Getting rid of rats/mice (merged threads)

Jnelhams

Work out where the little darlings came in, and poke wire wool (What brillo pads are made from, available from DIY shop) into the holes and then cement up the holes. Look for broken air bricks, gaps around waste pipe exits, broken pipes, gaps under door and window frames (especially UPVC as they often fill with soft foam), gaps under doors, and if missing bricks in the roof if you are in a joined property.

amc1984_2

Thanks for all the advice. I've actually put some white paper down on the floors to see if I can detect any droppings.

Miss_Ratty

Please please please do not use poison in any circumstances. Firstly it is incredibly inhumane, not just to the rodents, but to anything around them. They won't die instantly, could die in some recess you can't get to and have to put up with the stench for years, or get outside/discovered by any of your pets who will also have an incredibly inhumane experience and possibly die. We have a problem with rodents here (inner city, next to a train track etc.). The best solution I have found is the humane traps (they do work, I have caught many and taken them to the forest), whilst cleaning up EVERY scrap of food around and sealing all holes (mice can get through a hole the size of a pencil). We had one or two who lived under our stairs where we can't get to (under the bottom step which is sealed in), but by gosh I would never risk poisoning them in case they died in there and we had to take the house apart to get to them. I could never kill an animal, they are just opportunists - so don't give them the chance to dine for free in your house. Sadly I think a neighbour put poison down as we found a dead rat in my garden (luckily I found it before my Jack Russell did) and another neighbour's cat died after killing a mouse. Poison is a definite no-no. They do become immune eventually and they will happily trample over your worktops and floors whilst urinating and defecating poison until they die. Not good for you, kids or your furry friends! (Rodents are incontinent). As an animal lover I always advocate the humane method. As one poster earlier said, even the snap traps are not effective - an animal will chew its limbs off to escape if it isn't 100% accurate. After all, if you feed 'em, you breed 'em...best to hide all food sources, try to seal off any obvious entry points and lay those traps. They will go eventually.

Jnelhams

Humane Traps do work very well indeed, when I've had them in the Shed a few sunflower seeds or a bit of Chocolate works wonders, way better than Cheese. Just make sure you release them a long long way from your home in the Park maybe, as they'll find your home pretty quick otherwise.

noelphobic

I had mice about 2 years ago and almost moved out of the house as I have such a bad phobia!

Unfortunately they are now back. I have 20 traps out (I'm not joking!) and also poison. My son is staying at his dad's tonight and don't know whether I'll be able to stay in the house alone.

My bathroom is downstairs, behind the kitchen, and coming down in the morning is the worst part. I don't normally come down until my son has been down and checked the traps and got rid of any unwelcome visitors. Unfortunately I won't have that option tomorrow :eek:

darwins_mum

eesh, my back garden has been decimated by rats. I noticed it just after new year and called pest control. They out poison down but the activity seems to be much worse. The rats have dug under the adjoining fence between my house and next door, made a run from my garden into the garden on the opposite side. they have literally eaten their way through 2 fences. Evidence of fresh droppings in the yard.
any other suggestions on how to deter them? I was going to refill with soil where they have dug and cement the holes back up, but someone suggested that they will simply gnaw through it.
Thankfully the revolting smell has gone, it looks more unsightly than anything.
DM

noelphobic

darwins_mum wrote: »

eesh, my back garden has been decimated by rats. I noticed it just after new year and called pest control. They out poison down but the activity seems to be much worse. The rats have dug under the adjoining fence between my house and next door, made a run from my garden into the garden on the opposite side. they have literally eaten their way through 2 fences. Evidence of fresh droppings in the yard.
any other suggestions on how to deter them? I was going to refill with soil where they have dug and cement the holes back up, but someone suggested that they will simply gnaw through it.
Thankfully the revolting smell has gone, it looks more unsightly than anything.
DM

sounds awful, but at least they're not in your house! Have you tried traps? Also, I think the cement would be a good idea, as I'm not sure they could actually gnaw through it and you've got nothing to lose by trying.

becs

We have just had 2 mice in the loft. We put 4 traps up there and baited with dairy milk, caught the 1st one on day 1 and te 2nd te next day. Nothing since and no sign f anything and not hearing tem now so think that's it. We'll leave the traps down for a bit and if still convinced they've gone we'll then put a sonic scarer in the loft.

shinkyshonky

You can get humane trps from b&q , green ones, put a small dollop of peanut butter/ chocolate spread where they show you , and voila !, in they come , cheese they do not bother with as it makes them ill , poison is no good , they are immune anyway they love anything sweet, and yes they are incontinent

oh and do take somewhere far and release, as even 200 yards down the road they will come back

prosaver

buy some mouse traps and....
"I can always tell when the mother in law's coming to stay... the mice throw themselves on the traps."
Les Dawson