Getting rid of rats/mice (merged threads)

londoner1998 wrote: »

Hello

the fruit is on a shelf and we don't normally leave food around, apart from the odd pot that has been cooked and is there may be for a day. But I tend to put stuff in Tupperware anyway. Floor tends to be quite clean and there is nothing laying about, normally.

I wonder what they look for, as food is not there for them, niot in an obvious way, apart from the bait on the traps- and these little ones seem quite adept at just getting the food and escape death by trap...

You will have to find where they are getting in and fill the gaps or holes. They only need a tiny opening and the promise of food and they will be in.
I would not even leave fruit or cartons of food on a shelf, I would put them away in cupboards or the fridge.
I was once preparing some food in the kitchen, when I noticed movement out of the corner of my eye. I could not believe it, a little mouse had crawled through the slatted ventilation panel below the oven, and was looking up at me. When I moved, he shot back through the panel.
I spent a couple of days, taking plinth off and checking for gaps and holes in the floorboards.

hi Again

I think the opening where they come from is out of reach for us, but I am goign to check where I can seal. We laid traps and my OH put a cashew in on them... as the last one just licked at the peanut butter but woudln't trigger the trap... I have noticed this has been nibbled at and the trap is still intact!!!:eek: He insists that the mouse will eventually be caught as he niblles further down or even get on top of the cashew, but my fear is that he is being fed and escaping scot free... these are traditional , cheap traps that have been very effective up to that lastest one two days ago . Should I get one of the tilting ones? May the humane ones that you bit, they get in and stay there (within a week, the intruder should be dead, shouldn't it??)
OH and I have argued about the cashew business and he insists it will work... (he claim is 'I killed the mouse, didnt I'?)
we go away fro a week on Sunday and I want to make sure I leave everything in percetc condition to come back home to Mickey/Minnie funeral... Also, the thought of a cat is starting to become highly appealing, even though I would have to ask my landlord and OH protests they cost a lot of money in vets fees, etc...... (it could also give me a maternal outlet, I think ) Any trips appreciated.

londoner1998 wrote: »

there is a tiny opening where some leads run along the wall, behind the cooker and they tend to come in/out through there I think- what can I plug it with?

Electrical wires can be a bad place to fill - we suffered some burnt out cable, due to rats eating through the 30 amp lead :eek:.
I reckon that you would have to fix a small alloy or steel plate around the wires, so there is no gap, and then secure it to the wall.
I do not know if it is wise to simply use decorators filler or the expanding foam, because of the heat build up, and the fire risk.
I really hate rodents, because they are small and sneaky.:mad:

I was looking out of bedroom window this morning saw a large mouse/rat and a small one running across garden in daylight grabbing bits of spilt rabbit food.All garden in concreted so I have brushed all rabbit food up and disinfected the area (it is very clean and tidy anyway).I have been out and bought mouse/rat poison and laid it down in 3 areas.My garden is on two levels with large stone steps leading up to higher level and house, under these steps is filled in with concrete/soil but im sure ive seen a tunnel, or maybe just my imagination but my neighbour has extensive raised decking over her stone steps and ive heard rats love decking, ive been living here 15yrs and have never seen anything until today.Im sat here terrified in case they get into my house.

We protected the bottom floor of the rabbit hutch with chicken wire, looked out of the windown and there was a rat climbing up the chicken wire and eating out of the rabbits food bowl - the cheeky sod! So we then reinforced the top floor with the chicken wire and luckily the rats havnt been in there again.I have seen them running about, we have put poison down in trays and they havnt touched it, we have also set two rat traps with peanut butter in but they havnt been set off.There is no where for them to hide now and no food source so why dont they just go away?