Problem House Mice

I would vote for the humane live trap - wouldn't even contemplate the alternative. There are lots of good  live traps around. However, the cage type can be a problem in some cases as, apparently, a smaller size mouse can get out through the grille due to the holes on some being a bit on the large size..

Squirrel B said:

I would vote for the humane live trap - wouldn't even contemplate the alternative.

Me too!! My parents had the same issue & used a humane trap, they are now mouse free!!

Before doing any sort of trapping (humane, obviously) you need to look at ways of deterring them from coming back. Store perishables like your pasta and other foodstuff in tupperware so there's nothing to tempt them inside....i'm sure you've probably already thought of doing this anyway!

Also, try to find out how they got in in the first place - can be tough as they don't need a big hole to get in but try the obvious places first and block them up - under doors, around inlet/outlet pipes, air vents, behind and under kitchen units/cookers/washing machines....

Hi all
Love the thread - little devils they are! LRB is right to suggest checking for where they are getting in in the first place and to store perishables in containers – but they can eat their way through plastic quite easily and a Tupperware box would be no match for a determined mouse! I personally don’t keep anything that can be eaten into/through in any of my floor units. Anything in them is either in a jar or tin. I keep anything likely to tempt a mouse up in my wall units to make their work that little bit harder if they ever get into the house.

As for trapping them – I’d say use a humane trap baited with a piece of chocolate! ‘Mars’ is supposed to be good. My Mum had them get into her bungalow once many years ago. She tried a humane trap and after it not working for a while, was advised to use Mars! Hey presto it worked!  It may sometimes help if you don’t set the trap and leave it to get them used to going in and out without incident first.

An effective home made 'trap' which will catch more than one mouse is to put the bait in a large bucket, then set some books up like a staircase to the top of the bucket. The mouse/mice climb up, drop in but can't get out again! I have done this at a friend's house some time ago and it worked! We kept setting it up until there were neither new captives, nor signs of them still being around! And yes, chocolate is far more efficacious than cheese!!

Hi Blackbird,

I am not disputing in any way all the advice that you have received so far from the experts here.  I just wanted to add that we also get mice, although our culprit is the cat.  We use humane traps (transparent and easily pull apart to release the mouse) - I agree that the mice do prefer chocolate and we also found they like pine nuts (had to resort to these when we ate all the chocolate!!).  We watched for a day or so where the mice were running and then we set the traps slightly back from the entrance, approx 12" inches.  We also found it helped if the chocolate was slightly soft, the smell seemed stronger and we had a quicker reaction - almost within an hour of putting the trap out.  When they infiltrated underneath our kitchen units, we used a barrier from the entrance of where they lived to the trap - so they could only go one way to the food,  this also seemed to work.

Whichever advice you take, I wish you happy mousehunting.  Myself I think next time I might use MarJus' idea with the bucket it seems more entertaining!

Blackbird: Great idea to use a humane trap! The "killing machine" mousetraps are cruel. And, for people who don't know, using poison is really bad! The poison can kill other animals, especially owls, who eat the mice. PETA sells good humane traps. (I'm not making a political statement or endorsement here.) Mice like peanut butter, and it might be cheaper than chocolate.

But if people use humane traps, they should check the traps often, every six hours or so. If you only check it once a day, the mouse may die slowly from dehydration. Also, be sure to release the mouse in a field or forest at least 5 miles from your house. Honest. The little things are REALLY persistent about coming back. Also, don't release them near anyone else's home. Those people might not be so kind in getting rid of them. We have had them in our outbuilding near our burn/creek, so I did some research. Good luck.   http://www.ehow.com/how_2106548_buy-humane-mouse-trap.html

Thank you everyone for your replies.  Got lots of ideas to think about.

I know I did not want to use a baited trap, and wanted to avoid it is possible.  A few years ago we had a few mice in the garage in the winter months, and they chewed everything and anything they could for nest material.  So my OH put down some baited traps, and we put one chocolate covered raisen and the Mice loved it.  We did not use poison as we are both against that.  OH was cross as the invasion of mice had chewed the electric wiring of his car, saddle of his bike, etc..and he was furious at the damage that was caused.

Then one day my OH went out to check the traps and we found a Shrew trapped in one of our traps and it was too late.  I felt really bad about that so it has put me off wanting to hurt other creatures by accident.

