Mice infestation
 

We were away from our house for a couple of months,
and when we came back there were hundreds of mouse (or rat) droppings
in just 2 rooms.
To get into one of the rooms, the mice had to climb up a 2 metre wall.
They got into the other room through an air-hole.

I'm wondering if there is any way of stopping them climbing a wall?
It's a reasonably smooth plastered wall (outside).

Also, is there anything better than mice traps to dissuade them?
They came through a garden, and I wouldn't like to put anything down
that could harm other animals.

If a mouse is caught in a trap, does it worry the other mice?
Or will they just ignore their dead brother?


--
Timothy Murphy
gayleard /at/ eircom.net
School of Mathematics, Trinity College, Dublin

Mice infestation
 

In article ,
Timothy Murphy wrote:

We were away from our house for a couple of months,
and when we came back there were hundreds of mouse (or rat) droppings
in just 2 rooms.
To get into one of the rooms, the mice had to climb up a 2 metre wall.
They got into the other room through an air-hole.

I'm wondering if there is any way of stopping them climbing a wall?
It's a reasonably smooth plastered wall (outside).

Yes. Metal flashing (ideally not lead - it's too soft). Either
4" flush and vertical or 2" sticking out and down. If it is rats,
you need three times those lengths. Mouse droppings are rice
grain sized - rat ones are much bigger.

Also, is there anything better than mice traps to dissuade them?
They came through a garden, and I wouldn't like to put anything down
that could harm other animals.

Poison. Put it inside the house.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Mice infestation
 

On 11/04/2015 11:49, Timothy Murphy wrote:
We were away from our house for a couple of months,
and when we came back there were hundreds of mouse (or rat) droppings
in just 2 rooms.
To get into one of the rooms, the mice had to climb up a 2 metre wall.
They got into the other room through an air-hole.

I'm wondering if there is any way of stopping them climbing a wall?
It's a reasonably smooth plastered wall (outside).

Also, is there anything better than mice traps to dissuade them?
They came through a garden, and I wouldn't like to put anything down
that could harm other animals.

If a mouse is caught in a trap, does it worry the other mice?
Or will they just ignore their dead brother?



Without a food source one assumes they would have pushed off elsewhere

Mice infestation
 

Nick Maclaren wrote:

We were away from our house for a couple of months,
and when we came back there were hundreds of mouse (or rat) droppings
in just 2 rooms.
To get into one of the rooms, the mice had to climb up a 2 metre wall.
They got into the other room through an air-hole.

Yes. Metal flashing (ideally not lead - it's too soft). Either
4" flush and vertical or 2" sticking out and down.

Thanks for the suggestion - can one get special vertical metal flashing?
I've never seen it in use - how is it attached to the wall?

Also, is there anything better than mice traps to dissuade them?
They came through a garden, and I wouldn't like to put anything down
that could harm other animals.

Poison. Put it inside the house.

Actually the mice climb onto a balcony before getting into the room.
I'll try putting down poison there.


--
Timothy Murphy
gayleard /at/ eircom.net
School of Mathematics, Trinity College, Dublin

Mice infestation
 

stuart noble wrote:

If a mouse is caught in a trap, does it worry the other mice?
Or will they just ignore their dead brother?

Without a food source one assumes they would have pushed off elsewhere

Actually the mice got very little if any food -
conceivably there were a small number of crumbs on the floor.
I suspect they came in out of the cold.

--
Timothy Murphy
gayleard /at/ eircom.net
School of Mathematics, Trinity College, Dublin

Mice infestation
 

On 11/04/2015 19:46, Timothy Murphy wrote:
stuart noble wrote:

If a mouse is caught in a trap, does it worry the other mice?
Or will they just ignore their dead brother?

Without a food source one assumes they would have pushed off elsewhere

Actually the mice got very little if any food -
conceivably there were a small number of crumbs on the floor.
I suspect they came in out of the cold.


I've been keeping my eye on a field mouse that has been waiting outside
the back door, hoping for an opportunity to nip in and case the joint.
Bold as brass

Mice infestation
 

On 11/04/2015 19:46, Timothy Murphy wrote:
stuart noble wrote:

If a mouse is caught in a trap, does it worry the other mice?
Or will they just ignore their dead brother?

Without a food source one assumes they would have pushed off elsewhere

Actually the mice got very little if any food -
conceivably there were a small number of crumbs on the floor.
I suspect they came in out of the cold.

Figuring out exactly how they got into the room(s) and closing the gaps
off with a stainless steel mesh ought to help.

