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

[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.