Get Rid Of Mice

Why You Don't Want Mice of Rats Around

2008-05-29T16:48:00.000-07:00

Here is a short video about why it's less than ideal to have mice and rats around your house....pay attention to the signs, these little creatures are not healthy and you need to get rid of them.

Mice Infestation

2008-01-19T20:41:00.000-08:00

Chances are, if you catch one mouse in a trap, you are going to catch more. That's because it seems that mice are seldom solitary creatures. Usually, one means more. Mouse traps, like snap trapsor the glue traps work pretty well, but they will usually only catch one mouse at a time. In fact that is all you can catch with a snap trap before you have to reset it. The sticky traps will sometimes catch two but my experience has been that catching two is rare.

So, if you mouse problem is serious, that is, if you suspect you have quite a few, you might want to try
the old metal bucket trick....that is, you get a metal garbage can, round, about 3 feet tall is good. 2.5 feet is the minimum. The can has to have metal sides that are slippery, which of course metal cans usually are.

Put some bait in the bottom of the can, I like raw bacon, but peanut butter will work, as will most food including things like crackers. Now comes the tricky part, the set up. The object of this mouse trap is to get the little rodent inside the can where he will be unable to climb back out.

So, put the can along the edge of counter or table where the mice are travelling. You can tell this by either spreading some flour or talcum powder along the edges of walls and on tables etc, and look for tracks, or, just take a flashlight and look for tiny black droppings.

There are all kinds of ingenious ways to get the mouse into the can. I have found a piece of wood set up like a ramp from the floor to the can rim works pretty good. Mice follow the wood to the top and smelling the bacon, jump in...they just cannot jump out. A person commented on one of my blog posts about using a metal coathanger which he put over the top of the can. The mice climb out on the metal hanger, and then fall off. Whatever works....might be fun to do it with the hanger.....

This method can take some trial and error with set up. You might need to experiment with locations and methods for getting the mouse to the edge of the can, before he jumps or falls in, but once he's in, you got him. Some people put something over the top of the can on one side to cut down on the ways out, but I found no cover works best. The best part about this mouse trap is that you don't have to reset it each time you catch a mouse. You can leave it and round up quite a few at one time. Particularly useful in camps or cottages where a week may go by before you get back.

I once used this method to clean up a severe mouse infestation in a camp I owned. I ultimately caught several dozen mice in about a week or two. All of them were dead except one, who got his freedom when I emptied the can outside and buried the corpses. We held a very simple ceremony....didn't even have a choir....

Keeping Mice and Rats Out of Your House

2007-10-16T14:51:00.000-07:00

Now that fall is in the air and things are cooling off, it's time to be extra diligent in keeping your house safe from unwanted rodents like mice and rats. This is the time of year when mice and rats start to look around for someplace warm and cozy to spend the long winter. You don't want to make it your house.

There are a few things you can do to keep them outside. For one thing,
don't leave doors open, even for a second, especially garage and ground floor doors. It only takes the blink of an eye and a mouse is inside, checking out his new surroundings.

Keep garbage and food scraps etc up off the floor, preferably in metal cans with lids and garbage waiting for garbage day should be tied up tight.

If you store your lawn furniture indoors for the winter, make sure you shake it out well, prior to bringing it inside. Mice can get inside the tubular frames or hang on to the back of a lawn chair for example and get a quick ride to warmth and comfort.

Make a visual inspection of your home from the outdoors. Look for cracks in the foundation, cracks around doors and windows and any other openings, however small that mice might get through. It doesn't take much of an opening either. It's best to stuff these cracks with steel wool prior to sealing them up. It's almost like razor wire for mice. The certainly won't chew through it, and if they do, call for an exterminator, you have a big, big, tough mouse.

Another technique for finding cracks and little entrance ways for mice to use to get inside your house is to turn all the indoor lights on, and go outside in the dark and look for light peeking through. If you find any, and hopefully you won't, take action to seal them up immediately.

