Mouse in the House......................

[mike boss]

So the other day I go downstairs to get a jar of my home made pasta sauce.
I notice on the jar a mouse turd. I go upstairs, mention to the mother in law who suggests I go back and investigate.
The sauce was in the pantry area in my basement.
Upon investigation I noticed one box of sauce (the top box) had a turd on two of the jars, and perhaps two or three other turds in the box.
Looking at my shelves I saw nothing, nor did I see any box damage to things like Kraft Dinner, or packages of pasta.
I placed down 4 sticky traps days ago, and nothing.
I then baited them with peanut butter, but nothing...............YET !

So today I'm in the kitchen, and in the cupboard that contains my garbage I find evidence of mice.
I noticed that we also MISSED the garbage pail one day leaving a feats of bread and cereal.
So now it is all clean and I've added some snap traps.

I investigated a few other cupboards and found nothing. But under the stove more droppings, and when cleaning out the stove drawer I found more droppings.
It has been cleaned and again a trap placed there.

I AM FREAKING OUT ! ---------------- I don't know how long this issue has been here, I have no idea how many mice.....I'm simply going nutts.

I want to go out and buy some ultrasonic devices, but I was wondering, if I drive the mice from my kitchen will I simply drive them to other areas of the house ?

I saw a thing called RIDDEX which is available on Ebay rather cheap.

Over and above that as noted I wanted to pick up a 4 pack of Victor ultrasonic rodent repellent devices, perhaps placing one in the basement, kitchen and garage. But again the fear is that I drive the b@stards to other areas of the house.

Any ideas or feedback would be welcome.

Thank you

[Generic Eric]

Sticky traps.  Get some of those. Those ultrasonic things are supposed to scramble their brains.  Get one for each room. 

Or get a cat.

[mike boss]

I'm not even a cat guy, and the amount of stress I have felt all day makes me want a cat !
Mind you my dog might feel otherwise.

I did however end up catching one mouse tonight in the basement with a sticky trap.

I'll check the others in the morning.

I have no point of reference, but the amount of poop I found overall has me kinda freaked out.

Lets see what the morning holds.

[yotsuya]

And here I thought you picked up a Mappy...

[mike boss]

Lol................no arcade games!

I wish it were something I liked.
I'm still up looking into options here.
I had heard about some poison that would turn a mouse to dust. (IE - no smell when they die, should the die in the walls, etc)
No luck finding the info tho.

[PL1]

I had heard about some poison that would turn a mouse to dust. (IE - no smell when they die, should the die in the walls, etc)
No luck finding the info tho.

The company is d-CON, check out the "Mouse Bait", "Wedge Baits", and similar dessicant (water absorbing) bait products at the link -- not recommended if there are kids or pets in the room.

Mice tend to stay close to the wall so place your bait and/or traps accordingly.

Also remember to check the traps that you place at least every few days.

My old boss forgot about a glue trap he left in the base of a large rolling toolbox.

Several weeks later, there was a terrible stench eminating whenever someone opened one of the toolbox drawers.

Suffice it to say, it is far better to find a trapped mouse BEFORE it liquifies.   

Rodents are known carriers of hantavirus (mostly in the southwestern U.S.) and other diseases so take basic precautions when disposing of the remains such as nitrile gloves or at least putting a plastic bag turned inside out over your hand to pick up the trap then pull the bag right-side out.

After you've cleared out the mice, you will probably want to use clorox wipes to wipe down the shelves and remaining food containers since mice tend to urinate frequently all over the place.


Scott

[ChadTower]

Wait, why are you totally stressed out by a couple mice?  Sounds like there is something else going on.  Mice coming into houses this time of year is inevitable.  Older the house the more likely it is. 

You can freak out about hantavirus and mousavirus and rodentvirus but I have probably cleaned out 75 mouse traps over the years.  Pick it up with a newspaper and then wash your hands well.  That's all you have to do. 

My best advice is to get a cat.  That would solve the problem completely.  Barring that set some traps, check them every few days, and stop stressing so much about a couple mice.

EDIT:  typos

[pbj]

I give it two weeks before he's bottling his urine and wearing kleenex boxes for shoes.

Nah, but seriously.  If it's a flat surface, people have had sex on it.  There's probably somebody buried underneath you.  Everything is coated in poop.  And your house has always had mice in it.

 

[AzureKnight]

Mice will travel a lot through a house.  As was previously mentioned they prefer to run along a wall or a surface, they don't see very well and keep their whiskers touching the wall as they travel as a guide.

I have a friend who is an exterminator, he recommends buying bait stations and placing them in potential traffic areas.  In my house I use a bait that kills the rodent in a day or two after making them incredibly thirsty.  Generally they eat the bait, get thirsty, leave the house to go get a drink outside and die out there.  I have about 8 stations in my basement/attic/garage.  I check them every few months for activity but generally only see action in the spring and fall. 

Also, I would recommend you check your house for means of entry.  Look underneath the siding, where a chimney meets the walls, pipes coming in, the foundation underneath doorways.  Somewhere there is a gap and they don't need much room to get in.  There are a variety of ways to plug those holes up depending on where it is.  Great Stuff now has a foam that is bitter to the taste to discourage rodents chewing through it.  You can also stuff rough steel wool into the gap, they can't chew through that.  Those are good options I've found for around pipes and such.

As for the droppings, mouse poop will last a REALLY long time.  Cleaning it up and seeing how long it takes to reappear will help you determine how much activity you really have.

As PBJ stated, there are mice everywhere, part of life.

[knave]

I've never liked the sticky traps or poison. Snap traps all the way with a variety of bait...check daily. Peanut butter usually works well.

[pbj]

The sticky traps work pretty well, but I always felt compelled to mercy kill the mice.  Keep a brick next to the trashcan.  Ugh.

After many days spent looking for holes in the house, it turned out they were crawling in alongside the drain line on the washing machine - there was a gap about the size of a quarter.  Never saw a mouse in that place again and thus ended my mom yelling "MOUSE PATROL!" at 5am when she discovered one of the poor critters that had found her damned glued traps.

[PL1]

I've never liked the sticky traps or poison. Snap traps all the way with a variety of bait...check daily. Peanut butter usually works well.

One good way to increase the odds of triggering snap traps is to roll a pinch of cotton from a Q-tiip and jam it into the bait holder then smear the peanut butter into the cotton fibers.

Makes it a lot harder for them to steal the bait without triggering the trap.


Scott

[mike boss]

I'm very much a neat freak, and I think some of my issue stems from me being a new dad.
My lil one is almost a year and a half...........and she is all over the place.
I think the idea of the house being dirty freaks me out (for her).
I also think I have read so much that I have freaked myself out.

