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Posted to uk.d-i-y
 
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Default Mice - how many ?

Have got mice.

Killed two in traps (the sprung "splat" variety) baited with a large
pile of poison:

http://www.epinions.com/Woodstream_V...Pest_Co ntrol

But we have a third - it just eats all the poison - and the trap does
not go off ! It's really strange - done that four times now, so I guess
it's very sick..

The traps (I have four) just do not seem to be sensitive
enough...though they worked on two.

How many mice should I expect in a "nest" ????

Thanks

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Fred
 
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wrote in message
ups.com...
Have got mice.

Killed two in traps (the sprung "splat" variety) baited with a large
pile of poison:

http://www.epinions.com/Woodstream_V...Pest_Co ntrol

But we have a third - it just eats all the poison - and the trap does
not go off ! It's really strange - done that four times now, so I guess
it's very sick..

The traps (I have four) just do not seem to be sensitive
enough...though they worked on two.

How many mice should I expect in a "nest" ????

Thanks


Normally quite a few. You probably got the parent and the offspring are
much smaller so not setting off the trap. You'll have to feed them up until
they do.


  #3   Report Post  
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Rumble
 
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said the following on 30/01/2006 09:44:
Have got mice.

Killed two in traps (the sprung "splat" variety) baited with a large
pile of poison:

http://www.epinions.com/Woodstream_V...Pest_Co ntrol

But we have a third - it just eats all the poison - and the trap does
not go off ! It's really strange - done that four times now, so I guess
it's very sick..

The traps (I have four) just do not seem to be sensitive
enough...though they worked on two.

How many mice should I expect in a "nest" ????

Thanks


Firstly, you don't need to put poison in springy mouse traps - peanut
butter or Branston pickle is much cheaper and safer ;-)

Secondly, where are you putting the bait? Modern designs of trap (such
as the Victor) allow you to put the bait above the trigger, so that the
mouse will step on the trigger to reach the bait. This truly draws the
mouse into the trap rather than allowing the mouse to nibble at the
edges of the bait.

Thirdly, where are you putting the traps? Mice like cover and shun open
spaces, so you should put the traps up against the wall, so that the
mice would have to go "through" them or "around" them. Hopefully, the
mouse will choose to go through as this keeps it closer to the wall.

As to how many mice in a nest, well that depends on how long they've
been there and what sources/quantities of food are available. It's
impossible to be any more specific.
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Gordon Henderson
 
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Default Mice - how many ?

In article . com,
wrote:
Have got mice.

Killed two in traps (the sprung "splat" variety) baited with a large
pile of poison:

http://www.epinions.com/Woodstream_V...Pest_Co ntrol

But we have a third - it just eats all the poison - and the trap does
not go off ! It's really strange - done that four times now, so I guess
it's very sick..


No need for expensive poison - just good bait. I have used rasins or prunes
in the past.

You need to TIE the bait to the release arm with a bit of wire, if you don't,
they can nibble it away without springing it, so use tiable bait, not a
paste.

Gordon
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Posted to uk.d-i-y
 
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Default Mice - how many ?

I removed an old back boiler from the fireplace and found a nest in the
outer chimney wall - at first I thought there was only one mouse, how
wrong I was...

Anyway, I got a trap - just one mind you, and spent about 4 quid on it,
a posh plastic affair, and used chocolate as bait. The little bug**rs
kept taking the chocolate from the trap without setting it off, that
trap never caught a single one! I bought some cheapo 50p wooden traps
and arranged obstacles in front of the fireplace so that they'd have to
pass over the trap to get out, this got them every time. I used
chocolate as bait the first couple of times, but then had no more (it
got eaten!), so I just set the trap without bait. This caught another
two of them within 24 hours. We had four in total, touch wood we
haven't seen any more for the last month or so. The way to go seems to
be to force them to take a specific route. Don't use poison as they'll
just go off to die somewhere inaccessible, and then stink out the house
for months to come.

