# EEK! MICE!



## angelgirl599 (Apr 8, 2009)

We have mice in the house. We get them every winter but this year it is worse because they've morphed into very brave mice.
Last Friday there was a mouse rustling in my garbage in the house because we had made popcorn the night before and the bag was still in the trash. Well I heard it and took a big book to cover up the opening so it couldn't get out and we took it outside far far away and let it go. Not terrible but still not a good experience.

This morning I woke up to a mouse rustling by my bedside table!!! I screamed and it ran away. 

So...is there a safe way to get rid of mice? I have a cat who is definitely interested in the mice but hasn't actually caught one. This morning he was not interested at all because he wanted breakfast. You would think he would be a little more eager to catch a mouse if he's hungry but no, he wouldn't budge.

Anyway obviously those snap traps are out of the question with a cat and dog in the house and just the idea of those traps make me a little nauseous. I did read about those things you plug into your wall which emits something that mice don't like but I wonder how effective they really are.

The only food we have around the house is the dog and cat food which is out all day. I mean, I am sure they are looking for food in the house (i.e. the popcorn bag in the trash) but I feel that they're really in the house because it's warm. My mom says we get mice every winter but this year they're* brave*.  

Any thoughts or suggestions?


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## princessre (Dec 23, 2008)

Oh my!! Can you "incentivize" your cat to catch the mice by not feeding him? I don't know if that's humane, or "feline," though! 

Maybe call a professional exterminator! I'm sure a pro will know what to do!!

Sorry they are scaring you! I would be very very scared too!


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## angelgirl599 (Apr 8, 2009)

QUOTE (princessre @ Feb 22 2010, 10:21 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=888899


> Oh my!! Can you "incentivize" your cat to catch the mice by not feeding him? I don't know if that's humane, or "feline," though!
> 
> Maybe call a professional exterminator! I'm sure a pro will know what to do!!
> 
> Sorry they are scaring you! I would be very very scared too![/B]


Thanks Sophia! 

Will a pro exterminator use poison? I'm worried how the poison will affect Lola and the cat. 

LOL my cat is a fat kitty. He's 15 lbs. I wouldn't not feed him because he can be vindictive when hungry...basically he acts like Garfield. A little lazy. Does things when he feels like it. Isn't openly mean to Lola but isn't her friend. etc. lol


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## princessre (Dec 23, 2008)

I think a pro would at least plug up all your holes for you so mice can't come in and out!


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## LJSquishy (Feb 27, 2008)

As far as I know there really is no effective "safe" way to get rid of the mice. They will either need to be poisoned or trapped. For every 1 mouse you actually see, there are probably 10+ hiding out. If you use poison, it is extremely effective as they carry it back to their nests -- you just have to make sure you put it in areas your pets can't get to. Also, you have to be extremely alert and look for droppings because even poisoned droppings can kill or injure your pets. The traps can be expensive because you have to have the exterminator keep coming out to reset/rebait the traps, etc. For a one-time visit it will cost around $200+ whereas you can buy your own poison pellets at Walmart and lay them around your house for probably under $20.


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## MalteseJane (Nov 21, 2004)

I would start not leaving ANY food out. Everything in the refrigerator. Take the garbage out EVERY night. A safe way to get rid of them is peppermint. Not mint, it has to be *peppermint*. For some reason they don't like it. Some one in Australia who had mice did this and it worked. *Cats* are sensitive to essential oils so it is *not* a good idea to use the oils since you have a cat (http://www.cybercanine.com/cat.htm). But maybe you can find fresh or dried peppermint and put the leaves on places where you know the mice are.


