On Jul 28, 11:52*am, Peter wrote:
On 7/27/2012 11:24 PM, GoogaICQ wrote:

OK, it looks like I'm going to have to bite the bullet and call an
exterminator.

Anyone here have experience with them? What should I expect? How much
are we looking at for cost?

I just looked at a few websites.
None have mentioned cost yet.

One was very disconcerting.
It mentioned using bait in stations to kill mice.
But then it said:

"In about 3-5 weeks, all pests would have been eliminated having
consumed the bait. Typically, the Pests would simply cease to exist.
However, it is possible that some Pests may expire near human living
spaces. As well, they may result in bad odors. In that case, client
would have to investigate the source and remove it."

So basically they are saying, we'll kill the animals, but then you are
on your own to find them, cut through your walls attic etc. to get
them and throw them out!

Hmmmm.....

Get a package of cheap snap traps for mice. *Bait some with peanut
butter and some with pieces of walnuts scrunched firmly into the teeth
of the bait holder. *Put them in you attic where they are visible and
easily accessible from the trap door into your attic. *You have the
advantage of summer heat which should increase the odor of the bait and
attract the mice. *If you are lucky, the mice will smell the food, find
the bait and you'll be done in a week or less. *It will be a much
smaller investment than live traps or an exterminator and worth trying
for a week or so. *If you don't catch anything in the attic after a
week, move some of the traps to the basement (if you have one) and some
to your attached garage (if you have one). *Obviously that may not be
feasible with snap traps if you have a pet cat or dog that may access
those spaces. *(Of course, if you have a cat, you probably don't have
mice in the same space.)

Check the traps daily at an hour when you've never heard the noises.
That way, you're least likely to confront an untrapped critter. *If the
traps are empty, the bait is gone, but the trap is still set, snap the
trap with a screwdriver, rebait and try again. If you have success, wear
an inverted sturdy plastic bag over the hand you use to pick up the
occupied trap. *Still holding the trap, use your other hand to pull the
bulk of the bag down over your hand holding the trap. *Knot the bag
snugly. After disposal, thoroughly wash your hands and forearms with
soap and warm water. *You want to avoid contact between skin and mouse,
mouse droppings, or dried mouse urine. *You never know what pathogens
could be involved.

Ultimately, you still should try to locate the entry point for whatever
got in and seal it up. *Otherwise there is guaranteed to be a next time..

Thanks Peter for your thorough instructions!

My first choice is for a DIY solution.

I called a few pest control companies today to find out what they
would do and charge.

Two were leaning towards mice as the culprits.
One started with mice and then shifted to squirrels. Interestingly he
doesn't do squirrels, only rodents.

All three were going to use poisonous bait. When I described my attic
(hot/insulation), they said they would just throw the bait into the
attic, they wouldn't go inside themselves.

Prices ranged from $160-$250.
Of course, none were going to retrieve any dead animals.
They were going to do a one-shot deal.

I set a couple of standard mice traps today with peanut butter at the
attic entrance. The previous live trap I had set a couple of days ago
was empty, the pellet bait, still inside.

I'm sure when I check the traps tomorrow the peanut butter will have
turned to liquid and fallen off the trap onto the insulation below it.
Temps in the attic are holding in the high 90's or more.

Which makes me wonder why would any animal want to set up shop in
there right now ???

I think the traps are too far from the mice (if it's mice). I read
that they don't wander more than a dozen or so feet from where they
nest.

You mentioned moving the traps to the basement/garage. I haven't seen
any droppings there and don't think they've been there. I believe this
is just an attic entry/walls thing.

I cut back a couple of trees that are near the side of my house that
were giving easy access to my roof.

One potential ace I have up my sleave is that roofers will be coming
to my house in a week or so to install a new set of shingles.
Hopefully they'll be able to find the hole/access point that the
animals are using.

One thing that many here don't seem to understand is that my attic is
unfinished and very uncomfortable to enter into.
Not to mention dangerous to walk around. With cellulose insulation on
the floor it's very difficult to judge where the transverse beams are.
So just trekking to the other side of the house where the animals are,
would be a huge undertaking.

The other problem is all of the cross beams in the attic.
I don't think the pest control people would have much success trying
to throw their bait to the other side of the attic without striking
the beams.