Mice again

[BennieAnTheJets]

Yes, it was Mouse X. It actually has horrible reviews with people saying it didn't work but I noticed it working immediately. I haven't seen a mouse in the coop since. We put mint sachets in a few places in the house, traps with peanut butter and the green blocks on our car port. So far so good.
I also have four cats. If someone is staring at a certain spot for too long I know it's either a mouse or a lizard.
We have nothing but woods on 2 sides of us so a mouse here or there isn't unheard of. Unfortunately, they got out of hand when my husband didn't want to hurt the little cuties. The day I saw one run across our bed the war was on. I used everything I could find except glue traps. I haven't seen one in the house or carport in st least two weeks except for a dead one.

don't have much time to write tonight - tired - but be careful with the green blocks: I think it killed my cat to eat mice that were poisoned!

 

[My2butterflies]

don't have much time to write tonight - tired - but be careful with the green blocks: I think it killed my cat to eat mice that were poisoned!

I do worry about that sometimes. We use those green blocks(Tom cat?) inside a black box. We have two setup inside my husband’s shop to keep mice from chewing wires on the vehicles in there. The year they chew threw my kids go cart wires was when we really started trying to find ways to keep them out.

I wish I had advice for you, but I don’t have anything constructive to add I do hope you can find a way to keep them out!

 

[MrsTush]

don't have much time to write tonight - tired - but be careful with the green blocks: I think it killed my cat to eat mice that were poisoned!

I only use traps in the house and the blocks away from the house. Hopefully they die before they ever get in the house. I'm sorry you lost your cats . I would be devastated.

 

[BennieAnTheJets]

I read threads on the feeders that they have to put their heads in pvc pipe elbows to eat and ppl rave about them for being spill proof, but they aren't rodent proof unless you schedule feeding times and cap them off the rest of the time bc rodents just climb in. The only thing I see that is likely to work is the steel automatic feeder they have to stand on to open, but then - how many can eat from it at the same time or how much are you willing to put out for multiple feeders and then- I have visions of someone being decapitated if they're eating from the side when the one standing on the trigger plate steps off.
Not much help, huh?!

Ugh! Yeah, I was also wondering that: how long would it take before one of my birds would be injured (or starved to death) - my birds do not let each other eat in peace - come to think of it I should make sure all drink enough.
Totally agree with you!

 

[BennieAnTheJets]

This does not really solve the problem but I can share a goofey story: lifted a board in the run and found a nest under it. 6 pink mice with eyes still closed. Sorry, but have a heart! You cannot kill babies like that. But six more mice!!!!!! I put the board back and walked away. Hm. Then it came to me: I lifted the nest with the babies and some hay and feathers into a live trap, put it back in the spot where the nest was and put the board back on top of the trap loaded with babies. The mother had been running off every time I lifted the board. Soooo, that night I had 4 adults in the live trap with the nest! Success!!!!
Well, at least I made a dent....

 

[afrowoman]

I feel your pain. I can't kill them either. I remove all food in the evenings and spray down food areas to deter mice but I still get a few in the pens. Cats on the while aren't great mousers or ratters , they generally prefer easy prey like birds . Get or borrow a rat or yorkshire terrier - they're great, it's what they're bred for.

 

[BennieAnTheJets]

This is interesting - seems like the sound does not work - but peppermint does....

I have used this and it seemed to work but getting the oil is less expensive. The mint smell from the Mouse Magic repellent almost gives you a head ache if you put it in your bedroom at first, it is so strong, but it wears off within hours, it seems.

https://www.amazon.com/Bonid-Mouse-Magic-12-Pack/dp/B07JYC54BQ/ref=sr_1_6?crid=XCMFB6NB81NG&dchild=1&keywords=mouse+magic+repellent&qid=1616560199&sprefix=mouse+magic+,aps,249&sr=8-6

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07VPNRDBK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[WindingRoad]