Phil



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Mark A
 
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Default Mice - how many ?

Reading up on it, after I spotted a mouse happily running around the
living room, it seems the official advice is prevent access as you can't
fight the buggers, they breed too quickly.

To that end I fixed fine stainless steel mesh to all my low level air
bricks and haven't seen any, or any evidence, of 'em since. Remember, if
you can poke a pencil into something that's big enough for them to get
through. They can compress their skeletons down to amazingly small
proportions without ill effect.

Regards

Mark
  #7   Report Post  
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Tony Williams
 
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Default Mice - how many ?

In article .com,
wrote:

Anyway, I got a trap - just one mind you, and spent about 4 quid
on it, a posh plastic affair, and used chocolate as bait. The
little bug**rs kept taking the chocolate from the trap without
setting it off, that trap never caught a single one!


A mouse will just crouch there, licking away at the
chocolate. Eventually one *might* try to lift the
lump off, and spring the trap, but it doesn't seem
to happen often.

A nice oily roasted peanut seems to attract mice
quite well.

--
Tony Williams.
  #8   Report Post  
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Henry
 
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Default Mice - how many ?


"Tony Williams" wrote in message
...
In article .com,
wrote:

Anyway, I got a trap - just one mind you, and spent about 4 quid
on it, a posh plastic affair, and used chocolate as bait. The
little bug**rs kept taking the chocolate from the trap without
setting it off, that trap never caught a single one!


A mouse will just crouch there, licking away at the
chocolate. Eventually one *might* try to lift the
lump off, and spring the trap, but it doesn't seem
to happen often.

A nice oily roasted peanut seems to attract mice
quite well.

--


I used to us a bit of bread smeared with sunflower spread and dipped in
sugar as bait for a spring trap. Now I use a humane no-kill trap baited with
a blob of peanut butter. Usually works within a few hours.

Henry


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Tony Hogarty
 
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Default Mice - how many ?

On Mon, 30 Jan 2006 11:51:36 +0000, Mark A wrote:


To that end I fixed fine stainless steel mesh to all my low level air
bricks and haven't seen any, or any evidence, of 'em since. Remember, if
you can poke a pencil into something that's big enough for them to get
through. They can compress their skeletons down to amazingly small
proportions without ill effect.

Regards

Mark


Living with them as regular visitors to the house we have largely given up
trying to stop them getting in, as you say they can get in amazingly small
gaps. They seem to be largely winter visitors here coming in off the
fields when it gets too cold for them.

I normally find them to be of little nuiscance apart from the time when
they proceeded to gnaw the tops off a cupboard full of Tupperware when we
were away. That did push my patience a little.

--
Regards
Tony
(Take out the garbage to reply)

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Dave Fawthrop
 
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Default Mice - how many ?

On Mon, 30 Jan 2006 12:32:56 +0000, Tony Hogarty
wrote:


|Living with them as regular visitors to the house we have largely given up
|trying to stop them getting in, as you say they can get in amazingly small
|gaps. They seem to be largely winter visitors here coming in off the
|fields when it gets too cold for them.
|
|I normally find them to be of little nuiscance apart from the time when
|they proceeded to gnaw the tops off a cupboard full of Tupperware when we
|were away. That did push my patience a little.

Well mice are doublley incontinent.
If you don't mind them peeing and ****ting over your food and property,
also making everywhere stink. that is your problem.

My house is permanently baited where nothing but a mouse can get.
--
Dave Fawthrop dave hyphenologist co uk Please quote, with quote
character, previous post sniped to only the bit you are replying to.
Threads often contain 100s of posts dozens layers deep. Other people
use different newsreaders, they do not see or do what you see and do.


  #11   Report Post  
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Richard A Downing
 
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Default Mice - how many ?

On 30 Jan 2006 01:44:48 -0800
wrote:

Have got mice.

