Mouse in the house

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balloonshark

Diamond Member
Jun 5, 2008
7,308
3,733
136
This mouse is making me feel kind of stupid. But one day I'll bury it. Watched Gangs of New York yesterday, I have a little hangover from it. ;)
My money is on the mouse. :p


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WilliamM2

Diamond Member
Jun 14, 2012
3,026
896
136
This mouse is making me feel kind of stupid. But one day I'll bury it. Watched Gangs of New York yesterday, I have a little hangover from it. ;)

Wouldn't it be best to find out how they are getting in the house?
Had one in my house ONCE in 2007. A small gap hidden by the vinyl siding in an corner after adding an addition. That corner was done by my father in law. Oops, but it was free labor.

I had always felt cold air coming in in that area, and my cats would go crazy in that area. so we knew where to look. He only got in the one wall bay, stashing his acorns. Pain to remove the whole corner and adjacent siding. Haven't had on before or since. And we live in the woods.
 

Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
41,330
10,456
136
Wouldn't it be best to find out how they are getting in the house?
Had one in my house ONCE in 2007. A small gap hidden by the vinyl siding in an corner after adding an addition. That corner was done by my father in law. Oops, but it was free labor.

I had always felt cold air coming in in that area, and my cats would go crazy in that area. so we knew where to look. He only got in the one wall bay, stashing his acorns. Pain to remove the whole corner and adjacent siding. Haven't had on before or since. And we live in the woods.
115 year old house. Mouse proofing it would be impossible.
 

WilliamM2

Diamond Member
Jun 14, 2012
3,026
896
136
That's what my neighbor says about his house, which is identical to mine, but reversed. Whole area was boult in the early 70's. I have no mice, he has a ton, and thinks it's normal....

I've never even had one in the garage or shed. Sealing...
 

BonzaiDuck

Lifer
Jun 30, 2004
16,889
2,204
126
Glue traps are as cruel as a trap can be . They guarantee a lot of struggling, torn flesh, and suffering. Death is very slow. I had a client use one and when I arrived she came out crying and asked me to end the mousses suffering. Fucking things should be illgeal.
Your not kidding, are you? When Moms was still alive and still able to get around on her walker, I would see a mouse bound across the floor in my own room, and then later -- saw one jump across the floor from a couch to space under Moms' hospital bed. I put out traps, and probably caught a couple. Then one evening, I was in the kitchen which adjoins the den where Moms slept. There was a plastic grocery bag on the kitchen floor and I was startled with two young mice pups that had somehow dropped onto that bag.

I had on my Timberland hiking boots. I took a flying leap, landing with one foot on top of each of those babies with my full weight of 190 lbs.

DEAD! THEY WERE QUICKLY DEAD! DID THE SUFFER? WHO CARES!

That was in 2019, and that summer, a neighbor notified us of a termite infestation in our building of four townhome units. We made plans with the neighbors, called Orkin and set up reservations at the local Holiday Inn for about four days. Orkin covered the entire building in a tent and fumigated it.

Since then -- it's been almost seven years -- there have been no pests in this house, and that includes any of the the rodent mouse!

Life is hard enough so I don't fret over "cruelty to rodents". I don't tolerate ground squirrels in my garden, either. I poison the F***ers! I don't care how "social" and intelligent they are. Tomatoes are far more valuable.
 

Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
41,330
10,456
136
Life is hard enough so I don't fret over "cruelty to rodents". I don't tolerate ground squirrels in my garden, either. I poison the F***ers! I don't care how "social" and intelligent they are. Tomatoes are far more valuable.
Yo, I get where you're coming from with the squirrels. Some people think they're cute and adorable. I grow tomatoes too. For quite a few years they seemed to pretty much leave my tomatoes alone but where major problem for my yearly summer kabocha squash patch. Once a squirrel had enjoyed one of them they'd come back, pretty much daily for another attack. I'd lose a lot of the crop to them. I declared war. I've shot a couple, I guess, with my single loader pellet gun. I've caught some in my have-a-heart trap and released in the hills. I've caught a couple in rat traps, dead.

I discovered a remedy on the internet that pretty much works. Simmer some hot pepper flakes in water for a couple minutes, sieve out the flakes and put the juice in spray bottle and spray the squash. The squirrels hate the hot taste in their mouth and don't come for seconds. I spray every week or two during the time the attacks would happen, which is when they are closing in on full ripeness.

Last summer, I lost a fair proportion of my hanging tomatoes to some rodent. I don't know if it was squirrels or rats. I put out traps but caught only one. I figure it's apt to happen next growing season. Don't know what I'll do. Yet. Maybe the pepper spray, just wash the tomatoes before eating or cooking with them if it wipes out most of the pepper hotness. I don't think I want to mess with poison.
 

Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
41,330
10,456
136
I just ordered these, 6 pack. Appear to be more durable than the Hdama traps.

They are likely more durable but the Hdama have a feature I really like, removable bait container. Just received 6 of them yesterday. I also got 6
Victor Power-Kill Humane Mouse Traps M393SSR. Have 18 new mouse traps that are far easier to set and are far better designs that the old wood plate traps I've always used. Caught one mouse so far. I think there are probably more in the house, will see.
 

bba-tcg

Golden Member
Apr 8, 2010
1,086
669
136
thecomputerguylbb.com
They are likely more durable but the Hdama have a feature I really like, removable bait container. Just received 6 of them yesterday. I also got 6
Victor Power-Kill Humane Mouse Traps M393SSR. Have 18 new mouse traps that are far easier to set and are far better designs that the old wood plate traps I've always used. Caught one mouse so far. I think there are probably more in the house, will see.
If you have anywhere close to 18, I'd say you're living in their house. Hope they don't have a Muse trap...

BTW, I also have a cat. She does mice pretty well too.
 
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BoomerD

No Lifer
Feb 26, 2006
66,690
15,092
146
I have a few traps with string tied around the bait plate to hold on whatever. Used with bits of bacon in the past. I've had a lot of traps' bait cleaned out without tripping, rat and mouse.
Try securing the bait in a bit of fine mesh. I raided my wife's sewing supplies and got some "wedding veil" mesh. (AKA tulle) Put the bait inside the mesh, tie or otherwise secure that to the trigger. They MIGHT be able to lick off any peanut butter that oozes through the mesh, but they can't steal the bait.
 
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Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
41,330
10,456
136
Try securing the bait in a bit of fine mesh. I raided my wife's sewing supplies and got some "wedding veil" mesh. (AKA tulle) Put the bait inside the mesh, tie or otherwise secure that to the trigger. They MIGHT be able to lick off any peanut butter that oozes through the mesh, but they can't steal the bait.
I've got all kinds of stuff like that, I think nylon screen material would work.

I saw indications that a couple of my new all plastic traps had bait nibbled in the kitchen this morning. Traps didn't go off. I'm using nuts for bait. Hazelnuts or cashews. I have 18 new traps. Remembering where they all are is an issue. ;) So far, I've only put out 6-7.
 

Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
41,330
10,456
136
Get a cat, mine find mice on occasion and bring them to me so I can take them outside :p
I really like cats but don't want the responsibility. Feeding, vet trips and bills, and what to do about if I leave the house for days, even weeks.
 

Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
41,330
10,456
136
Yeah it's a different lifestyle, worth it if you love them, but not for everyone.
Oh, I do love them but there's the other side of it. If I got a cat it would probably be two cats. I hear they do a lot better if they have a companion cat. They'd probably be very young siblings.