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## angelgirl599 (Apr 8, 2009)

QUOTE (LJSquishy @ Feb 22 2010, 11:57 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=888922


> As far as I know there really is no effective "safe" way to get rid of the mice. They will either need to be poisoned or trapped. For every 1 mouse you actually see, there are probably 10+ hiding out. If you use poison, it is extremely effective as they carry it back to their nests -- you just have to make sure you put it in areas your pets can't get to. Also, you have to be extremely alert and look for droppings because even poisoned droppings can kill or injure your pets. The traps can be expensive because you have to have the exterminator keep coming out to reset/rebait the traps, etc. For a one-time visit it will cost around $200+ whereas you can buy your own poison pellets at Walmart and lay them around your house for probably under $20.[/B]


Oh boy. Thanks Lisa, sounds like you have some experience in this. I've been reading online that if we use the poison, the mice will bring into their nests and die there and then we would have to deal with finding the nests and their rotting bodies [blech]? Do you know if this is true? :huh:


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## angelgirl599 (Apr 8, 2009)

QUOTE (MalteseJane @ Feb 22 2010, 12:06 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=888927


> I would start not leaving ANY food out. Everything in the refrigerator. Take the garbage out EVERY night. A safe way to get rid of them is peppermint. Not mint, it has to be *peppermint*. For some reason they don't like it. Some one in Australia who had mice did this and it worked. *Cats* are sensitive to essential oils so it is *not* a good idea to use the oils since you have a cat (http://www.cybercanine.com/cat.htm). But maybe you can find fresh or dried peppermint and put the leaves on places where you know the mice are.[/B]


Thanks for the suggestion. If Lola accidentally eats the peppermint will it harm her?


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## MalteseJane (Nov 21, 2004)

QUOTE (angelgirl599 @ Feb 22 2010, 10:08 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=888931


> QUOTE (MalteseJane @ Feb 22 2010, 12:06 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=888927





> I would start not leaving ANY food out. Everything in the refrigerator. Take the garbage out EVERY night. A safe way to get rid of them is peppermint. Not mint, it has to be *peppermint*. For some reason they don't like it. Some one in Australia who had mice did this and it worked. *Cats* are sensitive to essential oils so it is *not* a good idea to use the oils since you have a cat (http://www.cybercanine.com/cat.htm). But maybe you can find fresh or dried peppermint and put the leaves on places where you know the mice are.[/B]


Thanks for the suggestion. If Lola accidentally eats the peppermint will it harm her?
[/B][/QUOTE]

Here is another website that talks about the toxicity for cats : http://cats.about.com/od/housekeeping/a/aromatherapy.htm

I don't know about Lola eating the peppermint. Does she nibble on plants ? To be safe I would put the leaves where she cannot get to it. 

There is a poison that you can put in your attic and when the mice eat it they get thursty and go back outside to find water and they die. So you won't have any dead bodies in your attic. You can buy that at Home Depot and Lowe's and do it yourself.


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## LJSquishy (Feb 27, 2008)

QUOTE (angelgirl599 @ Feb 22 2010, 09:07 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=888930


> QUOTE (LJSquishy @ Feb 22 2010, 11:57 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=888922





> As far as I know there really is no effective "safe" way to get rid of the mice. They will either need to be poisoned or trapped. For every 1 mouse you actually see, there are probably 10+ hiding out. If you use poison, it is extremely effective as they carry it back to their nests -- you just have to make sure you put it in areas your pets can't get to. Also, you have to be extremely alert and look for droppings because even poisoned droppings can kill or injure your pets. The traps can be expensive because you have to have the exterminator keep coming out to reset/rebait the traps, etc. For a one-time visit it will cost around $200+ whereas you can buy your own poison pellets at Walmart and lay them around your house for probably under $20.[/B]


Oh boy. Thanks Lisa, sounds like you have some experience in this. I've been reading online that if we use the poison, the mice will bring into their nests and die there and then we would have to deal with finding the nests and their rotting bodies [blech]? Do you know if this is true? :huh:
[/B][/QUOTE]

We have had a mouse problem in the past (we live in a 100+ year old historical home) and called an exterminator, etc, and ended up getting rid of them on our own using poison. The exterminator said the mouse poison basically dehydrates them and when they die you will likely not smell anything (eww, I know) and they will just dry up. We never did smell anything, nor did we ever find dead mice laying around. We used 2 different types of poison...one was in a block form and we knew they were eating it because you could see pieces chewed off, and we also used pellet form. We only found a few droppings and I just made sure I did a thorough check throughout the house looking for them daily. We were able to put all of the poison out of reach for the dogs; we put one behind the dishwasher (since you can pull them out easily), and put the rest in closets behind furniture, some in our basement crawlspace, and in our laundry room. All of which have doors that are always closed. Now we just keep a couple in the crawlspace so we never have to deal with it again!