Killed two in traps (the sprung "splat" variety) baited with a large
pile of poison:

http://www.epinions.com/Woodstream_V...Pest_Co ntrol

But we have a third - it just eats all the poison - and the trap does
not go off ! It's really strange - done that four times now, so I
guess it's very sick..

The traps (I have four) just do not seem to be sensitive
enough...though they worked on two.

How many mice should I expect in a "nest" ????

Thanks


At least two, probably more. Also a word on Traps. The so called
'Humane' traps are the least humane things ever. Unless you can
guarantee to check them every 2-3 hours any mouse caught in one will
die in a horrible way. I had one and found the mouse the next morning
stone dead, drenched in sweat and urine. Never again. A good clean
kill with an old-fashioned spring trap is the best.

R.
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soup
 
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Default Mice - how many ?

Henry wrote:
Now I use a humane no-kill trap baited with a blob of peanut butter.


In what way is the use of these traps humane?
I assume you trap them alive then release them outside your house alive
--
This post contains no hidden meanings, no implications and certainly no
hidden agendas so it should be taken at face value. The wrong words
may be used this is due to my limitations with the English language .




  #13   Report Post  
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Mark A
 
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Default Mice - how many ?

Richard A Downing wrote:

At least two, probably more. Also a word on Traps. The so called
'Humane' traps are the least humane things ever. Unless you can
guarantee to check them every 2-3 hours any mouse caught in one will
die in a horrible way.


It's what I use/used and the mice have always been perfectly happy the
following morning to be released. 'Course I made the initial mistake of
releasing them in the back garden, then across the road, and eventually
across the other side of the green I live on. Talking to professional
exterminator he reckoned if you're going to release them make it at
least half a mile as they will have found their way back to your house
in under five minutes. I compromised by releasing them somewhere far
enough away and hopefully more attractive. Not sure my neighbours liked
that plan though. Thankfully I haven't had to do it in over a year.

Regards

Mark
  #14   Report Post  
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Ian Stirling
 
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soup wrote:
Henry wrote:
Now I use a humane no-kill trap baited with a blob of peanut butter.


In what way is the use of these traps humane?


It provides a sustainable, green source of cat toys.
  #15   Report Post  
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Henry
 
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"Ian Stirling" wrote in message
...
soup wrote:
Henry wrote:
Now I use a humane no-kill trap baited with a blob of peanut butter.


In what way is the use of these traps humane?


It provides a sustainable, green source of cat toys.


Indeed of the mice which are brought in by my cats those that are not too
mashed up get caught in the humane trap and get a second chance to be cat
prey once again. :-)

Henry




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Lobster
 
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Default Mice - how many ?

Mark A wrote:
Richard A Downing wrote:

At least two, probably more. Also a word on Traps. The so called
'Humane' traps are the least humane things ever. Unless you can
guarantee to check them every 2-3 hours any mouse caught in one will
die in a horrible way.


It's what I use/used and the mice have always been perfectly happy the
following morning to be released.


Yes we have one and I think I've only had one 'fatality' (when
admittedly I unfortunately forgot I'd set the trap), versus half a dozen
extremely perky live ones (released on the other side of town).

David


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soup
 
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Lobster wrote:
Yes we have one


(released on the other side of town).



Where they become food for the local predators after all these are mice
that have been born or adapted to life in the enviroment of inside a
house not "out in the wild". What is more humane being killed quickly
or being eaten, possibly still "kicking and screaming"?
--
This post contains no hidden meanings, no implications and certainly no
hidden agendas so it should be taken at face value. The wrong words
may be used this is due to my limitations with the English language .




  #19   Report Post  
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Dave Fawthrop
 
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On Mon, 30 Jan 2006 18:12:06 GMT, Lobster
wrote:

|Mark A wrote:
| Richard A Downing wrote:
|
|At least two, probably more. Also a word on Traps. The so called
|'Humane' traps are the least humane things ever. Unless you can
|guarantee to check them every 2-3 hours any mouse caught in one will
|die in a horrible way.
|
| It's what I use/used and the mice have always been perfectly happy the
| following morning to be released.
|
|Yes we have one and I think I've only had one 'fatality' (when
|admittedly I unfortunately forgot I'd set the trap), versus half a dozen
|extremely perky live ones (released on the other side of town).

