I moved into a new construction 3 years ago. Since then, I've been having problems with mice. I'm not sure where they are coming from. I make sure doors are closed because there is construction around the area where I live and I know rodents tend to roam those areas. Despite of my efforts, I keep on finding mice droppings.
At first, I would find droppings inside my cabinets. Since there is no food in any of my lower cabinets, the mice are now outside in my kitchen area.
I've used traps and just this year I've caught 4. Where could they be coming from and more importantly how can I make sure they stop coming in?
By ponce from Chicago, IL
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We were plagued with mice & we tried everything! Every sort of trap, bate & poison. Nothing worked! Until we got a mouser! Smokey was a stray cat, left to live in a parking lot of my daughter's apartments by someone who moved away & left him on his own, so we figured we could give him a better home where he could be fed every day & still live outside & sleep in our garage. But we fell in love with the little fella & now he has the run of the house & goes outside too... & let me tell you, not only has he take care of the mice situation, he has gotten rid of our severe mole problem too! We thought having a pet would be a hassle, but he's easy to care for & makes us smile!
Go to a shelter & find yourself a cat that's lived on his or her own for a time, these are the very best hunters!
Shelter cats come already vaccinated & neutered, so this will save you money too! I knew a guy who kept his garbage on his porch until he'd get enough to go to the dump, & I always wondered why he never had a mouse or rat problem, so I asked him & he said there were 2 stray cats who lived in the neighborhood that he'd sometimes feed & they kept the mice away!
Since you live in the land of cold winters, you'll have to let your cat inside when it's cold or you'll have to buy a heated pad for his cat-house. When we first got Smokey, before we let him inside the house, we put a kitty door in our enclosed back porch so he could come inside & we bought a heated pet pad with a thermostat & put this on top of a soft bed made from a folded blanket. It was up off the ground & he slept there every night. Not only did he get rid of all the mice we had, but he continually keeps them out!
has to be a female cat they are the only hunters.
The long term solution here is to get a cat. It is a cat's job to rid our homes of rodents. That is why we domesticated them in the first place.
Cats are very little trouble. Get two so they can keep each other company. And if you want them to keep mice out of your house, you have to let them in the house. And no declawing. These are supposed to be working cats.
Cats also are good company, cuddly, and are good stress relievers. There is nothing like a purring cat on your lap to make you feel content.
Some cats are better hunters than others, and females are often the better hunters. However, I have a neutered tom that is a wanton killer--mice, birds, squirrels, even once, a jackrabbit!
Does anyone have some tips or ideas from keeping a little mouse from ruining my kitchen? This mouse poops on my countertop and gets into my drawers. He comes out at night. I am petrified of mice and can't get myself to set a trap. Please help. Thank you!
Rhonda from Pennsylvania
We got live traps from a grocery store and caught several with peanut butter. We walk away from our house and release them. But check all connections coming into your home and look for wall cracks so they don't return!
Mice are cute little critters but, we don't want them running amok in our homes-I totally agree with Cyinda, but, please be a loving cat person. Cats are so cool. Please don't take one into you're home unless you can relate to them.
I don't know about you, but I hate mice in my house or even anywhere near it. And I don't want to have to get rid of the dead stinky things either. When we lived in the country we had them in our house when we moved in. Upon the recommendation of my sister, who also lived in the country, we bought Riddex. It plugs in and they worked! We lived there for 5 years and I never again saw a mouse in my house or evidence that any had been there.
If you have more than one level you will need to buy more than one Riddex. But they are so worth the money. We have since moved to a home more in town, but I have my Riddex plugged in here too. I would not be without them. Give them a try! And no I do not get anything for promoting this product other than a rodent free home and I don't have to invest a lot of money taking care of a cat.
If you do use cats as mousers keep in mind that they can get worms from the mice and should be checked for them periodically. Mice can squeeze through extra tiny spaces so do a thorough check of every little crevice and find an appropriate way to seal them up.
I've heard they dislike steel wool, so it you put it in cracks they won't come in. But, in the end, the cat is the key.
Go to amazon.com they have a good variety of easy, inexpensive, non-toxic, humane mouse catchers.
Moth balls! We throw them under the house, just enough that they don't smell inside the house and must be done about once a month. We also throw them around the footing of the outside of the house. Moth balls also deters snakes, bugs, ants and such. My husband also put a little of the spray foam in the holes around our pipes, then put in steel wool and sprayed more foam on it as well. We haven't had a mice, rat or anything since we did this.
Look at every connection where a pipe or electrical comes in. We found mice had chewed a larger hole around the gas line behind the stove, also behind the caps against the wall on the water lines under our sink as well as the water line to the fridge.
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