Well fed mice laughing at me

mcbert

Discovered recently we have mice in the house, so got both humane and non-humane traps in Woodies.

Caught a couple at the start, but mostly the humane trap just seemed to be knocked over or ignored, the inhumane traps stopped working - they get stuck, stopped snapping closed - a bad design, or quality control is lacking.

So then tried the old wooden spring ones. They seem very sensitive to me, although they are a bit larger then I typical wooden ones I suspect.

But, every day when i check them, they have all been cleared out - even licked clean, without tripping. The place to put the bait is a small round hole/nook within the wood, and I put choc spread directly into the hole with a knife - its not like I'm just resting a lump of something on top - the choc spread is pushed right into the hole.

Yet, all I seem to be doing is giving them a feed of choc spread every night.

I'm going to go try find smaller/more sensitive traps now.

Dont want poison, because of the risk of them keeling over inside the house, stinking for weeks.

Any other ideas?

Thanks.

Alun

When you say the wooden traps are larger than typical, are they maybe rat traps? They'd be a lot less sensitive than ones designed for mice.

anniehoo

OP as per per our forum Charter we only allow discussion of humane methods of pest control so bear this in mind when looking for advice. Thanks

SCOOP 64

You will catch them eventually because your making them fatter, that trap will go off any day now.

kylith

Either you're using rat traps or you're putting the bar too far back on the arm, you want it just balanced on the edge.

MajorMax

Get a cat, serious answer

Red Nissan

Can't post as it may contravene humane methods.

tallus

MajorMax wrote: »

Get a cat, serious answer

Seconded, cats are a great deterrent.

mcbert

Thanks everyone, I've realised the mistake I made. I'm fond of cats, but just not an option right now.

kylith

MajorMax wrote: »

Get a cat, serious answer

Terriers are good too.

With snap traps if you're not seriously worried that it's going to go off and break your fingers it's not set properly. OH refuses to touch them, he leaves them to me.

Cuddlesworth

If you're not setting it off around half the time when putting it on the ground, you're not doing it right. As another poster says, it should be right on a hairpin trigger.

Pretzill

I use the humane traps and they are sensitive - peanut butter in the closed end - release mouse fields away. Those plastic inhumane ones are awful rarely close and when they do.often hurt not dispatch which is awful cruel and turned me to the humane ones! The thing is you may have lots of mice and it takes a while to deal with the problem - blocking entry ways is key - keeping worktops food and crumb free - putting bread etc in closed containers -

I live in the country and get feild mice, house mice and the odd shrew visit - the thing is come spring they all head off again - field mice are really cute catching one in an inhumane trap would disturb me but then I save spiders from the bath!

mikehn

So then tried the old wooden spring ones. They seem very sensitive to me, although they are a bit larger then I typical wooden ones I suspect.

But, every day when i check them, they have all been cleared out - even licked clean, without tripping. The place to put the bait is a small round hole/nook within the wood, and I put choc spread directly into the hole with a knife - its not like I'm just resting a lump of something on top - the choc spread is pushed right into the hole.

Yet, all I seem to be doing is giving them a feed of choc spread every night.

I'm going to go try find smaller/more sensitive traps now.


Thanks.[/QUOTE]

We have an issue each winter as there is open country to the side of our house and invariably we end up with a couple of guests. I use the cheap wooden traps €1 ea. I dont know where you got yours but any of the ones that I buy have the "hole" for the bait but over that there is a staple sticking up to secure the bait. When I bait the trap I use a bit of chocolate that I have slightly softened and mould that around the staple. When it hardens it is not possible to get the choc off without triggering the trap provided you have set it properly.

jimf

ah lads mice are cute they are only on there holidays they will be gone again the end of april
and they don't cost much to feed

rorrissey

Had a serious mouse problem in my house around Christmas time. Spotted one (alive) in my bed one afternoon, and a couple of days after that, as I was changing my bedsheets, I found another one shrivelled up, dead under my sheets. Don't ask me how or why it crawled in there or to die. I'm assuming it must have been there for 4 days, it didn't even smell so of course I didn't notice it!

Anyways, we were using all kinds of traps to catch them. Took almost a month but I think they are gone now, haven't caught, seen or heard one for a week or so now. I don't know about your mice, but the ones in my house were very noisy at around 6/7am every morning.

The only advice I have really is to be patient and that they love jam! :P Oh, ours always stayed upstairs/in the attic. I'm not sure if that was because we have the dog downstairs or what...

Red Nissan

rorrissey wrote: »

. I don't know about your mice, but the ones in my house were very noisy at around 6/7am every morning. .

I'd like to report a change in my mouse infestation habits. Like you, I'd be alerted to a new brood by the scurrying around in the mornings and evenings.

However, I've found straw nests and dead mice with no other hint of infestation, not even nibbles from food and they were very quite ~ they are seemingly evolving into stealth creatures.

We bulled the kitchen apart and discovered several corpses and massive food supplies either dragged [like rats do?] or fallen behind the floor units, fridge and cooker.

After the clan up we then did see food nibbles and the other signs.

thegreatiam

Red Nissan wrote: »

I'd like to report a change in my mouse infestation habits. Like you, I'd be alerted to a new brood by the scurrying around in the mornings and evenings.

However, I've found straw nests and dead mice with no other hint of infestation, not even nibbles from food and they were very quite ~ they are seemingly evolving into stealth creatures.

We bulled the kitchen apart and discovered several corpses and massive food supplies either dragged [like rats do?] or fallen behind the floor units, fridge and cooker.

After the clan up we then did see food nibbles and the other signs.

Our mice were living in a box covering some pipes (mustve been warm)
When I ripped the box open I found loads of nibbled oxo cubes. (and 2 traps!!)
They were getting into the cupboard, no door but a little taller than 6 feet above the ground, 3 feet about the counter. and dragging the oxo cubes across the counter, about 6 feet. on to a fridge, past about a dozen traps.
The hole in the pipe box was maybe an inch or 2 higher then the edge of the fridge with a gap of about 3 inches. there was also about 2 inches separating the fridge from the counter on the other side.

I was surprised that they could do this, and so impressed I wans't even mad.

I have no idea how they managed to get 2 mice traps in there. if they dragged then in to get the bait, or got caught in them and dragged them in a panic, but the trap was triggered and no dead mouse near it.
When I tried myself the trap only just fit and at a tricky angle.

They are a devious breed.

kylith

jimf wrote: »

ah lads mice are cute they are only on there holidays they will be gone again the end of april
and they don't cost much to feed

The cost of doctor's bills if you eat food contaminated by mouse urine and faeces could get high though. Not to mention the cost of rebuilding your burned down house if they start nibbling on wires.

Cute; yes. Harmless; no.