Chances are there is a rusted through air vent grating somewhere.

I find Nutella makes excellent mouse bait. The odd one gets inside our
loft from time time time usually in late Autumn. That is by climbing a
vertical wall and finding a small gap somewhere under the eaves.

Dead mouse doesn't put the others off, merely prevents them from
throwing themselves on their favourite trap. For some reason the same
trap almost always gets them out of a choice of three that are all
strategically located close to wall edges near ingress or egress route.

There is some grain based rodent bait up there as well but the traps
usually work more rapidly if I hear scuffling in the loft space. I don't
like the idea of them sharpening their teeth on mains cables.

Squirrels have attacked my garage in much the same way. They did a lot
of damage dislodging tiles and to the roof underfelt.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

Mice infestation
 

Martin Brown wrote:

Actually the mice got very little if any food -
conceivably there were a small number of crumbs on the floor.
I suspect they came in out of the cold.

Figuring out exactly how they got into the room(s) and closing the gaps
off with a stainless steel mesh ought to help.

Chances are there is a rusted through air vent grating somewhere.

I've worked out how they got into the 2 rooms.
In one the cover of an air vent was on the floor -
I'm not sure if the mice pushed it out or if it was not on.
I'm planning on blocking the air vent, so that case should be solved.

In the other room the mice entered through a door onto a balcony.
The catch on the door is broken, and the door was very slightly ajar.
Again I should be able to close this firmly.

The mice or mouse were on the balcony again last night,
as evidenced by a few droppings, and a small pool of mouse pee.

I find Nutella makes excellent mouse bait. The odd one gets inside our
loft from time time time usually in late Autumn. That is by climbing a
vertical wall and finding a small gap somewhere under the eaves.

I'll follow your advice with a couple of traps and a little poison
on the balcony.
Thanks for your suggestions.

--
Timothy Murphy
gayleard /at/ eircom.net
School of Mathematics, Trinity College, Dublin

Mice infestation
 

On 13/04/15 09:51, Martin Brown wrote:
I find Nutella makes excellent mouse bait. The odd one gets inside our loft from
time time time usually in late Autumn. That is by climbing a vertical wall and
finding a small gap somewhere under the eaves.

I find peanut butter on a "little nipper" trap works. I prefer
backbreakers to poison since they is fast and I can dispose of
the corpse without having to locate it.

Sometimes I find the trap unsprung but with the peanut butter
gone. But I only have to be lucky once; they have to be lucky
every time.

Not a pleasant job, but usually they only start to come in
as the cold weather arrives.

Mice infestation
 

On 13/04/2015 11:25, Tom Gardner wrote:
On 13/04/15 09:51, Martin Brown wrote:
I find Nutella makes excellent mouse bait. The odd one gets inside our
loft from
time time time usually in late Autumn. That is by climbing a vertical
wall and
finding a small gap somewhere under the eaves.

I find peanut butter on a "little nipper" trap works. I prefer
backbreakers to poison since they is fast and I can dispose of
the corpse without having to locate it.

I am quite impressed with the Rentokill plastic ones which are not quite
as tricky to set or as messy as conventional ones.

Sometimes I find the trap unsprung but with the peanut butter
gone. But I only have to be lucky once; they have to be lucky
every time.

Not a pleasant job, but usually they only start to come in
as the cold weather arrives.

I favour a bit of both. There is grain bait down and I set traps if I
hear any scuttling around in the late Autumn when they try to come in.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

Mice infestation
 

"Timothy Murphy" wrote in message
...
We were away from our house for a couple of months,
and when we came back there were hundreds of mouse (or rat) droppings
in just 2 rooms.
To get into one of the rooms, the mice had to climb up a 2 metre wall.
They got into the other room through an air-hole.

I'm wondering if there is any way of stopping them climbing a wall?
It's a reasonably smooth plastered wall (outside).

Also, is there anything better than mice traps to dissuade them?
They came through a garden, and I wouldn't like to put anything down
that could harm other animals.

If a mouse is caught in a trap, does it worry the other mice?
Or will they just ignore their dead brother?


--
Timothy Murphy
gayleard /at/ eircom.net
School of Mathematics, Trinity College, Dublin


Sounds like long tailed field mice
They can climb a vertical house wall with ease and enter roof spaces, if
they get a chance they will take advantage of the house proper but generally
avoid it if occupied. most problems are over winter and often they will
leave again in summer.