Today I picked up a trash bin with lid for outside, and a plastic trash bin with lid for under my sink. I still need to get something for food waste (compost) in the kitchen.

Wife picked up two large storage bins today and I'll be putting all the food in my pantry into them. Cleaning the shelves with Clorox wipes and moving them looking for more sings.

Did a walk around the outside of the house today. Anything that leads inside seems to be sealed well. But I want to seek the advice of my father in law. I also want to put some metal mesh over two pipes...........I dont know what the pipes are. I'm by no means a handy guy. (for what it is worth I have an all brick house)

I've done a good clean around the areas where I noticed the most activity , so this will certainly help to find out if the problem is still there. But I would really like to find the entry point.

With a dog, a cat is not an option.......I am however tempted !

My mom gave me some poison that I plan on putting in the garage. However reading online most people seem to slam this, saying they (the mice) enjoy it and get fatter.

I'll try this bait and see if I notice less droppings in the garage. If I do perhaps I'll place some in the attic.

[ark_ader]

I have them a lot as I live up a mountain.  I'm on a new record with 18 confirmed kills and one I caught by the tail and threw outside to be eaten by a large bird.

I use sticky traps on the runners of the house, inside cupboards, bookcases.  Rule of thumb is not to keep food lying around, and vacume up crumbs.

The new gadget is a mouse trap that spins the little buggers  to death. They walk in smelling peanut butter then get an E ticket ride.   

[mike boss]

I was thinking to add an ultrasonic device also.
Walmart (in Canada) has a 4 room one for $35/40.
My concern was does this simply steer them to other areas in the house ?
The frustration is killing me !

My mother in law does advise me that today no NEW signs show up.
She cleaned my stove and a cubbord that I had not done yet (no evidence of mice in it).
And the two traps I set upstairs one under the sink (where I found signs) and one under the stove  (where I found signs) show nothing new.

[Generic Eric]

With a dog, a cat is not an option.......I am however tempted !

I think you worry too much.  There are literally, tens of pictures like these:




For outside, until you get freezing temperatures you can try putting a rock in a bucket, filling up the bucket, half way with water, covering the water in a layer of sunflower seed bird seeds.  Prop a ramp up to the side of the bucket, mouse, chipmunk (in my case it was a chipmunk) jumps in thinking it has found a bucket full of seeds and finds out he is wrong.

[mike boss]

I may try the bucket trick......I like  that.
Will the actually jump into the bucket for the seeds ?

One issue I can see with the cat is the issue is downstairs (basement is both finished and unfinished in the laundy area......where I caught the mouse). We are not often downstairs, and the door is often closed as I have a little one. Is it not cruel to keep a cat down there ?

[pbj]

That little mouse crawls all over you while you sleep.

[mike boss]

That little mouse crawls all over you while you sleep.

I'm pi$$ed as is.........I dont even wanna think where the Fokers have been !

[Generic Eric]

I may try the bucket trick......I like  that.
Will the actually jump into the bucket for the seeds ?

One issue I can see with the cat is the issue is downstairs (basement is both finished and unfinished in the laundy area......where I caught the mouse). We are not often downstairs, and the door is often closed as I have a little one. Is it not cruel to keep a cat down there ?

I dunno. The seeds act as a distraction.  The trapper is supposed to layer enough that it covers the water but looks dry on top.  So fill it with water, lay your ramp, then pour in the seeds.  Don't move it.  I think that was part of my problem. I had it set up for 10 minutes and caught a chipmunk.  I was away when it jumped in.  I think the ramp is critical and I forgot to tell the neighbor about it and hers didn't work.  I saw another variation on youtube where the trapper set up a hollowed soda can, smeared with peanut butter.  The idea was that it would run and roll off the can into the water.  No seeds necessary.

Also, the mouse may be anywhere.  I appreciate your apparent intent to separate the dog and cat, but you want the cat to have free reign and sniff out the turd droppers.   You'll want to have a litter box downstairs if you intend to keep the cat down there.  Also, keep food & water, but in a separate area.

Do not leave papers out on your counters.  Our cat has been chewing on a stack of papers in the basement.  Also, your cat will walk everywhere, but that is the idea.  So on shelves, behind TVs and computers.

[knave]

That little mouse crawls all over you while you sleep.

I'm pi$$ed as is.........I dont even wanna think where the Fokers have been !

LoL, and mice pretty much piss all over everything as they walk...hehe

But really, you can take care of the problem w/o a cat but if you "do" want a cat I've had dogs and cats together most of my life...only if your dog is a cat killer is there an issue...even cat chasers get used to it after a while and get tired of being swatted on the nose and or put outside.

Just so you know not all cats are good mousers...

[Generic Eric]

Just so you know not all cats are good mousers...

QFT

I did not intend to suggest every cat is a mouser.  Knave gets it though.

[SavannahLion]

Remove the panel under the dishwasher and/or stove and look there. That's where ours like to hide. Many cabinets also don't sit flush against the wall so there's always a nice tiny hallway for mice to traverse.

But yeah, we find some big damn animals in our houses. The biggest I found was a possum. Couldn't figure out where all the cat took off to until I walked into the computer room and there was the possum. Swung open the door and smashed his furry little ass against the wall. End of that story.

Aat my mother's house we found everything including mice, rats, bats, chipmunks, squirrels, quail, and my mom even found a beaver in the house. Got pretty hairy with a bear cub one year when momma decided to hang out underneath deck. But forest rangers took care of them.

[mike boss]

I'll check the dishwasher area. That makes sense as it was the cabinet next to the dishwasher we found evidence of mice.

I guess however all efforts are in vain if I do not find the entry point.

I ordered the Ultrasonic device tonight.............all these steps I had better be mouse free.

[Le Chuck]

If you give a mouse a cookie he's bound to want a glass of milk. 

It's a fiendish slippery slope, be wary. 

[ChadTower]

Just so you know not all cats are good mousers...

QFT

I did not intend to suggest every cat is a mouser.  Knave gets it though.

Every hungry cat is a mouser.  Every... single... one.  I'm not saying starve a cat, but you know, even a cat has to earn its keep now and then.

[jaharr01]

okay Mike I live out in the country and had many a mouse over the years. I have always managed to get rid of them.Mouse traps don't work half the time.If there is plenty to eat rat poisoning won't work either.The one food that mice can't resist is peanut butter. Get 4 sticky traps tape the bottoms together to make a big square. then put about a teaspoon of peanut butter right smack dab in the middle put it where you see the most turds and I promise you will catch the little booger.And when you catch him it will sound like all hell has broke loose because lots of times only a couple of limbs get caught and they drag those sticky traps all over hell and back.

