dime. When I did the search online, they said that mice multiply really quickly so it is important to stop them early in the game. These folks didn't.

We have had a mouse in our house maybe 3-4 times over the course of 35 years we have lived here in the country. Most of that time we have had a cat too so I don't know if the cat has been taking care of the other mice and we didn't know it. She has brought me chipmunks, a baby rabbit, and a young sparrow at different times but never a mouse.  But as soon as I see the mouse droppings, I set the trap and within 24 hours, we catch the offending creature and that's the end of it for a long while.

Saturday I purchased 6 spring loaded traps and a container of coyote and bobcat urine. The urine is supposed to scare the mice away. I'll put that outside and in the garage. Also I'm going to cut some of the peppermint and spearmint that is growing around the pond and put it in pantyhose bags to throw around in the house and atic.

[Kittyzee]

Sounds like what you are doing Ester, will work.  My DH brought me a glue trap once and I used it,,,,NEVER AGAIN!  The regular mouse traps that kill instantly are much more humane than the glue trap that he brought me.  But the main thing is to put items like bread, crackers, cookies, cereal, pet food, in containers that they can't chew through.  That really helps, and of course kittens and cats.  If mice can run the "cat gauntlet" then they are gonna have to deal with me and my two cats in the house!!   

[karen J]

Esther, I've tried it, the urine does NOT work.

It doesn't work for mice, and it doesnt work for chipmonks, voles, snakes, coyotes, deer, coons, fox, groundhogs, or any other vermin.
Sorry. But I do have living proof that it does not work.