House mice are different and more of a problem. both are best dealt with
with old fashioned mouse traps, set a number and keep going, you will be
surprised how many mice there will be already! I don't like poison as they
go off and die leaving you with the nasty smell of something dead but often
unable to find and remove the body!!

--
Charlie, Gardening in Cornwall
Holders of National Collections of Clematis viticella
and Lapageria rosea cvs
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk

Mice infestation
 

"Timothy Murphy" wrote in message
...
We were away from our house for a couple of months,
and when we came back there were hundreds of mouse (or rat) droppings
in just 2 rooms.
To get into one of the rooms, the mice had to climb up a 2 metre wall.
They got into the other room through an air-hole.

I'm wondering if there is any way of stopping them climbing a wall?
It's a reasonably smooth plastered wall (outside).

Also, is there anything better than mice traps to dissuade them?

Yep, a decent cat..
They came through a garden, and I wouldn't like to put anything down
that could harm other animals.

If a mouse is caught in a trap, does it worry the other mice?
Or will they just ignore their dead brother?

No it will not bother them and yes, they will ignore, unlike rats who will
eat dead rats in a trap.

Mice infestation
 

On 11/04/2015 12:56, Timothy Murphy wrote:
Nick Maclaren wrote:

We were away from our house for a couple of months,
and when we came back there were hundreds of mouse (or rat) droppings
in just 2 rooms.
To get into one of the rooms, the mice had to climb up a 2 metre wall.
They got into the other room through an air-hole.

Yes. Metal flashing (ideally not lead - it's too soft). Either
4" flush and vertical or 2" sticking out and down.


For the air brick (or whatever it is), I'd definitely go for wire
mesh/chicken wire. Either several layers, or if you can get inside the
brick, a big ball of it filling the cavity.

Re traps, we had some rats and mice come in by eating the ground level
plastic airbricks in the shed, climbing up and getting into the loft
(and inside the cavity walls where they seemed to love the insulation).
Nothing worse than lying in bed hearing rats scurrying in the walls
and ceiling:(

Tried some ordinary traps in the loft but got nowhere. So I got a
couple of cheap plug in 'ultra'-sonic devices - and at the same time,
put some electric traps in the shed up against the broken airbricks -
and zapped them as they came out. In 3 days, I got 6 mice and three
rats. I've left the ultra sonic in the loft and also put one in the
shed. No sign of any since then (apart from the ones the cat brings in
- and he has the decency to mainly kill them first - and leaves the rats
outside).

The traps are not cheap - and use 4 C class batteries to deliver a very
high capacity shock when the little ones put their foot on the plate.
When you turn it on you can hear it charging the capacitor (or whatever
it is).

This was a very good site - the only exit for them to get away from the
ultra sonic - with the aded lure of peanut butter at the end of the
tunnel.

Search Pest-Stop Electronic Rat Killer on amazon - currently £40 each.

--
regards andy

Mice infestation
 

"Timothy Murphy" wrote in message
...
We were away from our house for a couple of months,
and when we came back there were hundreds of mouse (or rat) droppings
in just 2 rooms.
To get into one of the rooms, the mice had to climb up a 2 metre wall.
They got into the other room through an air-hole.

Block the airhole up with wire wool, they can't get through it.

I'm wondering if there is any way of stopping them climbing a wall?
It's a reasonably smooth plastered wall (outside).

Also, is there anything better than mice traps to dissuade them?
They came through a garden, and I wouldn't like to put anything down
that could harm other animals.

You could get a cat? I was never a cat fan until mine arrived. No mice
would have a chance in the house and he's good with young ratties around the
chicken huts.

If a mouse is caught in a trap, does it worry the other mice?
Or will they just ignore their dead brother?

I don't think mice have that sort of intelligence. If they did, once you
removed the dead one from the trap they wouldn't get caught themselves the
next day.
Never use poison.

Mice infestation
 

"Timothy Murphy" wrote in message
...
We were away from our house for a couple of months,
and when we came back there were hundreds of mouse (or rat) droppings
in just 2 rooms.
To get into one of the rooms, the mice had to climb up a 2 metre wall.
They got into the other room through an air-hole.

I'm wondering if there is any way of stopping them climbing a wall?
It's a reasonably smooth plastered wall (outside).

Also is there anything better than mice traps to dissuade them?

Yep. A cat. I never wanted a cat, he just arrived and tbh I didn't want
to keep him. He's brilliant with mice. No mice could ever live in my
house. He's good with small rats too. He doesn't do big rats with their
huge teeth - we get the terriers in for those.