I don't know if they really work or not, but I believe that moth balls thrown around the basment floor, and in your outdoor shed etc, will discourage unwanted visitors, like mice, rats, squirrels and yes, even moths....

Don't leave dog food, bones or any other food stuffs around outside, unless it is a long, long way from the house. Food found outside only encourages mice and rats to visit and hang around, inevitably leading to them gaining entrance to your house.

Like criminals, keeping mice out of your house is a lot easier than getting them out once they get inside, so prepare early and keep your house mouse free.

Mice Traps

2007-04-01T16:02:00.000-07:00

Now that you know you have mice, or suspect you do, the next step is to decide how to get rid of them. There are lots of traps on the market and most of them are effective at least to some degree if used diligently and correctly. Once you set a trap and catch a mouse, reset it and keep resetting it until months have gone by and you haven't caught another one, and you stop seeing signs of them being there. Mice eventually become smart to traps, I suppose after seeing enough of their brothers and sister die, and will avoid them. That's when it's time to change
the trap location or maybe even the bait and or type of trap.

Snap Traps
By and large, the most effective mouse trap is the old tried and true 2PK Easy Set Mouse TrapYou know the kind, you attach a little bait, then pull back the trap jaw which is on a spring and has what amounts to a hair trigger. Rat traps are available in the same design only much bigger and more lethal to fingers and thumbs....
Set Snap-E Mouse Trap along the walls as we discussed in an earlier post, in a manner that allows the mouse to run over the top of the trap trigger. We have tried several baits on these traps, including peanut butter, but I have found raw bacon cut into a small strip that I tie to the trap is most effective.

Glue Boards
Another option in your quest for a mouse trap are Stick-Em Rat and Mouse Glue Trap These are plastic sheets about 4"X6" with a strong adhesive on one side that traps the mouse and holds him. These are a little less attractive than the snap trap because the mouse is usually still alive when you find him leaving you with the decision to throw him away alive, or kill him. I have chosen to kill them in the past, but I don't particularly like the process.

Electrocution
Electrocution, isn't this fun, all kinds of lethal stuff...There are what are called "Zappers" which are battery operated devices which kill the mouse by delivering an electric shock. They are quite effective but somewhat expensive.

Catch and Release Traps like the Ketchall Mousetrap
are also available for catching mice. They are usually little boxes with a trap door affair that closes once the rodent is inside getting the bait. You can then transport him to another location and let him go...that is if you are really against killing something. If you do decide to go this route, be sure to take the animal a few miles away from home or he will be back. Don't just let him go outside the house, he'll be back inside before you are.

Ultrasonic Plug In Device
Ultrasonic plug in devices like the Sonic Technology PC3000 PestChaser Direct Plug-In Electronic Rodent Repellers, Set of 3are like anything of this nature. It can be hard to prove they work or don't work. The premise is that mice will hear the sound and not like it, thus clearing out. I don't know. If the food source is good, and there are no other things to interfere with his livelihood, I suspect these might not discourage a mouse.

Poisons
Poisons are a the Final Solution but one I don't recommend. First of all there is the danger of pets or kids getting in contact with them, and secondly the poisoned mouse or mice or rats end up dead in the walls or ceiling or basement of your house. Not necessarily where you can find them. If there are very many, they will stink...a lot...not nice....While I realize that there may be times when there is no alternative I can't say I recommend it. I had a squirrel die inside of my cottage one winter and we could smell him all summer until I finally found him up in the attic buried in the fibreglass insulation. Imagine searching for dozens of dead mice.

Metal Bucket
There is one other alternative to traps and poisons, one that was quite effective for me on one occasion. A metal garbage can, with smooth interior sides. Put the can at the end of a counter or table where the mice can enter it from above. You might have to construct a little ramp or tunnel affair to lead them into it. Of course some bait in the bottom is a good idea. Once they are in the metal can they cannot climb out. They will either starve or if your can is watertight, (and it should be) you can put 3 or 4 inches of water in the bottom and they will drown. As I said, none of this stuff is particularly pleasant, but remember, these are vermin, rodents that can harm you and your family through the spread of diseases. Take care when disposing of the dead rodents and the the bucket. If you are going to reuse it or keep it, make sure you clean it well with a strong disinfectant and bleach.