Thank you all soooo much!!!
Yes, I have called an exterminator and he has been here twice and said the snake would be no problem to catch but the mice is a different story since I do not want to use poison: I think my kitty died eating a poisoned mouse of two. We had an exterminator before we got the cats and he threw those green blocks absolutely everywhere (behind the fridge, into the insulation, etc.). When I got pets I stopped using them but have seen green mouse droppings before Apex died... The mice must have found an old block. And he must have snacked on one or more of the poisoned mice.
Exterminator thought with poison 6 months, with snap traps longer, and with live traps you are fighting a losing battle since they reproduce faster than they go into the live traps.
I don't like killing them, but recently heard this God-aweful squeeling the in the wall and later found snake droppings outside that wall - aha! mus have been that the snake went into a nest and got one. Nature is sooo cruel, too. Makes me feel a tiny bit better about the snap traps - better a quick death than being eaten alive by a snake. Sigh.
I am sleeping in a SansBug tent that we luckily had for sleeping on the deck some day.
https://www.amazon.com/SansBug-1-Pe...hild=1&keywords=sansbug&qid=1616383839&sr=8-1
I sleep sooo much better in there now - did not realize how nervous the snake did make me at night - during the day I can watch where I step, but when you sleep... Tried to tell myself a snake avoids people but just to make sure, I serached the internet for copperhead in bed - and - wouldn't you know it! https://www.washingtonpost.com/loca...23b7b6-5102-11e7-be25-3a519335381c_story.html
Out came the tent that night!!!! I am not leaving my house - I need to feed the animals every day and I have to work - but I will sleep in the tent for now.
Anyway - back to the issue at hand: any favorite spill-free feeders that work for you'all? Any effective mouse control in the coop and run that works for you?
What pellets are those @MrsTush ?
What about Mouse X?
Peppermint?
The exterminator is coming back tomorrow to seal "all" entry points into the house - well, most of them at least. It should help a ton. He seems very good.
Any input for you still very much wanted and appreciated!!!

I have a 5 gallon bucket full of day old fermented feed. No spillage there. I will feed once in the morning, at noon if need be and then evening. I filled the bucket half full of feed and poured water to cover it about 1-2 inches stirring it up with big ole wooden spoon. But since yesterday it has GROWN. Almost over the rim so I had to take a big soup pot and put some in there. LOL. I won't fill it so full the next time. I've not had good luck with rat proof feeders because the birds eat in one corner and bill the food left or right and build up a mound of feed that spills over the edge. The ones with plumbing elbows either bought or DIY have lip on the bottom of the elbow. Birds carry feed when they take their heads out and it spills. Another feeder I had to adjust ( treadle) the spring so much I have smaller birds that the rats could push the door in and jump in the trough. The way I found out was when I checked waterers last summer and heard them scratching around in there. If the bin hadn't been full I should have left them in there eventually DIE. God only knows how long that would take.



I'm old I don't have time to starve out rats/mice and besides I don't want them to leave I want them DEAD. So they can't come back.

 

[WindingRoad]

This is interesting - seems like the sound does not work - but peppermint does....

I have used this and it seemed to work but getting the oil is less expensive. The mint smell from the Mouse Magic repellent almost gives you a head ache if you put it in your bedroom at first, it is so strong, but it wears off within hours, it seems.

https://www.amazon.com/Bonid-Mouse-Magic-12-Pack/dp/B07JYC54BQ/ref=sr_1_6?crid=XCMFB6NB81NG&dchild=1&keywords=mouse+magic+repellent&qid=1616560199&sprefix=mouse+magic+,aps,249&sr=8-6

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07VPNRDBK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I used these and my chickens didn't lay for 3 days in the middle of summer.

 

[My2butterflies]

This does not really solve the problem but I can share a goofey story: lifted a board in the run and found a nest under it. 6 pink mice with eyes still closed. Sorry, but have a heart! You cannot kill babies like that. But six more mice!!!!!! I put the board back and walked away. Hm. Then it came to me: I lifted the nest with the babies and some hay and feathers into a live trap, put it back in the spot where the nest was and put the board back on top of the trap loaded with babies. The mother had been running off every time I lifted the board. Soooo, that night I had 4 adults in the live trap with the nest! Success!!!!
Well, at least I made a dent....

That was great thinking!