 Jay

[jaharr01]

And BTW as a medical professional, you are not likely to catch anything from the mice. You should always wash your hands good.It's the best medicine. Also, do you know why they are thirsty after they eat rat bait.Because the main ingredient is Warfarin. What Warfarin does is it neutralizes the bloods clotting factors and the mice eventually bleed to death.The reason they are thirsty is because they are bleeding to death internally.Interesting fact about Warfarin is it's the EXACT same drug that people take when they get blood clots or are in atrial fibrillation. Probably 40% of people over the age of 75 take the drug it.The drug is fairly safe but it has to be monitored closely.So if you grandma runs out of coumadin for her atrial fibrillation, get her some Decon.No don't really do that.

Jay

[ChadTower]

^^^That was some weird ---steaming pile of meadow muffin---.

[mike boss]

I came home today, I was feeling slightly better.
Nothing caught in the kitchen, nothing caught downstairs.
No evidence of turds....could it be I had one little guy ?

Wife and I packed up the dry goods (cereal, pasta, stove top, KD, etc) into some large plastic bins.
They were readily available, so it made sense, I am aware metal is better.

So anyway I'm home, feeling better, and I'm getting ready to go to the kitchen when what do I hear coming from the attic in the master closet ?
A TON of noise ! F**K ME, I can not win !

So now I know I have something FOR SURE in the attic.

[ed12]

Warfarin is in fact a blood thinner and rat poision
it is used for the exact 2 reasons posted >for humans<,
and yes the test is twice a week blood test to chk your :inr:
which stands for :international blood ratio:
ie how thin your blood is..
i know first hand about that crap

ed

[mike boss]

I just want to know what is the best bait I can use in the attic.
Something that would drive them out and eliminate a smell should some die inside the attic would be ideal.
Lastly is it available in Canada.

[jaharr01]

Warfarin is in fact a blood thinner and rat poision
it is used for the exact 2 reasons posted >for humans<,
and yes the test is twice a week blood test to chk your :inr:
which stands for :international blood ratio:
ie how thin your blood is..
i know first hand about that crap

ed

You go Dog

Warfarin impairs the creation of one of the significant blood clotting factors, prothrombin. Vitamin K is an important factor in the synthesis of prothrombin clotting factors in the blood. Because of this, Vitamin K is considered an "antidote" for warfarin overdose. If a child or pet inadvertently consumes a warfarin-based rodenticide, the usual treatment is injections of Vitamin K. This is simplified greatly because the actual effects of the warfarin can be measured fairly accurately by measuring the blood clotting rate. This "prothrombin clotting time" or "protime" measurement is necessary for anyone on warfarin prophylaxis therapy. Tests may be done as frequently as daily to as infrequently as monthly

Source http://www.flounder.com/warfarin.htm

[2600]

I just want to know what is the best bait I can use in the attic.
Something that would drive them out and eliminate a smell should some die inside the attic would be ideal.
Lastly is it available in Canada.

Mice will usually go up in the attic via the pipes.  Throw some(a lot) of these up there. Bait Packs  Throw them near where the pipes come up in the attic and then where you have heard noises.  Don't worry about the smell as they are small and dry up.  Only use the bait packs up in the attic as your little one won't be in the attic.

Now, walk around your house and see if you can spot where they might of gotten in and caulk it up.  A lot of people will say Mice can get in to really small holes and that you will never be able to prevent them from coming in, blah blah blah.  You can prevent them or at least make it harder for them to get in.  Look for any possible entrance holes, space under Door Threshold, around pipe and cable entrances into the house.  Also, look for turds around your door entry to see if you have any activity outside.  If so, buy some of the TOMCAT outdoor traps to put outside and place them up against a wall or in a corner.  I think the outdoor traps may be called Rat traps and they are sealed so your little one won't be able to open them.

[pbj]

And BTW as a medical professional, you are not likely to catch anything from the mice.

Right.  I'll remember that the next time I'm capped, gowned, and gloved in an animal lab.

 

[mike boss]

Today I did a walk around the house and plugged any area I could with some steel wool. All be it most holes looked well sealed as it was. I cleaned out the vent for the dryer, but I was told the covering on the vent is all that is required.

I got a new waste basket with lid for my kitchen , and a new pail for outside with lid.

I placed some poison blocks outside in the garage, didnt use bait stations as the dog and lil one would not be inside there.

As for the attic I went to my local Home Depot (Canada). They had some biat, but it says they need to feed on that and that only for 3 days. I'll look to locally buy DCON.

[AzureKnight]

You mentioned a finished basement, does it have a drop ceiling?  If so you might want to poke around up in there too.

Do you have a lot of trees or bushes near the house/roofline?  It is also possible for them to climb and jump to the roof/soffits for entry. 

[knave]

Don't worry about the smell as they are small and dry up. 

Word.

unless you live in a really moist environment...you won't smell em in the attic. Plus you are going to check your traps right.

[mike boss]

House is an all brick home, about 8 years old.
I'm the only owner.
Basement is finished, but not drop ceiling.
Prior to finishing the basement I had never seen signs of a mouse down there.
Really this has come on like gang busters in the last week.
I've actually felt sick since Sunday......no lie.
The stress I feel is unreal !!!
Not to mention the wife freaking out.

This attic noise really set me off! It has me SOOOOOOOOOOOO UPSET.
I live in Ajax, Ontario, east of Toronto. Right now the temperature is about 10 most days.
The house has no real large trees around, so I suspect they might get up thru drain pipes ?

I'm checking my traps daily. When I get to the attic I'd suspect I'll check that every other day or so.

I'll check another local Hardware store franchise for a different poision. The PC @ work is too slow, so I have been unable to see if/where I can get D-CON stuff in Canada.

[DaOld Man]

