Mice Advice

[Railroad]

I have a little brown mouse who, last winter, got into various supplies like flour, etc. when I was away from home for about a month. I know that he is brown because I opened my silverware drawer just in time to see it go nonchalantly out over the back of the drawer to return to hiding. He has liberally deposited little dark pellet presents all over the drawer, and if stains are any indication, has peed in there, too.

All my food supplies are crammed in with dishes and stuff in the top cabinets - I moved them when I first found his trail of destruction in early spring; things still below are in plastic storage containers with tight-fitting lids. Apparently he's eating SOMETHING, however, judging by the amount of crap in the silverware drawer.

I can't afford a whole lot to get rid of this guy, and the drawer he loves so much is too shallow for a trap, and I can't see where he's getting into the place. Oddly enough, the drawer he loves is in an island a good 6 feet from the rest of the cabinets.

He's cute enough to catch and cage, but I'm not a mouse-lover, especially given the circumstances of our meeting.

So I need advice on what to do with the little bugger. I happen to like clean, relatively disease- and germ-free eating utensils. (I know, call me crazy, I'm anal like that).

TIA.

 

[Dakota]

I have 3 cats, just pick which one you want... they all love mice as snacks. :shrug:

Wait... you don't want my oldest one, she has bad dander and my youngest is BAD... so I offer you my middle kitty.... she's been really good lately and hasn't caught herself on fire but that 1 time....

 

[aps45819]

get a glue trap in the drawer, poison, and regular traps baited with peanut butter along your base boards

 

[glhs837]

Most traps require very little space. Maybe 3 inches tops, not many drawers that shallow, especially when closed. Sure you are not looking at rat traps?

If so, there's this. I have caught a few with these. Not as effective as the basic wire trap, but it operates in a horizontal plane.

http://www.d-conproducts.com/no-view-no-touch.php

Bait with peanut butter, of course, and follow the Mouse Hunters basic rules.


1. Follow the poop. Mice are creatures of habit and where they have pooped before, they will be back.

2. Chokepoints. Try and place your trap in such a way that the mouse has no choice but to encounter it.

 

[mamatutu]

We had same dilemma, but in our grill. The same mouse kept coming back to build a nest, even though we evicted her many times (saw a baby, too), and we tried to block all entrances. We finally had to kill her because it was a definite turn off to using the grill. I suggest you to take everything out of the drawers that you see evidence in, and set traps like others have said. You might be inconvenienced for a time, but the mouse has to go because it is not healthy for you. And, with cooler weather coming upon us, you have to set a precedent, because that is when they really like to invade the warm spaces. Good luck!

 

[friendtofishes]

Natural mouse deterrents

Mice, and other rodents, don't like strong smells. You could take a few cotton balls and put a few drops of pure pepperment oil on each one and put them in the corners of the drawers the mouse is frequenting. Also put them in base cabinets and if there are gaps between your trim and flooring you can put some in there. If your house has a crawl space you can put moth balls under your house to help chase them out.

The peppermint oil will also help deter spiders.

 

[mamatutu]

Mice, and other rodents, don't like strong smells. You could take a few cotton balls and put a few drops of pure pepperment oil on each one and put them in the corners of the drawers the mouse is frequenting. Also put them in base cabinets and if there are gaps between your trim and flooring you can put some in there. If your house has a crawl space you can put moth balls under your house to help chase them out.

The peppermint oil will also help deter spiders.

I like your idea the best. I wish I had known to do this. I hated that we had to kill Mrs. Mouse, but we couldn't take sanitizing the grill every time we wanted to use it. Thank you. I will try your idea the next time we have a problem. Live and let live, and all that!

 

[ZARA]

I can bring Fritz over. He eats anything that wont eat him first. I can also catch it for you.

 

[Dakota]

Mice, and other rodents, don't like strong smells. You could take a few cotton balls and put a few drops of pure pepperment oil on each one and put them in the corners of the drawers the mouse is frequenting. Also put them in base cabinets and if there are gaps between your trim and flooring you can put some in there. If your house has a crawl space you can put moth balls under your house to help chase them out.

The peppermint oil will also help deter spiders.

Be careful using peppermint oil when you have cats - in fact, I would recommend you don't use peppermint oil if you have cats. I do think it is okay for dogs but just double-check before using.

 

[Chasey_Lane]

There are humane traps available at Lowes.

 

[glhs837]

If you are concerned with humane, do NOT use glue traps. Very few folks will have the ability to kill it, and I have heard of mice leaving behind limbs on them....

Catch and release (sao he can show his buddies where your house full of warm and food is) or clean kill, but don't torture the thing. Me, I say kill. Between the cats inside and the whole forest full of predators outside like snakes and raptors, not many come around my way. (knock on wood)

 

[Roman]

I have a Mouse catching Boston Terrier that I'd rent out. Seriously, a Cat would work wonders. They are cheap to keep Just a little vetting once a year. Adopt one. You might want to check under your Kitchen sink. That's where our mice were coming in.

 

[dontknowwhy]

standard spring traps & either peanut butter or crushed up nuts...like for ice cream sundaes

they love nuts