Is this on topic for this group? If not, please ignore.

How do you catch a mouse that simply will not be caught? Okay, there may be two of them, but my dh and daughter have done everything possible (it's her house) other than call in the professionals. Right now they have more than a dozen traps set up around the area where she has seen them. The fireplace is blocked off because she saw one run in there. My dh has blocked every possible entryway into the house so this one or two have been there for awhile.

She is reluctant to call exterminators because of the possibility of poison and she has a dog that stays home alone for a few hours every day.

What to do? Any suggestions?

On 11/22/2014 5:28 PM, Julie Nilsen wrote:
Is this on topic for this group? If not, please ignore.

How do you catch a mouse that simply will not be caught? Okay, there may be two of them, but my dh and daughter have done everything possible (it's her house) other than call in the professionals. Right now they have more than a dozen traps set up around the area where she has seen them. The fireplace is blocked off because she saw one run in there. My dh has blocked every possible entryway into the house so this one or two have been there for awhile.

She is reluctant to call exterminators because of the possibility of poison and she has a dog that stays home alone for a few hours every day.

What to do? Any suggestions?


Sticky traps, cat. Not at the same time.
DAGS.

Here is yet another post needing carriage
returns, but might be my program, who knows?

--
..
Christopher A. Young
Learn about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

I think that if you'd really blocked all entrances
the mice would be coming out. They tend to go
outside during the day, so if they were trapped
inside they'd be panicking. But it's not easy
to block all of them, especially in an old house that
has a stone foundation. The only good solution I
know of is to borrow a cat. The sticky panels might
work, though personally I don't have the heart to
make them suffer such a cruel death.

On Saturday, November 22, 2014 2:41:43 PM UTC-8, Mayayana wrote:
I think that if you'd really blocked all entrances
the mice would be coming out. They tend to go
outside during the day, so if they were trapped
inside they'd be panicking. But it's not easy
to block all of them, especially in an old house that
has a stone foundation. The only good solution I
know of is to borrow a cat. The sticky panels might
work, though personally I don't have the heart to
make them suffer such a cruel death.


Yeah, my dh doesn't either, but I don't think he would let them suffer. I'm thinking that may be better than a cat.

I don't think these are coming and going and maybe they are panicking, but not to the point of taking the bait from the traps.

Thanks for your feedback.

Nellie

On 11/22/2014 04:28 PM, Julie Nilsen wrote:
Is this on topic for this group? If not, please ignore.

How do you catch a mouse that simply will not be caught? Okay, there may be two of them, but my dh and daughter have done everything possible (it's her house) other than call in the professionals. Right now they have more than a dozen traps set up around the area where she has seen them. The fireplace is blocked off because she saw one run in there. My dh has blocked every possible entryway into the house so this one or two have been there for awhile.

She is reluctant to call exterminators because of the possibility of poison and she has a dog that stays home alone for a few hours every day.

What to do? Any suggestions?




Years ago I had an elderly cat who had lost his fangs and there was a
hole near the back porch and a lot of mice go in.


I used those regular wooden traps and I guess mice have now evolved
beyond that as they did not catch a single one.


I ended up getting the newer plastic variety like this

http://www.victorpest.com/resource/i...e/B130-2_1.jpg


That did the trick.

Mice gone
Hole sealed
Two new cats with fangs and claws.

Julie Nilsen wrote in news:cac501f4-8210-4dab-9347-0d96ef7be1d7
@googlegroups.com:

Is this on topic for this group? If not, please ignore.

How do you catch a mouse that simply will not be caught?

Old-fashioned Victor mouse trap, the spring type. Bait it with a raisin smashed down on the
trigger.

"Julie Nilsen" wrote in message
news:ffad063e-c1cf-4fe3-ae71-

I don't think these are coming and going and maybe they are panicking,
but not to the point of taking the bait from the traps.

If no bait is eaten, you are using the wrong bait.
Classic baits are peanut butter, bacon rind, cheese.

--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)

Julie Nilsen wrote:
Is this on topic for this group? If not, please ignore.

snap trap, put a little peanut butter on top of
the trip pan, and put even more on the bottom so
that the mouse has to work for it.

place the traps along walls where you've seen them
running. keep the dog away.


songbird

On Sat, 22 Nov 2014 17:43:29 -0500, "Mayayana"
wrote:

I think that if you'd really blocked all entrances
the mice would be coming out. They tend to go
outside during the day, so if they were trapped
inside they'd be panicking.

Those poor mice. Perhaps TFPM would help. (Tranquilizers For
Panicking Mice.)

But it's not easy
to block all of them, especially in an old house that
has a stone foundation. The only good solution I
know of is to borrow a cat. The sticky panels might
work, though personally I don't have the heart to
make them suffer such a cruel death.

Yeah, it was bad enough to see roaches stuck in them. Mice is worse.

On Sat, 22 Nov 2014 17:20:33 -0600, philo* wrote:

On 11/22/2014 04:28 PM, Julie Nilsen wrote:
Is this on topic for this group? If not, please ignore.

How do you catch a mouse that simply will not be caught? Okay, there may be two of them, but my dh and daughter have done everything possible (it's her house) other than call in the professionals. Right now they have more than a dozen traps set up around the area where she has seen them. The fireplace is blocked off because she saw one run in there. My dh has blocked every possible entryway into the house so this one or two have been there for awhile.

She is reluctant to call exterminators because of the possibility of poison and she has a dog that stays home alone for a few hours every day.

What to do? Any suggestions?




Years ago I had an elderly cat who had lost his fangs and there was a
hole near the back porch and a lot of mice go in.


I used those regular wooden traps and I guess mice have now evolved
beyond that as they did not catch a single one.


