Large mice or rats attacking my peas
 

For many years I sow peas in large trays (100-200 peas per tray))in the greenhouse harden them off in the cold frame and plant them individually when about a couple of inches high.This has worked very well with only small losses from assumed mice living under my shed.
This year however 3/4 of a complete row (400 peas)were pulled up and nipped off-much of the pea tops and swollen peas were all taken.It could not have been birds,since they were netted,and the scale of the damage has shocked me.My theory has always been that when the peas have started growing,the swollen pea ceases to be sweet and less attractive to mice-hence they try a few and leave the rest-this time they have taken 3/4 of the peas which is most disturbing.
Could this large hungry mice or possibly rats-do rats eat green vegetables?
Michael

Large mice or rats attacking my peas
 

In article ,
wrote:

Could this large hungry mice or possibly rats-do rats eat green vegetables?

Yes, but it's far more likely to be voles - or vole mice, as they used
to be called.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Large mice or rats attacking my peas
 

On Thursday, April 7, 2016 at 12:13:21 PM UTC+1, wrote:
For many years I sow peas in large trays (100-200 peas per tray))in the greenhouse harden them off in the cold frame and plant them individually when about a couple of inches high.This has worked very well with only small losses from assumed mice living under my shed.
This year however 3/4 of a complete row (400 peas)were pulled up and nipped off-much of the pea tops and swollen peas were all taken.It could not have been birds,since they were netted,and the scale of the damage has shocked me.My theory has always been that when the peas have started growing,the swollen pea ceases to be sweet and less attractive to mice-hence they try a few and leave the rest-this time they have taken 3/4 of the peas which is most disturbing.
Could this large hungry mice or possibly rats-do rats eat green vegetables?
Michael

Thanks Nick.How do I get rid of vole mice.I have already left out 'Nipper' mouse traps with peanut butter,but they prefer the peas.
Michael

Large mice or rats attacking my peas
 

In article ,
Chris Hogg wrote:

Thanks Nick.How do I get rid of vole mice.I have already left out
'Nipper' mouse traps with peanut butter,but they prefer the peas.

Bait that attracts mice doesn't necessarily work for voles. The RHS
suggest pieces of carrot or apple for voles. Lots of useful stuff
about dealing with both mice and voles on the RHS web site
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=792

Yup. They are almost entirely vegetarian, and peanut butter works
better on omnivores (like mice). I think that I used apple when
I had to get rid of some.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.