A Word About Rats
While this blog is directed at the elimination of mice, I have mentioned rats a few times as the relationship between the two is similar.
I do not recommend the use of any kind of live traps to catch rats. The rats I have had anything to do with in the past have been rather tenacious and tough, not to mention full of fight when cornered. The last thing I want to deal with is a rat in a live trap or worse in the bucket trap. The only good Norway Rat is a dead one as far as I am concerned so snap traps designed for rats or poison are the only way to do it.

Cats and dogs can also catch mice, some cats are particularly adept at it. So are some dogs. I had a Springer Spaniel at one time that would catch mice, rats, squirrels and even frogs with amazing regularity, but I think she was a rarity. I have had other dogs who have shown little or no interest in a mouse unless it ran right in front of them and even then they didn't kill it.

Some cats are pretty good hunters, the only problem is they will kill the mouse and probably bring it to you. Secondly, although dogs and cats may kill a few rodents and maybe even keep the population under control, it is unlikely they will eradicate it completely which is your goal.

Hantavirus and Mice

2007-04-01T13:17:00.000-07:00

Hantavirus is a serious illness that is passed to humans through contact with rodents like mice and rats etc. The hantavirus is predominately associated with the deer mouse, which is a little different creature than a house mouse. However, it is possible for house mice and rats to spread the virus and in some locations it's very possible to have deer mice in the house.

Deer mice pass the virus to each other, but don't usually show any signs of being sick. Deer mice look very similar to house mice.
Deer mice are about 6 inches long from the nose to the tip of their tail, grey to light brown colored on their back and sides with a white fur underneath. They have fairly large ears and their tail is rather furry, with white on it. Common house mice by contrast are typically grey all over without the white underbelly. Both are about the same size, if you discover one bigger, it could very well be a rat.

Hantavirus doesn't seem to affect pets like it affects humans, nor has there been any studies that show it can be spread from pets to you.

The safest way to avoid exposure is to first of all ensure that mice can't get inside, having said that, the next thing is to be very careful handling mice, their droppings and urine. (Not that you will be handling any of it, but you will come in contact when you are cleaning up where they have been and dealing with trapped mice.

Always wear rubber gloves when cleaning up mice areas and dead rodents. Use a solution of bleach and household disinfectants to clean up mice areas. A good rule of thumb is 1and 1/2 cups of bleach to a gallon of water. You need to let this soak for about 10 or 15 minutes and then wipe it up or remove the nest if you find one. Pour the disinfectant on any deal critters and then put them in plastic bags and dispose of them. Tie the bag up tight and then either bury it, or burn it, or put it in your garbage.

In addition, you should soak your rubber gloves in disinfectant before you take them off. Then bag them up and throw them away as well. Make sure you wash your hands well afterwards. Use as much disinfectant as you feel is necessary to ensure you have been cleaned up well. There is no sense taking any chances just to save a little disinfectant or the price of a pair of rubber gloves.

If you think you have encountered the hantavirus and then develop any symptoms like muscle aches or fever and shortness of breath see a doctor immediately and tell them you may have been exposed to the virus.

Safety is key, both for you and your family. Keep your kids and pets away from any areas that you think might be infected.

Fishing and hunting camps are particularly suspect for hantavirus. They are usually located in areas where the mouse is likely to be a deer mouse, so pay particular attention to signs of mice infestation in your camp and clean it up immediately.

Where To Set A Mouse Trap

2007-04-01T12:22:00.000-07:00

One of the keys to successful mouse and rat trapping is knowing where to set the traps. Today we are going to focus on mice, and leave rats for another post as they are a little bit different when it comes to trapping. I am also leaving trap selection and bait to another post as it is a topic unto itself. What I am describing here will work with most of the various mouse traps on the market.

