getting rid of mice when you have pets?

mandco

anyone had to get rid of mice while they had other pets?

I've tried all the usual non poison things and they still keep coming back and so it is looking like we might have to put bait down or we're going to have a major problem
Now I can put it where I know our puppy can't get at it directly but worried that he may pick up a dead mouse and I won't know

I can get pest control out for £150 but all they do removal wise is put the bait down

any suggestions much appreciated

bouicca21

There are loads of threads on getting rid of swear word mice. Some have tried electronic repellents and think they work. Some say electronic repellents are rubbish. Oil of peppermint is supposed to deter them (it didn't deter mine). The only effective way of getting rid is to block every place they can get in, preferably with wire wool as they bite through most other stuff, but given that they can get through a hole the diameter of a pencil, blocking up all entrances is often problematic. If you are prepared to be viciously cruel, there is the gluey paper that they get stuck on. ghastly stuff.

I never succeeded in getting rid of the mice at my previous place. I always suspected that the only realistic solution was a Jack Russell.

mandco

we had a cat and he was he best deterrent ever but since he passed they seem to have come back with avengeance :mad: I know they are one of the best ways to solve the problem but not in a position to get another one at the moment so need to find another solution

FreeBear

I've used snap traps baited with peanut butter in the past - Place them against the wall so that if/when a mouse runs over it, the trap is triggered. If you have pets, using poison is not a good idea, so traps are probably a safer bet.

I've got a cat, so the traps needed to be sited where she couldn't get to them - Didn't stop her from bringing the mice upstairs complete with the trap when they got caught.... I'm slowly going round plugging the holes where the little varmints are getting in - Holes in the floorboards are plugged with wooded wedges, and gaps between plaster & floor with plaster.

The other thing to do is to look to see what is attracting the mice to come in. Quite often, they are heading straight for foodstuff, so keeping food in mouse proof containers helps. Keeping the kitchen clear of crumbs and scraps of food is something else to look at. Mice also like to gnaw at soap, sponges, and dishcloths (both used and new).

suki1964

Snap traps with peanut butter have always worked for me

you need to find out where they are coming in and block their entrance. We found they were coming in following the channeling from the boiler in the garage to the hot press upstairs. We filled the gaps with wire wall and cemented them up, haven't seen a mice since. We also put bags of poison in the roof space, going up weekly to pick up dead mice and to replace the bags as required.

You can buy bait boxes to put the poison in that cats and dogs and children can't get into for not a lot of money

elsien

Mouse trap behind furniture/fridge etc where mice are running but pup can't get his hooter. Slightly bigger dogs, like Gitdog, I work on the basis of a learning curve that unless they're particularly thick they won't put their schnoz there twice.

Mine were coming in the attic from next door so as doggy is banned from upstairs it didn't matter where the traps went.

Helen2k8

Snap traps inside a length of drainpipe or similar - make sure the trap has room to snap! But it keeps big clumsy paws away from the snappy bit.