Where they either went into someone else's house, or got killed by the
local cats. Not a good idea :-(
--
Dave Fawthrop dave hyphenologist co uk Please quote, with quote
character, previous post sniped to only the bit you are replying to.
Threads often contain 100s of posts dozens layers deep. Other people
use different newsreaders, they do not see or do what you see and do.
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Posted to uk.d-i-y
 
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I used a small bit of twix with a normal cheapo spring trap. you can
stick it down by the toffee side so it stays in place. true they cna
lick the chocolate off but they then have to be bit more active to get
at the biscuit and this sets them off. worked every time for me, once
within 20 minutes of setting it in the loft.



Nigel Molesworth wrote:
On 30 Jan 2006 01:44:48 -0800, wrote:

Killed two in traps (the sprung "splat" variety) baited with a large
pile of poison:


Don't use poison, or chocolate.

Depending on your location, you could be feeding every mouse in a 50m
radius, so potentially dozens.

--
Nigel M




  #21   Report Post  
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Mary Fisher
 
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"Henry" Henryaintgonnatell.sunnysideup.com wrote in message
...


I used to us a bit of bread smeared with sunflower spread and dipped in
sugar as bait for a spring trap. Now I use a humane no-kill trap baited
with a blob of peanut butter. Usually works within a few hours.


And what do you do with the living mice you trap?

Mary

Henry



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Henry
 
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"Mary Fisher" wrote in message
t...

"Henry" Henryaintgonnatell.sunnysideup.com wrote in message
...


I used to us a bit of bread smeared with sunflower spread and dipped in
sugar as bait for a spring trap. Now I use a humane no-kill trap baited
with a blob of peanut butter. Usually works within a few hours.


And what do you do with the living mice you trap?

Mary

Henry


As I said in my previous post I put them out to be caught again.

Henry


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Steve Walker
 
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Henry wrote:

Indeed of the mice which are brought in by my cats those that are
not too mashed up get caught in the humane trap and get a second
chance to be cat prey once again. :-)


Yep - same here. Some of our local mice have Loyalty Cards.....




  #26   Report Post  
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Steve Walker
 
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soup wrote:
Lobster wrote:
Yes we have one


(released on the other side of town).



Where they become food for the local predators after all these
are mice that have been born or adapted to life in the enviroment
of inside a house not "out in the wild". What is more humane
being killed quickly or being eaten, possibly still "kicking and
screaming"?


If I were a mouse, I'd choose the slim chance of survival.


  #27   Report Post  
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Lobster
 
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soup wrote:
Lobster wrote:

Yes we have one



(released on the other side of town).


Where they become food for the local predators after all these are mice
that have been born or adapted to life in the enviroment of inside a
house not "out in the wild". What is more humane being killed quickly
or being eaten, possibly still "kicking and screaming"?


Ah but it's not very humane for me having to listen to my kids banging
on all weekend about how cruel it is for Dad to kill poor little
mousie... so - Dad captures it and re-releases it live; mouse is removed
from my property - result Dad happy, kids happy.... Dad still happy.
  #28   Report Post  
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Dave Fawthrop
 
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On Mon, 30 Jan 2006 23:28:51 GMT, Lobster
wrote:


|Ah but it's not very humane for me having to listen to my kids banging
|on all weekend about how cruel it is for Dad to kill poor little
|mousie... so - Dad captures it and re-releases it live; mouse is removed
|from my property - result Dad happy, kids happy.... Dad still happy.

One of Dad's jobs is to educate the kids about the unpleasant aspects of
life.
--
Dave Fawthrop dave hyphenologist co uk Please quote, with quote
character, previous post sniped to only the bit you are replying to.
Threads often contain 100s of posts dozens layers deep. Other people
use different newsreaders, they do not see or do what you see and do.
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Grimly Curmudgeon
 
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Default Mice - how many ?