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## Toby's Mom (May 7, 2004)

We just went through this this past autumn at my mom's second home. UGH! What a nightmare! We ended up catching 15 mice in the house. YUCK! The worst part was the house had been locked up for four months and mouse poop was EVERYWHERE! We spend 12 hours cleaning EVERYTHING! 

Anyway, they are finally gone. My mom has a professional service, but since the house was locked for four months, they couldn't get in to spray. They did spray one time, while we were there with Toby, and he said it was safe for dogs--just to keep him off the floor for an hour (so we went to the beach!  ).

What he uses is this stuff in a packet. He puts the packets under the sofa cushions and behind the fridge (places mice go). I guess they tear into the packet and get to the poison inside (it looks like sprinkles/jimmies). He also place SEVERAL mouse traps around the house. They are called Sticky Boards (I think). They are little boards with super-duper sticky stuff on it. The mouse runs across it and gets stuck.

Now, my mom gave the man the house key! I told her I am not doing that again! LOL 

Here's a link to what the board looks like...
Sticky Board


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## puppy lover (Dec 25, 2007)

There are many effective humane traps out there which trap the mouse without harming them. Once trapped they can be released back outside or to a nearby park.
http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywo...sl_5ub5qyc2pp_e

Poison, glue traps and snap traps are all inhumane and can cause the mouse pain and suffering for hours or days


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

I've had a second home in Vermont for 25 years. The year we built it I had a skiing accident, tore two knee ligaments and we couldn't go back up to VT for two months. Well while the people are away, the mice will play. :w00t: They got into all the food...chomped through cardboard and plastics, etc. We hadn't mouse proofed anything. I can't stand seeing a mouse...something about them darting. So we had a battle on our hands. We tried the kind of "have a heart" type traps for mice. Not a single one ever went in one. I really don't like the poison. I would go to my ski boot, put it on and say "What the heck's in here?" I'd dump it out and find the poison in there. :bysmilie: They managed to carry it and make a nest of it in my boots!!! So I don't trust them not to leave it somewhere in your house. Also if they try to find water it will sometimes lead them to your toilets and that's not what I want to look at when I really have to go. :new_shocked: We tried the Pesticator or whatever it's called that you plug in. Didn't work. The sticky thing freaks me out because then you've got them struggling to get off the stuff and I wouldn't know what to do then. The droppings are very bad for asthma which my DS has and we would occasionally see droppings in our beds. YECH! He went into a bad asthmatic episode once from it.
Finally we went the trap route. It might be cruel but it got to a point it was them or us especially with the asthma. It costs next to nothing. We managed to cut down the population considerably...we will occasionally catch one. Mice like to crawl along the sides of walls so you can put them snug against the wall, in out of the way places that Lola and the kitty won't go to. I personally can't stand the thought of looking at their little dead bodies but DH doesn't mind and when I lived in VT for a year my DS would do the deed. I paid him $5 so he was okay with what grossed me out. My snowplower, a real vermonter, heard that and said "Yup. Your son probably goes to the pet store, buys mice for a dollar and makes four dollars from his "catch." So vermont!!  
Other than that it's up to Garfield. Tell him to get his lazy butt off the couch and do some work.


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## silverhaven (Sep 6, 2009)

When we moved into this house it had LOADS of mice. Waterfront property, lots of trees etc. It really bothers me to hurt any animal, feel bad even stepping on spiders, but it isn't healthy having mice running around the house, and no other way really works quickly or well.

My solution was "the better mouse trap" it is the grey one with red writing. Put peanut butter on them and put in closets where the dogs don't go. They worked really well and you just have to pinch the trap and drop the mouse down the toilet. Done. They work and I feel a lot better not to have poison around the house.


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## makettle29 (Nov 12, 2005)

We have an antique in the summer up north and have good success setting the standard variety trap under the sinks, kitchen and bath. They pups don't get access and I just throw the trap and mouse outside in the woods! My DH will r-use the trap but I don't like handling the . Having droppings around the house is grosser to me than setting
the trap with peanut butter and tossing it when "full".


good luck,

mary anna herk and theena


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

Borrow a good mousing cat (you might have to board your kitty for a couple days)....safe and will definitely get rid of the mice. I've had that in the food garage at work and cat worked wonders. We borrow a neighbor's barn cat.