DeCon in the attic is the way to go. They will smell for a few days after they perish, but the smell will go away (usually takes longer in the winter when house is shut up.)
You said you have a basement, does it cover the whole house, or is there a crawl space that will have vents in the foundation, close to the ground? If you have any of these vents, look closely at them. They have a screen behind the shutter. Make sure there isn't a hole in one of them.
The noise you are hearing in the attic is probably the mice crawling and chewing on the sheetrock. DeCon now! They will eventually eat through the sheetrock, but it will take a mouse a pretty good while to do it.
They are also separating the insulation from the sheetrock when they crawl between the two, which can leave air spaces, cutting down on your insulation R value.
Here is a funny (but true) story from  my past.
We lived in a rental house that was at least 25 years old and this was in the mid 70's. No insulation at all in the attic.
Momma kept complaining about hearing scratching noises in the living room. We just laughed and told her she was hearing things.
Then one day while we were all watching TV, sheetrock dust fell from the ceiling next to the front door, and a hole appeared in the ceiling.
A hole about the size of a half dollar coin.
We all got up and walked closer to it, and suddenly a snout with teeth stuck through. It was a squirrel!
We grabbed some wasp spray and sprayed his nose the next time he stuck it through the hole. You could hear him running like crazy across the ceiling.
Next day we set out some decon in the attic, dont know if it works for squirrels but what the hey?
I also went up in the attic and two squirrels were in the corner but ran when I shined the flashlight on them.
They ran out through a piece of siding that was loose, but was hard to see from outside.
We patched the siding and the hole in the sheetrock and that was an end to that adventure.
We still had the occasional mouse, but the decon usually took care of them after a day or two.
Now rats are something that I cannot and will not live with. Even if it means moving.
But all animals are wanting in your house where it is safe from predators and the environment.
You have to find where they are coming in, fix it, then set poison or traps or both.
BTW, the dishwasher: I have installed several of these in my lifetime, and we used to bore a hole in the floor in the back of the dishwasher for the wire (usually 12/2 W ground romex cable) to come up from the crawlspace or basement to power the dishwasher. If you can get to it from the basement, check to see if there is any caulking around the cable, if not put some silicone caulking around it to stop up an entry point to under your dishwasher. If the supply and drain water lines come through the floor, check those too. Might want to check water lines to your sinks too.

[pbj]

Nuke it from orbit, it's the only way to be sure.

[Le Chuck]

Could be worse...

[DaOld Man]

Nuke it from orbit, it's the only way to be sure.

Yeah, but what if one sneaks onto your space ship?

[mike boss]

My basement covers the entire house, no crawl space.
I'm trying to see if DECON is available in Canada, but having some web issues today.
I'm going to apply sprayfoam to the entire inside perimeter of my garage.
My ultrasonic devices will be in this week, but no plan to put one in the attic.
I just want the best, strongest poision I can find in Canada.

Sadly with the basement finished, the area that would contain the dishwasher wires, etc is covered. I just used some steel wool from where the pipes go into the cubbord.

I work two nights and dont have mcuh time for things, but towards the end of the week I plan on doing a good clean inside, and looking closer for evidence of poop.

As mentioned the two areas upstairs that were cleaned and baited with traps have (A) caught nothing, (B) not shown any new turds.

When I get my ultrasonic devices : http://www.victorpest.com/store/mouse-control/m754s
One will find a home in the garage, one the front room, one the kitchen, and one the basement.

But for now dealing with the attic noise has to be done ASAP.

I'm so PI$$ED.................. the amount of stress I feel is insane. Honesrtly since Sunday I have been on tilt.

EDIT -  the main place (or first place I noticed the noise) was where the access pannel to the atic is. When I hit it with a hanger it stopped, I'm going to place poision within arms reach. But as noted I'll toss some packets to certain areas.

What bothered me was the brand I found today says the mice need to eat that for 3 days.......and just that !

[yotsuya]

Maybe you could beat the mouse to death with your OUYA? 

[ed12]

homedepot


d-CON
Model # 002028
Internet # 100670331   
Chat Offline
12 oz. Rat and Mouse Killer Ready-Mixed Baitbits (12-Pack)


ed

[DaOld Man]

Decon is the way to go, however I have had much success with the spring traps and using peanut butter for bait.

This is the kind of trap Im talking about  ( the plastic ones suck):

[HaRuMaN]

I just want the best, strongest poision I can find in Canada.

Justin Bieber?

[mike boss]

homedepot


d-CON
Model # 002028
Internet # 100670331   
Chat Offline
12 oz. Rat and Mouse Killer Ready-Mixed Baitbits (12-Pack)


ed

I think that is Homedepot.com , not .CA
Sadly I dont think DECON is readily available in Canada.

[ChadTower]

I just want the best, strongest poision I can find in Canada.

Justin Bieber?

[mike boss]

I thank all you guys for the advice/tips.
I'm sure I am over reacting ,but having my little girl I want all surfaces as clean as they can be.
I also want to deal with this before the issue gets worse.

This is the bait redily available in Canada.
I was at Home Depot today and they did not have DECON, they did however have these :

http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/wilson-wilsarin-rat-and-mouse-bait-pellets-0591935p.html#.VE_dkR1DilQ

(as do Canadian Tire and Home Hardware)

[Vigo]

BTW, the dishwasher: I have installed several of these in my lifetime, and we used to bore a hole in the floor in the back of the dishwasher for the wire (usually 12/2 W ground romex cable) to come up from the crawlspace or basement to power the dishwasher. If you can get to it from the basement, check to see if there is any caulking around the cable, if not put some silicone caulking around it to stop up an entry point to under your dishwasher. If the supply and drain water lines come through the floor, check those too. Might want to check water lines to your sinks too.

This is good advice. I have house where mice used holes I drilled for natural gas or electrical. I wish I would have done this. I've also had squirrels set up camp in my attic, and just spending time with a ladder looking over my soffits and fascia revealed where the openings were.

[mike boss]

Thanks guys.

This weekend will be mouse hunting/fixing/fighting/etc.

I'm hoping my father in law can come and provide some advice.

I'm a first time homeowner and by no means a handy man.

But this is a situation I want dealt with ASAP.

For now (as I dont think I can find DCON) I will use the pellets linked to in the other post.

My uncle is my plumber, and I'm hoping he would have dealt with the lines as needed. As I said the area is now finished off and I am unable to get to it.

EDIT -  My biggest fear is not knowing the scope of the problem. And feeling like all the steps I take would not be enuff to remedy this. I dont want to take on the extra costs of an extermination guy. And from what I read they dont do much over and above what you yourself can do. I think they just get the gig based on the "gross out" factor. None the less I'm probably stressing more than needed. But I want a clean safe house for my lil one. I cant lie, I am creeped out by these lil guys. I by NO MEANS wanna walk around my attic. I however may need to suck it up and do just that.

[2600]

Today I did a walk around the house and plugged any area I could with some steel wool. All be it most holes looked well sealed as it was. I cleaned out the vent for the dryer, but I was told the covering on the vent is all that is required.

I got a new waste basket with lid for my kitchen , and a new pail for outside with lid.

I placed some poison blocks outside in the garage, didnt use bait stations as the dog and lil one would not be inside there.

As for the attic I went to my local Home Depot (Canada). They had some biat, but it says they need to feed on that and that only for 3 days. I'll look to locally buy DCON.

Mice will eat through the steel wool and I don't recommend leaving the poison blocks out in the garage.  That has fatal accident written all over it.  Check under the threshold and other outside spots again.

[Vigo]

Today I did a walk around the house and plugged any area I could with some steel wool. All be it most holes looked well sealed as it was. I cleaned out the vent for the dryer, but I was told the covering on the vent is all that is required.

I got a new waste basket with lid for my kitchen , and a new pail for outside with lid.

