Possible mouse infestation

bnagrrl

We keep the pet food in a small brick shed in the garden. The other morning I noticed some tiny bite marks around the edge of the bags of dog & cat food and then there were some dog treats missing (up on a high shelf, no chance the pets got at them.)

What are some humane ways to get rid of the mice? I don't want to use traditional mouse traps or poison (I heard before mice will crawl somewhere warm to die e.g. your house.)

Finally, can anyone recommend some chew-proof food bins I can use for future pet food storage?

Thanking you.

tallus

Woodies Sell the Humane Traps. Used them myself in the past.
Not sure about food containers tho, I keep mine in the house with the cats. Woe betide any critter with the nerve to try to get it.

hadook

I kept my rabbit food outside in a Husse Feedbin (last item on the page) and the rats & mice never touched it. I used to have a couple of freebie dog food bins but the rats started on a corner and were in having a feast in no time.

A round bin is harder for them to chew into (not impossible, just harder). :rolleyes:

cotton

What about old fashioned "trash cans"? Steel (or some other hard silver thingy) with wide lids. You can buy them in woodies or any good hardware shop.

Sigma Force

The metal bins might work sometimes though condensation can build up in bins and dampen the food so just keep an eye on the inside of the food bin.
I used to keep food in a food bin in a shed it was an oval shaped pink one can't think of the name but it was a freebie but was thicker than some of the feed bins you can get. Still have them, very handy for storage too.

The humane traps can work but you need somewhere you can get to a few miles away away from dwellings to release them. If the infestation is bad though regular traps may have to be used if a regular trap is used it can be quick, sellotaping the food to the trap using bacon or chocolate raisins etc work well. We have used both in the past hubby prefers the humane ones but you have to check them regularly, one mouse was found dead in a humane one from stress.

We used a humane rat trap once hubby cycled off with a load of young rats on his bike in the trap, they managed to open it (probably with the bumpy roads help) and one ran up his shoulder and jumped off lol. They were very cute he had a water bottle and food and bedding in the trap.

An infestation should be taken seriously though they do carry all sorts of nasties and when there's food easily available they will multiply like crazy and end up in the house.

The bins work really well and also sweep up the area around it and disinfect anywhere around it too and pets areas as well.

bigpinkelephant

I operate a natural pest control i.e. my 5 cats.
They're all too well fed, old, spoiled and lazy to actually catch much more than maybe 1 or 2 rodents a year (between them!) but they definitely seem to deter anything small and furry, as the only mice (and rats) I've ever seen are dead ones.
Usually left in pride of place on the doorstep, I might add.

stevoman

Playing Devils advocate here, but do you think its slightly ironic that its ok to discuss pest control of mice, but if a fox was to be mentioned all hell would break loose??

lostinnappies

Guineapigrescue wrote: »

The bins work really well and also sweep up the area around it and disinfect anywhere around it too and pets areas as well.

jayes fluid..... yummy stuff (not)

lostinnappies

stevoman wrote: »

Playing Devils advocate here, but do you think its slightly ironic that its ok to discuss pest control of mice, but if a fox was to be mentioned all hell would break loose??

not to start a huge debate about foxhunting (im assuming thats what youre talking about), mice have the oppertunity to excape from the cat, the cat doesnt always get the mouse and its usually one on one. Foxhunting the fox is pursued by ten's of dogs, horses which can out run it and the most cunning of hunters of all... man. I dont really think thats at all fair or humane.

stevoman

lostinnappies wrote: »

not to start a huge debate about foxhunting (im assuming thats what youre talking about), mice have the oppertunity to excape from the cat, the cat doesnt always get the mouse and its usually one on one. Foxhunting the fox is pursued by ten's of dogs, horses which can out run it and the most cunning of hunters of all... man. I dont really think thats at all fair or humane.

LOL i never mentioned mounted fox hunting so i think you presumed wrong.

lostinnappies

stevoman wrote: »

LOL i never mentioned mounted fox hunting so i think you presumed wrong.

ok, what kind of pest control are you talking about? If its simple humane fox traps i wouldnt see a problem:)

Hellrazer

stevoman wrote: »

Playing Devils advocate here, but do you think its slightly ironic that its ok to discuss pest control of mice, but if a fox was to be mentioned all hell would break loose??

Actually Stevoman I think a while back it was decided to allow discussion of pest control in a "humane" way regardless of the type of animal involved.

I think with regards to foxes etc if there was sufficient evidence to say a fox was attacking a hen house and a farmer wanted to use a gun then thats fine,likewise with mouse traps (even the springy ones)

Whether we agree with hunting or not the issue of "pest control" is allowed to be discussed here since it is the Animals/Pets forum and not the "Please dont kill the fluffy animals" forum.

stevoman

Hellrazer wrote: »

Actually Stevoman I think a while back it was decided to allow discussion of pest control in a "humane" way regardless of the type of animal involved.

I think with regards to foxes etc if there was sufficient evidence to say a fox was attacking a hen house and a farmer wanted to use a gun then thats fine,likewise with mouse traps (even the springy ones)

Whether we agree with hunting or not the issue of "pest control" is allowed to be discussed here since it is the Animals/Pets forum and not the "Please dont kill the fluffy animals" forum.

Well said hellrazer. Devils advocate sorted!

cowzerp

stevoman wrote: »

Playing Devils advocate here, but do you think its slightly ironic that its ok to discuss pest control of mice, but if a fox was to be mentioned all hell would break loose??

I've never seen a fox in my house raiding my presses of food, ****ting and pissing around my house and scaring the bejaysus out of my missus!

bnagrrl

Wow thanks for all the replies and suggestions!

I never realised the thing about the condensation on the metal bins so will bear that in mind. I don't have room in the shed where the food is kept for conventional trash cans though so will have to go for something smaller that just about holds a bag of food.

I don't want to kill the mice, I just want them to go away

I have a cat who has been known to catch a few mice in his time but his presence hasn't deterred these visitors.

I read online earlier that mice hate mint so am going to leave some mint leaves out and see are any more dog treats missing in the morning.

hedgeh0g

We live near a river and we have a rat in the garden from time to time.
We also grow veg etc there.

What to do?

There is a baby on the way and I wondering is it cause to move house?
Dont want to get a cat as Im told cat poo and pregnant women dont mix.

Wound a sonic noise thing be enough to keep them away?

They are not nested in the garden but could be anywhere behind a hedge outside our property.

Any advise anyone?

star-pants

You could try sonic plug ins, and perhaps some traps closer to the house.
You're right having rats around anyway isn't good and especially not with a baby on the way. I wouldn't put down poison incase other animals got to it, but you could probably put it down in corners of the house you think are vulnerable (obv before the baby comes along).