MICE INFESTATION. Ideas?

[sixlittlechicks09]

Now if this was in the coop, I could deal with it, but it's not! It's in my DORM. Well actually, my sorority house...
But anyway.
I just got back from winter break, and as I'm unpacking my things I notice a sound, like chewing behind my dresser. So I pull it out and OH MY GEE there is a mouse nest and mouse poop central behind there. SO I frantically start cleaning and moving things only to discover there's mouse poo and chewed up things EVERYWERE in my room. So I'm trying not to freak out as I walk across the room to get my phone, but all of the sudden a mouse RUNS across my desk! I'm not afraid of mice. It's just that these are dirty nasty house mice, and they are BOLD. So I called res life, and they told me it's against the policy to use anything but glue traps. Okay FINE. So I go buy some glue traps and set them in my room. I went out for lunch with some friends, and when I got back I went to check if I had anything. LOW AND BEHOLD THEY'VE FLIPPED OVER THE TRAPS. So we went back to walmart and I decided TO HECK WITH THIS and bought Snap traps. I set a three of them and went out for a bit ( I didn't want to hear the snap =[) I came back and ALL THREE OF THEM are snapped with the peanut butter licked off. My neighboor said they did the same thing to hers over break. So she lent me some mousy live traps she had a little success with. Unfortuately they seem to be setting them off without getting trapped inside.
I'm at my wit's end.
What should I do?
I'm thinking about smuggling my cat here for a week or two.
They're getting in around the baseboard heating, and under the door crack that leads to the attic, by the way.

 

[Imp]

Ugh!. I could deal with mice only slightly better than rats. In that situation, I would be putting out massive amounts of bait. No other pets to worry about. Of course on the QT. And all the traps too.
I think it would be the sorority's problem to deal with, but if they won't, use a nuclear food bomb.

Imp- or move

 

[darkmatter]

I bought a electric mouse trap----they don't trip it and get away like snap traps.

http://www.victorpest.com/store/rodent-control/m2524

 

[Frosty]

When you use snap traps, you have to tie string around the bait so they have to work to get it. Other options, the Tin Cat live trap... they don't set it off, just go in and can't get out. Then go to res life and let them out

Or research on line how to make a bucket trap. It's made from a 5 gallon bucket with water in the bottom, they fall in and drown. From what I understand, they die quickly, possibly from shock so they don't suffer much. Good luck!

 

[Judy]

Buy Just One Bite at a hardware store; the active ingredient is bromadiolone. Worked for me when nothing else did. They go hide to die; never saw a dead one. Not supposed to harm an animal who eats the dead mouse, and my cats, dogs and chickens never got sick when I was putting it out. And I have seen 2 dogs eat mice and rats.

 

[SillyChicken]

only issue with bait is that you may get stuck smelling the mouse as it decomposes... and if there's alot, thats alot of stank!

I think the glue traps are inhumane.

Not sure if I'd sneak in my cat as that could have other problems (cats stink)....... and if someone else is baiting their mice, no need to get kitty sick.

I use snap traps, use chunky peanut butter and shove it into the little pocket for the food, so they have to work to get it out. Also, when you set the trap, put it at the very edge of the bar so it has a hair trigger. It may even snap as you set it down, so be careful about it.

The Ele one looks promising!

 

[RoeDylanda]

We have had ninja mice as well, they disarmed and tripped every trap we bought for them. Finally had to resort to the bait, and we do have cats and a dog. It seems to have worked, though, finally. Good luck!

 

[sixlittlechicks09]

Hmmm... Yeah seems like the general consensus is bait. The only thing about bait is the smell -_- I hate the smell of dead mice! But I suppose it's better than live mice!

Maybe I'll try out the bucket traps or the tin can traps too before I poison them. That electric trap look nice too... Maybe I'll get my parents to buy it for me

Being a poor college kid and all... Thanks for the help everyone!

 

[mandelyn]

Use the glue traps, but double up some duct tape to stick it to the floor and add more strength. Put a little dab of peanut butter dead center of the trap.

But... shouldn't there be some rules about the livability of a house for students on campus property? Keep hassling them until the come out and deal with it. Don't put up with it if the mice continue to be a problem, you're paying good money to live there, shouldn't have to share with mice.

ETA: I don't like the glue traps either, inhumane. But if that's what they say you have to use, and it fails to work, then in theory they should have to come out and do something.

Did you explain it wasn't one mouse, but a pile of them and their poo? The poo is hazardous once it dries out and go airborne. Tell them all that and make them come out and deal with it.

 

[sixlittlechicks09]

Hey everyone! I just thought I'd let you know,
I called again, and was told I would have to come into the office (on the other side of campus. on my day off. in the snow and ice.) So I trudged over there and asked the woman to see the Head of the dept. so I could talk to him about our mice problem. She blinked at me several times and then questioned why I wanted to talk to him. There was nothing they could do but send maintenance over with some more glue traps, and if I wanted that I'd have to log into my student account and file a work order. I calmly told her that I had called and had been told to come speak to them in person. So she sent me through to someone a little higher up who listened to my story and then told me "It isn't really my problem. If you haven't filed another work order for glue traps, you have to do that. If that doesn't work we can send someone out to assess the rodent problem, then file a request for an exterminator to gas the house over spring or easter break." SPRING OR EASTER BREAK?!?!
So I said to her, "No. Thank you. Just nevermind, I'll take care of this myself."
I walked out of her office, downstairs and into the campus newsroom.

I spoke with the newspaper editor about the mice infestation and how Residence Life was refusing to do anything and how one woman blatantly told me it wasn't her problem.
I told him I'd be HAPPY to have him over to see the house/do an interview/take pictures, whatever! He said "great!" and that he'd be over after a little bit.
So we chatted for a while, he took down everything I said. Then he came over, snapped some pictures of my room, my damaged clothes, the mice poo all over everything and the traps that I had to buy MYSELF. He then left to talk to Residence life and hear their excuse to why they "Can't do anything until EASTER".

About twenty minutes later two exterminators, public safety and the HEAD of our facilities maintenance department showed up. Once he saw all the mouse sign the one exterminator couldn't believe people were being allowed to live in this house and that they hadn't been called earlier.
So they set a BUNCH of crazy traps, sealed up some holes, put some kind of canisters (poison, gas? I don't know) in the walls and under the floors.
THEN they sent out some more Maintenance workers who cleaned down the common areas of the house with industrial disinfectant and swept/vacuumed our rooms. They also gave us some CRAZY cleaning supplies, just incase the rodents make a mess before they die.

I have never felt so triumphant.