I placed some poison blocks outside in the garage, didnt use bait stations as the dog and lil one would not be inside there.

As for the attic I went to my local Home Depot (Canada). They had some biat, but it says they need to feed on that and that only for 3 days. I'll look to locally buy DCON.

Mice will eat through the steel wool and I don't recommend leaving the poison blocks out in the garage.  That has fatal accident written all over it.  Check under the threshold and other outside spots again.

By itself, yes, but a combination of steel wool and Caulk will prevent the mice from eating through.

[SavannahLion]

Wife and I packed up the dry goods (cereal, pasta, stove top, KD, etc) into some large plastic bins.
They were readily available, so it made sense, I am aware metal is better.

Metal is better but not for the reason you're thinking.

You have to take care when packing food into plastic containers. They need to be marked as "food safe." Any restaurant supply house will sell nothing but.

A lot of plastic bins, like the kind you get at Wal*Mart have a distinctive smell. This is the outgassing of whatever additives the manufacturer adds to the plastic. A common one is the "vinyl" smell you get (cheap photo albums are notable). Some have a stench that some people describe as bitter almonds. BPA is one such example.

Normally, most boxed foods are also bagged and hence, sealed, so it's not too much of an issue. But some dry foods like pasta, flour, sugar etc are not and the outgassed chemicals will taint your food.

I far prefer glass (such as mason jars) as you can examine the food and ensure no bugs get inside. They also make a machine for them that can vacuum seal the top without using the heating process. My daycare provider believes in storing at least 9 months of food in the house so she has her own metal canning machine and cans everything in bulk. She prefers the metal as they're less likely to break. No plastics.

[Le Chuck]

Last time I was deployed to Afghanistan our house got an infestation of bats.  Wife is emailing me across the world totally flipping her ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- because she found bats nustling up to the baby for warmth.  The the Germans notify us its some kind of protected bat and we can't kill it, we pretty much had to cede our upstairs territory to the critters for a few months while we helped them find a new habitat. 

Made for some cool pictures.  Still makes for fun stories.  This isn't the end of the world, don't let it stress you out man.  It's gross and upsetting but it's survivable.  Be resilient and tackle the problem with patience and aplomb.  You can do it. 

[mike boss]

Thanks Le Chuck.

When I think of how I feel I think that perhaps I've read too much, scared myself too much.
All I can do is get over the "gross" factor and get it done. Asses, then do it again if needed!!
I've taken some steps, but I think most important will be find that entry. That seems to be the number one
thing mentioned. The last thing I wanna do is walk around that attic, but I think I have a spot outside missing a shingle. That will get some attention tomorrow.

I will also be placing the bait as linked to earlier in the attic.
I do not have time to wait for bait to arrive from the states.

This requires three feedings, but I'm hoping since the food will be readily available and easy they will take advantage.

[yotsuya]

Thanks Le Chuck.

When I think of how I feel I think that perhaps I've read too much, scared myself too much.
All I can do is get over the "gross" factor and get it done. Asses, then do it again if needed!!

Took me a second to realize you meant assess. When I first read that, I thought...



That was the most SFW "asses" I could find...

[knave]

In all cases you have to give the bait/traps time to do their job.

Keep an eye out, and relax. you will get the little monsters.

[mike boss]

From what I gather it can be as much as 10 days.
Question, with the bait, they feed, they go, they die.
Box says you simply look to make sure the bait is getting eaten.
Do I simply wait for the noises to stop to know the job is done ?

Lastly, blocks or pellets ? What would be best for an attic ?

Some people say the pellets you will see missing, but the mouse could be hording them.

[HaRuMaN]

Only way to be sure:

[Generic Eric]

From what I gather it can be as much as 10 days.
Question, with the bait, they feed, they go, they die.
Box says you simply look to make sure the bait is getting eaten.
Do I simply wait for the noises to stop to know the job is done ?

Lastly, blocks or pellets ? What would be best for an attic ?

Some people say the pellets you will see missing, but the mouse could be hording them.

Do I simply wait for the noises to stop to know the job is done ?

You try everything until you catch a mouse.  Or until the heebie jeebies subside.  Then get a cat.  Just to be sure.

[Vigo]

Everyone knows that mice are, in fact, really hyper-intelligent, pan-dimensional beings. The whole business with the squeaking and eating cheese is just a front.

[pbj]

You have to take care when packing food into plastic containers. They need to be marked as "food safe." Any restaurant supply house will sell nothing but.

Dude.

[mike boss]

I don't know if my containers are food safe.

None the less as of today, no new evidence of turds, and the two kitchen traps have caught nothing.

The glue traps downstairs have also caught nothing, so I've moved one of them to a different location.

Wifes friends, friend has a boyfriend who works in the pest removal industry. He simply told her toss the food into the corners (if I can) to try and drive them out. Wait a week and see if the noise stops. So I think I'll take that advice, but also follow the instructions on the box. Perhaps placing two packets of food right by the openning to the attic (where I heard noise) and can easily monitor daily.

I've asked my wife to ask if he can suggest a bait or any other tips.

A guy at work said he had a problem with pests prior and used a guy who came back three times to make sure the job was done. Said he actually found entry points and blocked them. Mind you that was for coons.

[AzureKnight]

As a few others have mentioned, take a deep breath and relax.  It is a mouse, it really can't hurt you.

We have had mouse issues twice in the home I am in now.  My house basically backs up to a nature reserve so we see a lot of wildlife even though we live in the suburbs (of Buffalo, NY so our climate is a lot like yours this time of year).  The mice are seeking a home for the winter.

I prefer  block food in a bait station for several reasons.

1)  You can tell if the food is being eaten, the block will have chunks missing.
2)  If you do have pets or kids, the bait is locked in the station so you can put it out in the garage/basement/etc.
3)  If the rodent is bigger than a mouse, you will find the station chewed up as the larger rodent tries to get to the bait, helping you identify the problem.  In your case you know it is a mouse from the droppings.

No matter what type of bait you use, put it by a wall/stud/etc, not in the center of rooms.  In my case what you stated earlier was true, bait and wait...eventually the problem goes away.

As for points of entry, do you have a fireplace chimney?  Sometimes there are gaps where those meet the house.  Also look under your door frames, porch, where the brick ends and the foundation begins (assuming that is above ground).  It is a slow tedious process.

I know you don't want the expense of an exterminator and they will only do what you do, but given your stress level over this, you might want to think about it.  They have an eye to spot things you might not and that might give you some peace of mind.  But overall you don't need one.  You will get it.

[mike boss]

I appreciate the feedback and help on this issue.
I was leaning toward the block format for the reasons mentioned above.
I'll be looking today when I goto the store.

No chiminey in my house. But over the weekend when more spare time is available I'll be doing more looking.
Im yet to check anything in the backyard.