Assuming you have mice or suspicions of mice, you already have an idea where they are moving within your home. That makes setting a trap or two or three or four fairly easy.
You want to set up where they are travelling, or close to the food source they are visiting regularly.

Regardless of the type of trap, it is a good idea to set it up in a way that the mouse has to go in it or close to it. The typical 'snap trap' has a little bait tied to it which of course brings him close, but you need to put it where he will find it.

I have had the most success setting snap traps and also the sticky traps close to the wall, along the trails they are following. Remember trapping a mouse is not much different than trapping a muskrat or a beaver, you need the proper 'set' as trappers call it, placed in the right place.

I like to place a trap along the wall, and then put a box or other flat surfaced item in front of it, creating an alley that the mouse will travel, and probably stumble upon your trap. Several traps set like this, regardless of type will bring trapping success. Putting the trap between the wall and a box will make a place for the mouse to go, while looking open at both ends, he won't feel boxed in or trapped which might cause a smart rodent to avoid it.

I also put a trap or two close to the food source they are visiting, although to be honest I haven't had the same success with them. Again I try to make a tunnel or trail that they will have to follow which leads to the trap and hopefully no way past it except in it.

I have also found that what works for one mouse will work for several. So if you catch one, set another trap in the same spot. If there are more, and there probably are, you will catch them.

Even when we have no sign of mice problems I like to keep one or two traps set all the time. It's a great way to find out if you have them. Just be sure to set them somewhere out of the way so you won't be accidently triggering them yourself....that can hurt....ouch!

Do You Have Mice?

2007-04-01T08:02:00.000-07:00

At first you don't think too much of it, perhaps a strange noise coming from another room, papers shuffling, or something falls over but there is no explanation for it.

Or you think you saw something small and dark run across the floor, along the edge of the wall but you aren't sure.

The final tip off comes when you find little dark droppings or scat on a white surface such as a kitchen counter or floor, or perhaps a bag of sugar has a little whole in the bottom.

Chances are you have a house mouse, or even worse, a rat, or family of the rodent variety taking up residence in your home. Uh-oh....

Mice and rats have a tendency to want to come inside. For a couple of reasons.

1) warmth in the winter, and;

2) food sources. No matter the reason why they are inside, you want them out, never to return. Rodents are great carriers of disease, nasty stuff that you don't want anything to do with, trust me. Some of them, especially the mice, might even look a little cute at first glance, but they are trouble.

Hopefully we'll be able to help with some tips and tricks for ridding your life of mice and rats and keeping your home verim free.

As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, there are a few things to watch for which should help you discover if you have a mouse in the house. They are:

1) Mice tend to stick to the 'edges' that is, they move along the edge of rooms, alongside the walls, because they don't have very good eyesight. Those are the places to look for small dark droppings, tiny little spots that might not even show up on a basement floor unless you use a flashlight.

2) Keep an eye on the pantry. Look for unexplained tears and holes in bags of food like flour and sugar and potatoes etc. If you have food in the basement store it on metal shelves off the floor. This won't stop a mouse but it might slow him down.

3) Watch your cat or dog, particularly in the basement. If you have rodents, cats and dogs, even if they aren't good mousers, may show an interest in some areas of the basement, where they can smell the rodents. That's the time to get out your flashlight and start looking for signs. You might also hear slight rustling noises in the walls or ceiling, particularly at night when the house is quiet. Your pet might be more intuned to these noises than you, so watch them.

4) If you suspect a mouse, but aren't sure, sprinkle a little talcum powder or similar substance around the area where you think the mice might be travelling and watch for droppings and tracks in the powder.

5) All of the above not withstanding, one sure fire way to find out if you have mice is to set a mousetrap and see if you catch one. If you do, you can be pretty sure there are more. Particularly when it comes to mice. One mouse means you have mice as far as I am concerned. Rats sometimes are alone, although left unchecked it will be no time before you have more.

In the next article we'll discuss how to deal with mice and rats once you have them.

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