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## paris'mom (Jul 14, 2004)

when I lived in Florida, and behind a creek, we had a rat issue (thankfully it was only a few nightmarish months before we moved). I got this thing called the RAT ZAPPER and it is great. No mess and I think it's a lot more humane (and no eye contact, most importantly). It basically sends a huge volt to their body when in contact with this plate inside the device and there is no struggling. I see it's being sold by Amazon now so you can see the reviews there. Most people LOVE it.

I, personally, can't say anything negative about it. I liked it so much I contemplated giving it as gifts to friends that are moving to Florida since rats are so big there...lol


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## Maidto2Maltese (Oct 19, 2004)

Nobody nut nobody can be more freaked out by mice then me! I get a true anxiety attack when I see one or even know they are in the house. Unfortunately we get them every year. 
Years ago I asked for help in ridding of them and found thru experience , after trying everything, that the snap-trap was the best and worked quickly.
I had already ruled out the poison for a couple of reasons..safety to pets, ( yes as someone said they'll take the pellots and 'store' them almost anywhere!!) Also recall my aunt having a time once with a horrible stench in the house and apparently the mice had died within the walls! Also heard of them being found in toilet, and even once floating in the kitchen sink that had been filled to soak a roasting pan overnight! NOPE!! not for me! 

Sticky traps are just cruel in my opinion... can't go there.

Had a professional in to seek where they're coming in and he said they can even go underground to pipe lines and follow into the house. Must be so because we have diligently scaned the house for any source of entrance and can't find any.

Got the plug ins from QVC many years ago and will say for a few years they appeared to work. I thought they were the best thing invented since toilet paper! LOL ( we set traps as back up but never found any) Then no more. Even though it said as long as red light was blinking they were working.. we started having the mice invasion once again. I replaced b but still no good. 

We decided the old-fashioned snap trap was a quick-kill and best route for us. I can't deal with disposing of them and hubby does it ( though he doesn't like it LOL ) We like the 'covered' ones that you can re-use, put out by D-Con. easy to set and all he has to do is press the lever and it releases into a bag of wheich he takes to the garbage. presses the lever down and it's re-set.

http://www.d-conproducts.com/traps/ultra-set.html


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## angelgirl599 (Apr 8, 2009)

QUOTE (JMM @ Feb 22 2010, 09:57 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=889143


> Borrow a good mousing cat (you might have to board your kitty for a couple days)....safe and will definitely get rid of the mice. I've had that in the food garage at work and cat worked wonders. We borrow a neighbor's barn cat.[/B]


I wish I could borrow a good mousing cat. I just have no idea where I would find one around here.


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## angelgirl599 (Apr 8, 2009)

Hi Everyone!

Thank you so much for all your comments about this. I'm glad I'm not the only one with this issue :smheat: 
After much research as well as taking in your comments, we ended up getting the dcon one time use traps (Terry, I'm like you! But I don't have a DH to help dispose of them). 

Originally, I did want to go the live trap route but it seems that most of the live traps all had the same complaints in that if the mouse was not heavy enough the trap would not set off or that after awhile, the mice could figure out how to get in for a buffet and get out no problem. There is also the added component of releasing them just right so they don't jump onto you. :shocked: 

Anyway, I hope this works. I didn't see any mice today but there was nothing in the traps either. I'm hoping that they just flee and everyone comes out of this a winner. It's not realistic, but hey, you never know  

Thanks again!
Diana


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## Maidto2Maltese (Oct 19, 2004)

QUOTE


> we ended up getting the dcon one time use traps (Terry, I'm like you! But I don't have a DH to help dispose of them).[/B]


I'd have to hire someone to do the dastardly deed! LOL!! ( well not really a "LOL"...it's true! ) Even with the 'hide-away' ones we use, the little tail still sticks out and freaks me LOL .