Love the bucket idea.  Must give that a go. LRB I have put everything on containers now that are mouse proof to keep the devils away from our foodstuffs.  Oh yes and the plastic containers are not any use at all - never thought of that at the start

Peppermint Oil is interesting too - lots of ideas {thumbs up}

So Mr mouse is going for a ride to Sandy once we have caught him,

Regards

Kathy and Dave

Unknown said:

Blackbird: Great idea to use a humane trap! The "killing machine" mousetraps are cruel. And, for people who don't know, using poison is really bad! The poison can kill other animals, especially owls, who eat the mice. PETA sells good humane traps. (I'm not making a political statement or endorsement here.) Mice like peanut butter, and it might be cheaper than chocolate.

But if people use humane traps, they should check the traps often, every six hours or so. If you only check it once a day, the mouse may die slowly from dehydration. Also, be sure to release the mouse in a field or forest at least 5 miles from your house. Honest. The little things are REALLY persistent about coming back. Also, don't release them near anyone else's home. Those people might not be so kind in getting rid of them. We have had them in our outbuilding near our burn/creek, so I did some research. Good luck.   http://www.ehow.com/how_2106548_buy-humane-mouse-trap.html

I hope you don't mind Blackbird using your thread but I just wanted to tell you about something that happened to me not so long ago.

As mentioned before we also have mice, in fact we get mice in the house on an almost daily basis because of the cat.  I am pleased to say that nearly all my mice make it out alive......with one exception!

One day whilst at work, rummaging in my handbag for something (can't remember now what it was), the office phone rang, I answered and half way through the conversation I looked down at the desk where my handbag sat and poking up from the open zip was the head of a mouse -  very much dead!  It had obviously gone in there away from the cat.  (don't know if it had died because of the cat or me rummaging).   Anyhoo It was all very embarrasing nonetheless as I work for a school and we were going through an Ofsted inspection at the time.  So It couldn't have happened on a worse day made much worse as one of the inspectors was sat in the office chatting to the finance officer directly across from me.  I quickly ended the phone conversation turned around to my other colleague and found her staring with horror at the handbag! Being very unprofessional we both started giggling uncontrollably whilst trying desparately not to show it.  To make matters worse one of our pupils walked into the medical room (annexed to the office) with a nosebleed - what to do? obviously you need to go to the child, but then what do I do about  the mouse?  I looked at my colleague, who was frantically shaking her head to say "NO WAY AM I DEALING WITH THE MOUSE!"    Trying to be as blase as possible, I swiped the handbag and threw it under my desk and then went off to to see to the pupil.  I sat there for at least an hour with the handbag under there desparately waiting for the inspector to leave.  Alas my handbag and mouse went in the bin - judging by the smell the poor thing had not been a recent deposit - I dread to this day how long it had been in there!

Hi Kezmo

No worries with the story of your mouse,  It makes the thread more interesting, and I am sure there will be other mouse stories too.

My goodness that must have been a shock finding the mouses head where it was.  it just shows that we need to clear out our bags more often thatn we should {eek}

I could have just imagined the look on your face when you found it, and your work mates expression too.  It is just typical that type of thing would happen at the most inappropriate moments in our lives.

At least you can look back and have a laugh about it now. {thumbs up}

Regards

Kathy and Dave

Unknown said:

I hope you don't mind Blackbird using your thread but I just wanted to tell you about something that happened to me not so long ago.

As mentioned before we also have mice, in fact we get mice in the house on an almost daily basis because of the cat.  I am pleased to say that nearly all my mice make it out alive......with one exception!

One day whilst at work, rummaging in my handbag for something (can't remember now what it was), the office phone rang, I answered and half way through the conversation I looked down at the desk where my handbag sat and poking up from the open zip was the head of a mouse -  very much dead!  It had obviously gone in there away from the cat.  (don't know if it had died because of the cat or me rummaging).   Anyhoo It was all very embarrasing nonetheless as I work for a school and we were going through an Ofsted inspection at the time.  So It couldn't have happened on a worse day made much worse as one of the inspectors was sat in the office chatting to the finance officer directly across from me.  I quickly ended the phone conversation turned around to my other colleague and found her staring with horror at the handbag! Being very unprofessional we both started giggling uncontrollably whilst trying desparately not to show it.  To make matters worse one of our pupils walked into the medical room (annexed to the office) with a nosebleed - what to do? obviously you need to go to the child, but then what do I do about  the mouse?  I looked at my colleague, who was frantically shaking her head to say "NO WAY AM I DEALING WITH THE MOUSE!"    Trying to be as blase as possible, I swiped the handbag and threw it under my desk and then went off to to see to the pupil.  I sat there for at least an hour with the handbag under there desparately waiting for the inspector to leave.  Alas my handbag and mouse went in the bin - judging by the smell the poor thing had not been a recent deposit - I dread to this day how long it had been in there!