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember "soup"
saying something like:

Lobster wrote:
Yes we have one


(released on the other side of town).



Where they become food for the local predators


shrug

Big deal; they're only ****ing mice.
--

Dave
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Dave Liquorice
 
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On Thu, 02 Feb 2006 22:33:39 +0000, Grimly Curmudgeon wrote:

(released on the other side of town).


Where they become food for the local predators


shrug

Big deal;


We live capture and release (miles, literally, from any human
habitation). Why deprive the local predators of a food source? I like
stoats, weasels, the half a dozen or so birds of prey that live around
here.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail



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Andy Dingley
 
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Default Mice - how many ?

On Thu, 02 Feb 2006 22:31:35 +0000, Grimly Curmudgeon
wrote:

I've tried the super-dooper modern plastic traps with some success,


I've been unimpressed with those. They're just too sensitive - if the
mouse knocks them from behind they can go off. This probably makes the
mouse more wary of the traps for the future and certainly doesn't catch
them.
  #34   Report Post  
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Dave Fawthrop
 
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On Thu, 02 Feb 2006 23:50:20 +0000 (GMT), "Dave Liquorice"
wrote:

|On Thu, 02 Feb 2006 22:33:39 +0000, Grimly Curmudgeon wrote:
|
| (released on the other side of town).
|
| Where they become food for the local predators
|
| shrug
|
| Big deal;
|
|We live capture and release (miles, literally, from any human
|habitation). Why deprive the local predators of a food source? I like
|stoats, weasels, the half a dozen or so birds of prey that live around
|here.

If I were a mouse with the choice, I would prefer to die in a "Little
Nipper" brake back trap. Wham you are dead.
--
Dave Fawthrop dave hyphenologist co uk Please quote, with quote
character, previous post sniped to only the bit you are replying to.
Threads often contain 100s of posts dozens layers deep. Other people
use different newsreaders, they do not see or do what you see and do.
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Dave Liquorice
 
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On Fri, 03 Feb 2006 07:16:47 +0000, Dave Fawthrop wrote:

If I were a mouse with the choice, I would prefer to die in a "Little
Nipper" brake back trap. Wham you are dead.


A bite, you're dead, Stoats and Weasles take rabbits, a mouse is a mere
nibble. Birds of prey are in for a quick kill as well.

It's only well fed domestic cats that play with their "prey" because they
don't *need* to kill to live. A wild predator kills to live, it doesn't
want to give any prey the chance to escape.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail





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Mr Fixit
 
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"Andy Dingley" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 02 Feb 2006 22:31:35 +0000, Grimly Curmudgeon
wrote:

I've tried the super-dooper modern plastic traps with some success,


I've been unimpressed with those. They're just too sensitive - if the
mouse knocks them from behind they can go off. This probably makes the
mouse more wary of the traps for the future and certainly doesn't catch
them.

worked ok with my mice but I had to tie the bait to them as they managed to
take the first lot without springing it, not had it once go off with out
catching one apart for the time its had me :-)


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Grimly Curmudgeon
 
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We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember Owain
saying something like:

Grimly Curmudgeon wrote:
shrug
Big deal; they're only ****ing mice.


If they started ****ing dobermanns the offspring would be worth worrying
about.


Need some proper traps, then. A goat tied to a stake and a Great White
Hunter up on the stair landing, complete with Nitro Express.
--

Dave
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Nigel Molesworth
 
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On Thu, 02 Feb 2006 22:33:39 +0000, Grimly Curmudgeon wrote:

they're only ****ing mice.


Don't they split?

--
Nigel M
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Rob Morley
 
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In article
Nigel Molesworth wrote:
On Thu, 02 Feb 2006 22:33:39 +0000, Grimly Curmudgeon wrote:

they're only ****ing mice.


Don't they split?


Cue another thread on duck tape ...
:-)
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