There is part of me that wants to call someone to come look in a few weeks. Go in, check if the issue is resolved (or as best they can tell). As pointed out they have an eye for this and can I'm sure provide some good feedback.

I asked the wife to ask the friends, friends boyfriend. Perhaps I can get a deal.

One thing I will not do is walk my 200lb self around that attic.......so bait will be at arms reach !

[knave]

One thing I will not do is walk my 200lb self around that attic.......so bait will be at arms reach !

I weigh the same, as long as you stay on the Joists you'll be fine. But I don't blame you for not wanting to crawl around up there. Besides, it's not really necessary, the critters will find the bait if they are up there.

Last time there was a "lots of noise" coming from the attic of my rental property...it was squirrels. I found the gap and sealed it. No more issue.

[Vigo]

One thing I will not do is walk my 200lb self around that attic.......so bait will be at arms reach !

Your house is 8 years old, you are fine. My house was 100 year's old and well, I didn't fare as well.

[lilshawn]

you think getting rid of any of this is bad, you ought to try german cockroaches. (apartment living at it's finest) contained mainly to the kitchen/bathroom as they share a common drain and water pipeworks through all the floors.

worst year of my life. literally. Turns out, unbeknownst to us, the powdered bait/killer contained a milk product and it nearly killed me. (i'm allergic to dairy)

Some kind of super fine powdered diatomaceous earth and an attractant (likely whey powder) we are talking like toner powdered kind of fine here. Gets in the air (even from just moving something) and BOOF! I'm wheezing, coughing and my sinuses are going overload. shortly thereafter my throat starts swelling up. after a couple hospital visits, and putting 2 and 2 together found out the powdered stuff contains milk.  we up and moved out. -40 weather or not.

that, which couldn't be microwaved with radiation to kill it was thrown out. I ain't bringing these ---daisies--- with me.

worst. pest. evar.

[mike boss]

One of the main concerns I have is not finding the gap....and by not going in....I WONT !
I have a buddy who offered to help, I told him unless you wanna walk in my attic look for damage, mess, and gaps you really cant. (ARCADE TIE IN) I did offer to buy him lunch (Fat Bastard Burritos), Corona, and give him a SFII marquee he needs ! Lets see if he can/will help me out.

I can toss the bait in, no problem with that. All be it I'm kind of scared to see what I see (to be honest).
But again, not finding an entry point could leave me open to the same issues.

Ughh................. I'll just do all I can. I told the wife to ask her bro for some help. He is super handy, and I dont think the attic/mice would creep him out.

If a lot of mess (droppings, soiled insullation, etc) is found, I would think I would not want to keep that in there. But again, me not going in how would I find it .....if that makes sense.

[SavannahLion]

that, which couldn't be microwaved with radiation to kill it was thrown out. I ain't bringing these ---daisies--- with me.

worst. pest. evar.

Microwaves or radiation isn't going to kill a cockroach. Ants can't be directly killed by microwaves either, not sure about any other types of radiation. Not sure about other insects. Not too interested in testing any particular theory out.

[pbj]

Microwaves or radiation isn't going to kill a cockroach. Ants can't be directly killed by microwaves either, not sure about any other types of radiation. Not sure about other insects. Not too interested in testing any particular theory out.

 

Yeah, not true anymore.  Older microwaves do indeed have cold spots and insects will run to them and survive an astoundingly long time in a microwave.  I haven't seen one in over 20 years without a turntable in it, and that style will fry up a bug quick.

 

[ed12]

roachs have 1 common problem
it is called cold..yes cold
when i was doing restruant work and had to bring in eq to fix
it would stay outside in the cold overnight
u could then with cold water wash them away,and or step on them,
never to be seen again,u c cold they cannot work in

ed

[mike boss]

So as of tonight, the two snap traps in the kitchen (baited with PB) have not caught any mice.
However, inspection of the kitchen yields no new droppings that I have found.

The basement has 3 sticky traps, all with PB for bait. Over and above the one mouse I caught Sunday at 9...no mice !
I'm going to move these to other parts of the basement now.

I added my Ultrasonic devices to select areas of the house today. (Front room ...by the front door, kitchen at couter top level, garage, and basement) : http://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/victor-ultrasonic-mini-pestchaser-rodent-repellent-m754cas/6000112371462

In the garage I placed 4 bait blocks on Tuesday I believe, 3 of which are gone. I had 1.5 in there today, a 1/2 a block I could see was dragged into a corner.
I moved it, when I came back from some errands it was gone.
I'll check the remaining block in the morning, as I would like to see the results with the ultrasonic device now in use.

Now for the attic. I got this poison as it really is all that is readily available in Canada.
http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/wilson-wilsarin-rat-and-mouse-bait-pellets-0591935p.html

Looking in the attic with a bright spotlight I had I really saw nothing to be honest. One area on the roof that concerned me as I could see some broken plywood near a vent. I dont know if this was damage done when the house was built, or something forced it's way it. It did not appear wet around it.
Anyway...........I could see little tunnels, or what appear to be tunnels. I tossed in 5 packages of the bait, two of which I left by little tunnels that appear close to the attic  trap door. I'll monitor again in 48 hours, leaving another 5 packets of bait in the attic.

On Saturday a buddy is going to come and take a walk around for me.

I wonder if it is odd that I have only caught one mouse in the house so far ? I'm wondering if I should move the traps from the sink cupboard and stove area as they have yielded no results...despite being the two areas poop were found.

[ark_ader]

Get yourself a Yorkshire terrier.

They were used in the old days as ratters.

One mouse will keep it entertained for hours.  And dogs don't crap in corners like cats do.

[ChadTower]

He hates those meeses to pieces.

[Generic Eric]

Get yourself a Yorkshire terrier.

They were used in the old days as ratters.

One mouse will keep it entertained for hours.  And dogs don't crap in corners like cats do.

Word. I had a Min Pin.  They are also originaly ratters.  Never had a problem to test this.  Joey was my smoking buddy.

The one fact remains that the Miniature Pinscher originated several centuries ago as an efficient barnyard ratter, with no relation to the Doberman or the Manchester Terrier.

[mike boss]

Soooooooooooo...................................

I'm yet to check to see if the containers I used to store my dry goods (cereal, pasta, chips, etc) are good for food.........uh ohh! I will get to that !

Here is where I am on the  mouse hunt.
To date 1 mouse caught downstairs last week Sunday in the sticky trap. Two of the traps I have not moved and they have remained in the same location (near where I store food).
One of the traps I've moved once or twice, but nothing new has been caught.

I cleaned the main floor and the upstairs of the house and everything is pretty clean. Looking behind the fridge and stove, and under the sofas I saw no evidence of mice. The cupboard under my sink where I saw evidence of mice has remained clean, as has the drawer under the stove. As noted prior I added an ultrasonic device to the kitchen at counter level.

