Mice

Get a cat.

put cat in attic.

no more mice.

You don’t leave the cat up there. Good god.

the mice will smell the cat and piss off. If you live in the countryside from time to time you’re going to have mice. Especially in the winter

It’s very possible that when builders put in the sewage/foul pipes they failed to fill around the pipe, these would be underneath the footpath surrounding the house at the back or side.

Check around the site to see if there’s any tunnelling especially from under shrubbery or decking, this can give access to the cavity of the house which leads to the attic space

Once they're in the house you've to kill them, get good heavy traps, bit of peanut butter does the trick. There isn't a merciful way out of it if one lives there will be 10 next month and sealing points of entry doesn't do anything about them.

I had an infestation killed maybe 10-15 before they stopped. I would discourage using poison.

Examine your surrounding area, get rid of any trash, shelter for them, consider doing away with some foliage, set some traps under decking or porches where cats can't get into. if you're feeding birds, sadly, stop that.

Borrow a cat for a day or so? Let him in the attic..

Also have you an oil burner or?

We have great success with external bait boxes.

Also if you are in semi d, I'd say there is a pathway for them from neighbours house along roof soffit.

They do tend to get into external wall cavities and as such will find their way to attic and possibly 1st floor floor void and even stud walls.

I also believe the electronic repellers are effective specially in a semi as the mice will move next door if a path exists.

I read that some city in America sponsored a cat shelter programme. The area was overrun with rats etc. The plan involved putting an insulated cat bedding box under family houses if the family agreed to feed their cat. Worked a treat.

Actually they do tend to hug walls aka follow a straight path I was once told so usually set straps in the corners or along by the skirting

At this stage I'd just set a couple in every room to try and be done with it.

God you are giving me flashbacks. They used get into the hot press here and what was worse we fitted a stove and they were able get out a long the new pipes and into the sitting room, I chanced expanding foam at the top of the tank to the attic and I was delighted to have them confined to the attic only at that stage 😂

With luck once you clear this lot you might not get many for a while hopefully but I don't think you'll ever totally stop them getting in for good unless you live in a iron box.

Trick will be in future once you hear one set up traps don't do what did I and forget and before I knew it I had 12 caught 😭

The poison needs to go in the roof. A couple of bait boxes and check them regularly.

The reason I say to put the poison in the roof is the little buggers can climb vertical walls. If you have pebble dash then its easy for them.

Then if you do get them under control put a note in your diary to check the bait boxes at least once a month and more (weekly) if there are signs that the bait has been eaten.

Its no bother to mice to climb external walls, so check where the soffit boards meet the walls for small holes

Ya it's strange everywhere I've read says the sonic yokes are no use.

But in the house here we had one plugged in continuously for years and no mice.

When it died and never was replaced they were back that winter 🤷‍♂️

The rat trap might be too ‘heave duty’ for mice to trip it?

Do you have an island kitchen with eg sink? Check all pipes servicing it.

Might be no harm to dig down around outside perimeter wall to see if all blocks -if concrete blocks used- are laid touching eachother with no gaps.

Get an ‘ independant observer’ to go over the outside of house with her/his ‘razor eyes’ to check again for possible entry points.

EVERY TIME YOU GO IN Or OUT OF THE HOUSE CLOSE THE DOOR AFTER YOU

Have you checked behind every piece of furniture, etc, for openings.

Mice can enter an opening the thickness of a biro if not slightly smaller

Check all your food storage areas - especially in kitchen- for signs of mice.

Are outside bins mouse proof. Secure all food scraps outside of house

PS all of above suggestions are based on 20 years experience of keeping them ‘under control’ - have had 99.99 % success.

PSS have u checked with your simi detached neighbour re they having problem. Maybe they might not be as upset as you and are tolerating a certain level of infestation and therefor ‘ supporting your ‘lot’