Getting rid of rats/mice (merged threads)

pimento

Rotor wrote: »

Yep good tip. With sparrows you should live catch and release them in the neighbours garden

:rotfl:;) ...

toasterman

It seems we have a problem in our new house. Ironic, given that it is definitely the cleanest house either me or my girlfriend have ever lived in. Maybe this thing about mice being dirty is all a myth.

Anyway, yesterday bought three traps. Two of these revolver ones (they come in a pack of 2), and one of these humane traps.
Last night, we set them all up, and woke up this morning to find we'd caught a mouse, in one of the revolvers.

The first link there.. the "revolver" trap, seems like a great idea.
Says on the packet that it uses "no poison" and has an indicator to tell whether it's caught something. "No touch, no see" it says on the top of the trap.
It also says that you dispose of the entire trap (which seems a waste, environmentally) including the "dead mouse".
It constantly states "dead mouse" on the packet, but given it isn't airtight, and features no poison, how does it intend to kill it?
Given that it only rotates the middle to prevent the mouse's exit (as far as I can see), I thought this wouldn't kill the mouse, and I would be able to release the mechanism and set it free this morning in some woodland (not near houses) a couple of miles away.

My girlfriend spots this morning that it's moved to the "caught" position, but given that you can't see inside (and mice don't weigh much) it's hard to tell if it's really caught anything (it went off several times while setting it, I think due to me putting too much bait in the middle). I picked it up to inspect it, and there were two tiny little paws sticking out the entry hole, from where it had tried to escape.
I found something to poke the paws with, but there was no reaction.

I almost don't want the other one to go off now.
Presumably it died of fright, or because of its legs being trapped in the entry hole.
Despite the "no poison" aspect, given that it's a closed unit which still traps and kills the mouse anyway, I'm not seeing the benefit.
Ironically, some poison I looked at, said on the front "contains natural whole wheat" - great for the diet of a mouse with a live expectancy which could be measured in minutes.

I found this video a couple of days ago, which I think is very helpful. It shows all the pros and cons for getting rid of mice: http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-catch-a-mouse
It explains why cats aren't necessarily good.

Edit: I forgot to say - assuming we don't have just one mouse (though we've been finding 1 dropping every 2 days, so they're not eating much), what are the current thoughts on sonic repeller type devices?
My sister has one which she swears by, but how do you know the mice haven't just moved out of their own accord?
The videojug information film also rates them, but this and this (and various other user reviews online are very hit and miss).
I'd rather not knowingly be killing any more.

pimento

Snap traps. I'm afraid it's the only way. Quick and humane. I used to re-use them but I have a cast-iron stomach.

noelphobic

toasterman wrote: »

Edit: I forgot to say - assuming we don't have just one mouse (though we've been finding 1 dropping every 2 days, so they're not eating much), what are the current thoughts on sonic repeller type devices?
My sister has one which she swears by, but how do you know the mice haven't just moved out of their own accord?
The videojug information film also rates them, but this and this (and various other user reviews online are very hit and miss).
I'd rather not knowingly be killing any more.

I bought one when we had a problem but it didn't help at all. The pest control man from the council said they were useless.

I also don't like killing them,but I have a phobia about rodents which meant I virtually moved out of my house when our problem was at it's worst. Therefore I had to set traps up on the basis that it was them or me! My phobia is so bad that I can't even dispose of the dead ones. My neighbour was very kindly doing it for me until my son came home from university when he took over!

Steel_2

MrsTine wrote: »

If you don't want a cat for ever then have you thought of getting a foster cat? Often just the smell of a cat is enough to clear a house of mise

Not in my house. I have three cats and a mouse in the house. Found two weeks ago the enterprising swine has raided my homemade plum jam store, broken through the cellophane and eaten a third of one jar.

You can see its jammy prints all over the cupboard and other pots of jam.

The cats sit there where it comes and go as if to say "did you know you had a mouse?" but never actually catch it.

Now have a humane trap but it's doing !!!!!! all. I'm not convinced about the bait in it. Might smear a bit of jam in there instead and see if that does the trick.

Steel_2

Rotor wrote: »

Yep good tip. With sparrows you should live catch and release them in the neighbours garden

ROFL :rotfl:

miecherox

We've had an issue with rats in the loft since before christmas one of them was eating the rafters and keeping us awake at 4 in the morning! OH laid traps up there with chocolate on and caught 4 or 5 baby rats the adult ones aren't fooled though, they swipe the chocolate off the trap with their tail and eat it (laughing at us i'm sure).

Anyway the loft is clearer and they're now outside in their rat holes - thing is there was a massive one, really brazen just helping itself from the chicken feeder, didn't even move when I'd go out to hang the washing out:eek:.
So OH got an air rifle and just waited til it was happily munching and ended its days. There are definately more but are much smaller so i'm hoping they'll go for the poison we've laid in bait boxes before they wisen up.

Mice are easy to catch but rats are clever, don't underestimate them! Go for a fierce attack and try lots of things simultaneously.

wallbash

I like the humane traps , but I was only dealing with small field mice.
When releasing them , take them first for a long walk , otherwise they are 'home' before you are.

House_owner

Steel wrote: »

Not in my house. I have three cats and a mouse in the house. Found two weeks ago the enterprising swine has raided my homemade plum jam store, broken through the cellophane and eaten a third of one jar.

You can see its jammy prints all over the cupboard and other pots of jam.

The cats sit there where it comes and go as if to say "did you know you had a mouse?" but never actually catch it.

Now have a humane trap but it's doing !!!!!! all. I'm not convinced about the bait in it. Might smear a bit of jam in there instead and see if that does the trick.

The mice in our house always had peanut butter as their last meal - very effective!

Equaliser123

After over a week of trying, I bought a new humane trap from B&Q yesterday to catch the blighters in my garage. I had all but given up on live-catch traps after sheer frustration. The "Big Cheese" multi-mouse trap from B&Q (and elsewhere) is absolutely rubbish.

However, the new trap worked a dream within 30 minutes with a bit of chocolate as bait. It is one of those 'tipping' traps - mouse trots into the plastic tube, it tips up closing the door behind him. Only £3.50 or so instore.

Quick trip up to the local woods and Mickey now has a new home.

Bizarrely, the mouse appears to have lived alone as there is no further sign.