In the garage I switched from a block bait to a bag bait and for the last 2 (perhaps 3) days that bait remains untouched. Again and ultrasonic device is used in the garage, but the garage is rather full and I'm sure the device is not that effictive out there.

Now for the attic, after the initial bait was used I had gone up 48 hours after (as noted on the biat box). I saw the bait was clearly open and pulled into the burrows I noticed. Of the 15 bags of bait I think I used 7 so far. The two bags I placed near the burrows were pulled into burrows, but not empty so I did not go up again in 48 hours as instructed. I'm confident bait still remains. I was not in the master bedroom much yesterday (instert joke)....but when I was I heard no noise. I'll check the bait tonight, adding more if needed.

I purchased some spray foam that I plan on using in the garage where the floor meets the walls. I have not yet had the time to move everything and do this.

I did however plug an area on the roof where it looks like a shingle had come off in a storm. I used some steel wool to seal off the area. I very much think it could be an entry point as the downspout is near that area.

That is it for now !


EDIT - Basement area where I found the mouse still needs a good clean and investigation. Just not enuff hours in the day.

[DaOld Man]

I think you should chill and let nature (and the poison) do its work.
Mice are intelligent, just as mentioned above, and they may get suspicious if you keep interrupting their habitat, so I would wait about a week before going back up in the attic, let them think you have forgotten about them.
Looks like the attic is their base of operation, so let them get back into the routine of finding food.
About the possible entry points, you definitely need to fix these ASAP, cause mice wont be the only creatures wanting to take up house with you.
I bought a house about 14 years ago  that was 10 years old when I bought it.
I was watching tv one night and a mouse came down the steps and jumped behind the tv.
This freaked me out and I bought traps and poison and set them out all over the house.
I got to looking around outside for entry point and I found a perfect one.
The house is sitting on a concrete block foundation.
There is a metal door that allows access to the crawl space under the floor.
I found that the frame for the access door has the concrete blocks surrounding it.
The blocks on the bottom of the door had the holes that are in the center of the blocks totally exposed.
The mice (and spiders and snakes) could easily go under the door by dropping off into the block then coming back up on the other side.
I couldn't believe the builder left this wide open (made me wonder what else I might have missed in the construction).
Anyway I filled the holes in the blocks with a couple of bags of concrete.
I also found a hole under the downstairs tub that possibly allowed the mice to move from crawl space to my space.
It was stuffed with fiberglass insulation but that's no barrier to a real mouse.
I patched it the best I could, which wasn't the proudest job id ever done. (The space to get to it was very limited.)
Anyway, no more mice, although I still have them getting in my workshop/shed, but I did some work on it a couple weeks ago and haven't caught any new ones since.

[mike boss]

Thanks DaOld Man,

For now I am waiting before going back up into the attic.
All has been quiet to date, nothing in the traps, and the biat outside not touched.
Based on the amount of bait I placed in the attic I'm confident waiting a few days they would not finsish the biat.
As per the box I was supposed to bait every 48hrs as needed.

[dkersten]

Your typical field mouse can enter your house through an opening as small as 1/4" in diameter.. their skulls and skeletons are flexible.  It is very difficult to completely seal your house up from them.

From your descriptions, I would say you have probably taken care of the problem by now.. The mice have eaten the bait and will likely be dead soon if not already. 

The last mouse I had was about 6 years back.  I would be in my family room down stairs and between commercials I would hear scratching in the ceiling.  As soon as I went to investigate it would stop.  I determined the joists they were between and followed them to the spot where my dishwasher water supply line runs up to the dishwasher.  Every night I set out a snap trap with PB for bait.  It took about a week, but one night I woke up to some sound, lay there for a while thinking about it, and then went to investigate and sure enough, the trap had caught the mouse.  Haven't had once since.

Unfortunately our town has been overrun by wild rabbits.  I am now considering ways of getting rid of them since we can't shoot guns in town..   None get in the house, but just about every yard in the city has a family of rabbits living in the bushes.  At night you can drive through any neighborhood and see dozens of them around the streets.. My yard gets hammered by them.  If there weren't so many cats roaming the neighborhoods day and night, I would poison the hell out of the areas around my yard and kill those suckers off. 

[mike boss]

I do feel confident I've taken care of it at this point.
I'll simply pop up, look at the bait and that should be the end of it.
In a week or two I have a buddy coming to do a walk thru looking for potential entry points.
He's not skilled in this (per say), just a home owner.......only difference is he will actually go up and walk around the attic............I WONT !

[pbj]

It's probably just hibernating until the weather warms up.  You'll see him again around March.

[mike boss]

I thought I would post an update on my problem.
To date I have caught 137 mice in the house.
I purchased 6 cats and tossed out every single food item in my house.

BUT SERIOUS NOW ..............


I've only caught the one mouse, and the traps in the basement (baited with PB) have caught nothing else.
And no new evidence found upstairs on the main floor ..... whic is great.
The problem outside I would assume is taken care of as the bait remains unopen. It's been about two weeks now, and again the bait not touched.

Yesterday for the 1st time in perhaps a week I popped my head up into the attic, I was able to locate the two bait bags that I placed within my site. They both had bait left. So I think I've solved this.

Over and above plugging the one area on the roof I found (near my down spout) missing a shingle, I have not looked in the attic yet. I will however in the next few weeks have my buddy do the walk thru for me.

I still want to use the spray foam in the garage, it is just that I have no time.

[SavannahLion]

You guys and your mice. Yeesh...

I have this creature that comes into my house every night. Eats enormous amounts of food. Makes the most horrendous noise you can imagine. The thing does this until about 9 or sometimes as late as 9:30 until it burrows itself into one of the bedrooms where it lays silent. If it doesn't go to sleep before 9, it worms its way into my fridge and starts horking food down like crazy. I've only managed to trap it once in the kitchen before it scurried back into one of the bedrooms.

Once asleep, nothing can wake it up until well after sunrise, not even a smoke alarm or fire department (yes, that has happened). On the weekdays, only food can wake the beast up. On the weekends, nothing seems to lure the creature out of hiding anytime before 12 noon. The damn cats won't kill it. The damn dogs won't do anything with it.

It's the most useless ---smurfing--- thing on the planet and I can't ever get rid of it. Not for at least another four years according to my wife.

[pbj]

I've only caught the one mouse, and the traps in the basement (baited with PB) have caught nothing else.

They'll soon return, and in greater numbers.

[ChadTower]

Mike Boss' mice always travel single file to hide their numbers. 

[yotsuya]

Mike's gonna need a bigger boat. 

[pbj]

Hold on to your butts.

