Just moved into a mouse infestation - What can I do?

Pixie5740

You get snap traps that also give an electric shock to the mice...just to ensure that they die. They're supposed to be really effective and relatively humane since the shock kills them instantly. You'll need lots of them since mice breed quickly. Mice can have 10 litters a year.

What has your housemate done to try and resolve this infestation so far? Everyone living in the property will have to be on board if you want to get rid of the mice once and for all.

Davesnave

Pixie5740 wrote: »

What has your housemate done to try and resolve this infestation so far? Everyone living in the property will have to be on board if you want to get rid of the mice once and for all.

This is the crux of te matter. Mice are never going to be a huge problem if you and your housemates can agree to be fastidious and to trap any mice which are there.

If you can't do that, then it's clear you are moving out as soon as your contract allows.

ripplyuk

My house was infested with mice when I moved in. I think the old man who lived here before me didn't mind them and worryingly, some were quite tame! They would come right up to me when I was sitting on the sofa and weren't in the least bit scared. I was catching about 5 a day with traps but it wasn't until the holes where they were getting in were fixed, that it made any difference.

I did use poison but was totally put off due to the smell when one died in an inaccessible place. The stench was so bad it would wake me from my sleep and it lasted for months. My cat was a good mouser but he couldn't keep up because more mice were getting in. The next cat couldn't care less about mice so I wouldn't get a cat (or dog, ferret etc) unless you actually want a pet anyway.

Maybe you could speak to your landlord again about it. If he isn't interested, it might be worth sharing the cost of getting a pest controller in, just to see if it will be easy enough to sort out, or if you'd be better to move.

halfabee

I had mice a few months ago in my 3rd floor flat, I was surprised! We'd lived here 2 years and they suddenly appeared. Perhaps the appearance of a breadmaker and the many crumbs my partner liked to leave around when cutting his crusty bread had something to do with it....

Anyway, we bought these traps which worked. Mice were caught, bang, very little struggle, then dead on the spot. No half-alive scurrying around the kitchen first, and an easy release mechanism so you don't have to touch the mouse at all. The bait they come with appears to be very effective, you can buy a tube of it to replace the bait. In the end we caught four mice within a week and haven't seen any since.

We also got one of those plug in mice sound deterrent things, and I have no idea if this works. It certainly didn't put the mice off that were already here, but it sounds like it won't if they have babies, they will put up with it in order to feed the nest. I've left it plugged in since I got rid of those 4 mice, so I don't know if it's stopping any new mice, or not. Am not inclined to switch it off and try it out :-)

gadelina

Thanks for all of your advice.