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

QUOTE (Maidto2Maltese @ Feb 23 2010, 10:33 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=889284


> QUOTE





> we ended up getting the dcon one time use traps (Terry, I'm like you! But I don't have a DH to help dispose of them).[/B]


I'd have to hire someone to do the dastardly deed! LOL!! ( well not really a "LOL"...it's true! ) Even with the 'hide-away' ones we use, the little tail still sticks out and freaks me LOL .
[/B][/QUOTE]
Diana
I should send my son down to you He loved making the $5 and still runs to check the traps when we go to VT. :bysmilie: I cringe and say just don't let me see it at all. :new_shocked: Maybe there's a teen in the neighborhood where you live. We also fling them, traps and all, in the woods. 
Since you haven't seen them now, maybe the mice got onto your computer and read these threads and feared for their lives. We can only hope.  A new meaning for a computer mouse. :w00t:


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## Dora's Mom (Nov 7, 2009)

We had mice in our house and went with those same traps Diana! I SAW the mouse not 5 feet from my foot and screamed bloody murder. I made my husband carry me into the living room and I went out RIGHT THEN in my HOUSESHOES (!!!) to buy traps. We have a cat but he isn't a very good hunter at all. I really don't think he could catch a mouse even if he tried. I don't think he really wanted to see a dead mouse either so those dcon no-touch no-see traps were good for us.  I still made him do the job of picking up the trap and throwing it in the trash though!


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## silverhaven (Sep 6, 2009)

QUOTE (angelgirl599 @ Feb 23 2010, 09:57 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=889266


> Hi Everyone!
> 
> Thank you so much for all your comments about this. I'm glad I'm not the only one with this issue :smheat:
> After much research as well as taking in your comments, we ended up getting the dcon one time use traps (Terry, I'm like you! But I don't have a DH to help dispose of them).
> ...


If that doesn't work for you I still highly recommend this one

http://www.intruderinc.com/products.asp?To...ter%20Mousetrap

it is a snap one, but is easy to set up and release. You just pinch the ends. If I have mice I can guarantee that if I put a trap with peanut butter on it will have a mouse by next day. I put it out until no more are in then the house is free from mice. 

Good luck, they are a pain.


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

QUOTE (Silverhaven @ Feb 23 2010, 05:22 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=889468


> QUOTE (angelgirl599 @ Feb 23 2010, 09:57 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=889266





> Hi Everyone!
> 
> Thank you so much for all your comments about this. I'm glad I'm not the only one with this issue :smheat:
> After much research as well as taking in your comments, we ended up getting the dcon one time use traps (Terry, I'm like you! But I don't have a DH to help dispose of them).
> ...


If that doesn't work for you I still highly recommend this one

http://www.intruderinc.com/products.asp?To...ter%20Mousetrap

it is a snap one, but is easy to set up and release. You just pinch the ends. If I have mice I can guarantee that if I put a trap with peanut butter on it will have a mouse by next day. I put it out until no more are in then the house is free from mice. 

Good luck, they are a pain.
[/B][/QUOTE]
I tried that but my mice were too old school to go for those new fandangled ones. :rofl: The ones I get are Victory and if there's peanut butter or not it's most important to put against walls since thats the way they move the most...along the walls and you get them passing by.


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## LitGal (May 15, 2007)

This topic totally freaks me out! Do you know how they got into your house? I want to avoid any possibility of having to deal with those critters. :smscare2:


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## angelgirl599 (Apr 8, 2009)

QUOTE (Snowbody @ Feb 23 2010, 11:35 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=889318


> Since you haven't seen them now, maybe the mice got onto your computer and read these threads and feared for their lives. We can only hope.  A new meaning for a computer mouse. :w00t:[/B]


 :smrofl: 

QUOTE (LitGal @ Feb 23 2010, 07:36 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=889534


> This topic totally freaks me out! Do you know how they got into your house? I want to avoid any possibility of having to deal with those critters. :smscare2:[/B]


Through my research, apparently they can squeeze through dime sized holes. Last year, when I was still away at college, my mother decided to get our roof redone and didn't do any research about the roofing company. Bad idea but very typical of my mother. Needless to say they did a terrible job. Our roof looks much worse so I'm pretty sure the shoddy roofing job has something to do with the mice.


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