[ChadTower]

Mike's mouse doesn't want to be fed.  He wants to hunt.  You don't just suppress 65 million years of gut instinct.

[HaRuMaN]

[jennifer]

  EEEEEEK !!!!!.....JENNIFER SO JUMPS UP ON A CHAIR !!!!

[J_K_M_A_N]

I recently found out we had some mice under our stairs so I ended up buying a web cam and trying to find out where they were coming in. I found out they were coming up some brick and had chewed enough of the 2x6 away to get in. I ended up getting this expanding foam from home depot. Be aware that it is a one time use as the foam gets in the neck and won't work again once it sits overnight. I figured out that when the house was built, they used nails on the sheet rock from the garage into the house and those get lose so there were big gaps at the bottom of the walls. I filled all of those in and have not had a mouse for about a month now. You have to get those gaps filled. That spray works great! Wear plastic gloves though. It is pretty sticky.

If you would like to see one of them die.... I caught about 12 before I was able to seal everything up. Some of the gaps were close to a half inch!

J_K_M_A_N

[knave]

Be aware that it is a one time use as the foam gets in the neck and won't work again once it sits overnight

J_K_M_A_N

PSA-sometimes you can clear the nozzle by turning it upside-down and releasing some propellant. You loose a little but not the whole can. I usually use them two or three times. (same goes for spray paint)

[mike boss]

@  J_K_M_A_N

That is the exact foam I bought. However so busy as of late I am yet to get outside and seal everything up.

There is no doubt that perhaps I over reacted in dealing with this. This was new to me and having a kid who plays on the floor all the time I was really upset that my kid could have picked up a lil mouse gift (aka TURD!).
I was creeped out to say the least. None the less I feel good about the results, and despite the jokes made I dont think 50 mice are in my attic laughing, thinking, "ha ha ha...he may have got Mickey but he will never get us!"

[DeLuSioNal29]

Make sure you cover your toilets too.

[ChadTower]

So if the mice chewed through a 2x6 what on Earth makes you think they won't just do it again?

[yotsuya]

There is no doubt that perhaps I over reacted in dealing with this. This was new to me and having a kid who plays on the floor all the time I was really upset that my kid could have picked up a lil mouse gift (aka TURD!).
I was creeped out to say the least. None the less I feel good about the results, and despite the jokes made I dont think 50 mice are in my attic laughing, thinking, "ha ha ha...he may have got Mickey but he will never get us!"

"Perhaps"? 


Oh, they're still there alright... waiting...

[mike boss]

LOL!

I'll get in the attic and look for entry points, and I'll use the spray foam outside.
I do however think I've MOSTLY solved the problem. I can say with confidence I've solved the current issue %100. Re-entry into the house is next on the block........but it's SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO cold.

[DaOld Man]

Be careful with that expanding foam. If you spray it into a tight area, it will push something out.
I have a friend who but up a new door.
Before putting on the trim, he thought he would spray the foam around the door (under the trim area), for insulation.
It expanded, pushed the door frame in, and warped his new door.
It has quite a bit of power when it expands and can damage things if it has no where to expand to.
Just use it sparingly.
Also I wonder if a mouse can easily chew through that stuff?

[Vigo]

My understanding is that they can chew through spray foam. It might work, because they might not know there is something worthwhile on the other side, but the magic ticket is spray foam combined with steel wool. According to my neighbor who seems to be filled with a million tricks. It does a number on rodent teeth. and they will not touch it after a nibble. He also said the steel wool/foam combo can also be used as a squirrel repellent. Just keep some balls of steel wool/foam in places squirrels haunt, they will grab it thinking it is a nut, ding up their teeth and run. They will be scared to go near the area they hurt themselves. I haven't tested repellent yet, but I haven't had any of my foam patching chewed through.

[eds1275]

but the magic ticket is spray foam combined with steel wool.

That's a great trick!

It expanded, pushed the door frame in, and warped his new door.

As for expanding foam pushing a door out of square he used the wrong stuff. You can get hardcore stuff for things like between bricks or whatever, and you can also get low pressure expanding foam for around windows and doors.

I usually spray the stuff upside down to clear the nozzle, then wrap the end in saran wrap and can use it until the can is empty.

[danny_galaga]

Not sure what you are freaking out about. Mice occur in pretty much all homes. That, and cockroaches. One time, when my sister and I were tearing out our kitchen to rebuild, I found some mice in the cupboard under the sink. Because we had also cleared all the living room floor and there was no furniture, when they ran out across that (to them) vast space I was able to chase them and catch them by hand! I caught the whole family, and as animal friendly as I am had to drown them in a plastic bag of warm water (apparently warm water is better). So in that one day I cleared the kitchen out of mice without even using a trap!

[Deadpool]

I was a sneaky little feller when I was younger.  We used to have mice in the house quite often but I used to put some food by the hole they would come out of, and instead of getting a mouse trap, I would sit there with a BB gun and just wait for one to pop its head out of the hole.  It is a sure way to get the job done!  However I was also a young lad and had all the time in the world.  But nothing is more satisfying than handling the situation yourself!

[Fursphere]

I had mice problems when I bought my house about 12 years ago.   About 2 years after I bought mine, the house next door was sold and renovated.  The guy who bought it tore it down to the studs (a very old couple owned the house previously).  When that happened, I got invaded.  Big time.  I killed about 8 or so in the first week.  One I caught running across the garage floor right out in the open - a pipe made short work of that little fool. 

Anyway, I had a few stragglers that took more work to get.  In the attic, I used mouse traps + peanut butter + dry dog food (science diet small bites to be specific) to bait the traps.  Worked like a charm!  I saw a rat jump from a tree branch to my roof too.  Trimming the trees back seemed to fix that problem.

I don't like using poison.  The last thing you want is one of them eating the poison, running of into one of your walls (or ceilings) and dying.  You do not want that smell in your house.  If all else fails, hire professional help. 

[Deadpool]

I had mice problems when I bought my house about 12 years ago.   About 2 years after I bought mine, the house next door was sold and renovated.  The guy who bought it tore it down to the studs (a very old couple owned the house previously).  When that happened, I got invaded.  Big time.  I killed about 8 or so in the first week.  One I caught running across the garage floor right out in the open - a pipe made short work of that little fool. 

Anyway, I had a few stragglers that took more work to get.  In the attic, I used mouse traps + peanut butter + dry dog food (science diet small bites to be specific) to bait the traps.  Worked like a charm!  I saw a rat jump from a tree branch to my roof too.  Trimming the trees back seemed to fix that problem.

I don't like using poison.  The last thing you want is one of them eating the poison, running of into one of your walls (or ceilings) and dying.  You do not want that smell in your house.  If all else fails, hire professional help.

I had that happen too, why I use a bb gun..lol