"Rick" wrote in message
...
I have never had mice before, but this year both my houses have them.

The farm house / renovation project its expected, and we have caught a
few in traps. The "edge of town" house, which I have owned 10 years
has never had them before, and I only found them as a drain pipe has
started leaking after 9 years of good service - now I know why !!

Is this a problem year for mice for some reason ?

My dilema is that I don't want to poison them and have dead mice
rotting in the walls somewhere, but trapping a whole family of them
seems to take for ever, are these my only two choices ?

Thanks
Rick

AFAIK there is no known way of deterring mice or rodents in general.
You either live with them or kill them.
Cats are good and in a farm environment work very well with little
intervention. Of course regular care, feeding and veterinary attention is
required.
Traps I have always found inefficient and messy.
Bait works well as they prey become dehydrated and go outside to seek water
before shuffling. I don't like using it but it is a necessary evil these
days. Never had a problem with carcases rotting within doors. If using
bait, be careful how and where you place it.
The above may sound rather inhumane. I don't like doing it but it has to be
done.

Cats are my preferred option but they have at least 2 other downsides - (1)
trophies, or remains of, left proudly on kitchen floor for me to play
twinkletoes with at 05.00. (2) A good mouser will probably also kill birds.
If they took on pies & jays I wouldn't mind. Recently we have had a
throstle and a robin. I detest that.

Guid luck
Archie.