I ended up getting the newer plastic variety like this

http://www.victorpest.com/resource/i...e/B130-2_1.jpg

I've seen those and figured they wouldn't work.


That did the trick.

How about that.

Mice gone
Hole sealed
Two new cats with fangs and claws.

On 11/22/2014 08:43 PM, micky wrote:

I've seen those and figured they wouldn't work.


That did the trick.

How about that.

Mice gone
Hole sealed
Two new cats with fangs and claws.



I had to try something different and am glad to say it worked.

On Saturday, November 22, 2014 4:28:26 PM UTC-6, Julie Nilsen wrote:
Is this on topic for this group? If not, please ignore.

How do you catch a mouse that simply will not be caught? Okay, there may be two of them, but my dh and daughter have done everything possible (it's her house) other than call in the professionals. Right now they have more than a dozen traps set up around the area where she has seen them. The fireplace is blocked off because she saw one run in there. My dh has blocked every possible entryway into the house so this one or two have been there for awhile.

What to do? Any suggestions?

If you have Victor wooden traps...melt a semi-sweet chocolate chip into the metal trip lever. They can't resist it!

Doug Miller wrote:
Julie Nilsen wrote in news:cac501f4-8210-4dab-9347-0d96ef7be1d7
@googlegroups.com:

Is this on topic for this group? If not, please ignore.

How do you catch a mouse that simply will not be caught?

Old-fashioned Victor mouse trap, the spring type. Bait it with a raisin smashed down on the
trigger.

Hi,
It always does the job but after few use they don't come near it, I
guess they smell dead comrades. Bait is piece of cheese. After few use
I throw them out. They cost few bucks for s package of two. Sticky pad
works but I don't like it. I have few of them in the yard but need to
control the population.

As for the sticky pads, they're humane if you don't kill the mouse. Just drive out to your local zoo parking lot and drop the mouse off there. It'll find plenty to eat and a warm place to stay at a zoo.

"Tony Hwang" wrote in message
...
Doug Miller wrote:
,
It always does the job but after few use they don't come near it, I guess
they smell dead comrades. Bait is piece of cheese. After few use
I throw them out. They cost few bucks for s package of two. Sticky pad
works but I don't like it. I have few of them in the yard but need to
control the population.

I found a part of a Herseys Kiss works beter than cheese on the old spring
traps..



---
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
http://www.avast.com

On 11/22/14, 5:35 PM, Stormin Mormon wrote:


Here is yet another post needing carriage
returns, but might be my program, who knows?

I can't remember if Thunderbird is your favorite newsreader or your
favorite wine. If it's your newsreader, hit Rewrap under Edit.

On 11/22/14, 5:28 PM, Julie Nilsen wrote:
Is this on topic for this group? If not, please ignore.

How do you catch a mouse that simply will not be caught? Okay, there
may be two of them, but my dh and daughter have done everything
possible (it's her house) other than call in the professionals.
Right now they have more than a dozen traps set up around the area
where she has seen them. The fireplace is blocked off because she saw
one run in there. My dh has blocked every possible entryway into the
house so this one or two have been there for awhile.

She is reluctant to call exterminators because of the possibility of
poison and she has a dog that stays home alone for a few hours every
day.

What to do? Any suggestions?

These things shouldn't be rushed. You have to develop a relationship.

My computer is beside the kitchen door. A few years ago, I often heard
noises in the kitchen as I sat reading informative message at
alt.home.repair. I thought it was just a harmless ghost and didn't give
it a second thought.

One evening I walked in and saw a mouse munching on my fresh-baked
rolls, on the counter by the stove. He dived under a burner and peeked
out with a patient expression. I was embarrassed. I should have knocked.

I put a little peanut butter on the tongue of a trap and set it by the
burner. It snapped before I had time to read another message at
alt.home.repair. The trap was upside down. The mouse was peeking
patiently from the burner. I couldn't expect my little guest to reset
the trap. I did it for him and returned to the internet.

Just as I was sitting down, it snapped again. This time the bail was on
the mouse's neck, and he was disconcerted. I felt bad about violating
his trust that way.

I'm sure you leave cookies and milk for Santa on Christmas Eve, and
that's why he's learned to trust you not to put a bear trap in the
fireplace. You need to set out fresh-baked rolls for your mouse each
evening. Then, if you still want to harm him, he won't hesitate to take
whatever bait you offer.

My neighbor had an exterminator and set a lot of spring traps, poison
stations, and glue sticks herself, but she had a chronic mouse problem
until the day she phoned to ask me to kill a rat snake. I persuaded her
to leave it alone, as I do. Suddenly, no more mice.

On 11/22/2014 5:28 PM, Julie Nilsen wrote:
Is this on topic for this group? If not, please ignore.

How do you catch a mouse that simply will not be caught? Okay, there may be two of them, but my dh and daughter have done everything possible (it's her house) other than call in the professionals. Right now they have more than a dozen traps set up around the area where she has seen them. The fireplace is blocked off because she saw one run in there. My dh has blocked every possible entryway into the house so this one or two have been there for awhile.

She is reluctant to call exterminators because of the possibility of poison and she has a dog that stays home alone for a few hours every day.

What to do? Any suggestions?


Every possible entryway (and exit)? Doubtful...the can squeeze through
teeny-tiny cracks. They come in when it is cold and they stay where it
is warm! Nothing better than flour sacks, boxes of cereal and DOG
KIBBLES! Crumbs......or a whole bowl....of dog kibbles are an
invitation to a mouse feast! Clean, vacuum and sterilize the kitchen.
Got a box or two of old clothes in the garage? A perfect mouse nursery!
Put cereal, nuts, etc., in hard containers. Same with stored clothes.
Then put traps with a dab of peanut butter behind the stove and the
fridge or other warm, cozy places.

On 11/22/2014 5:28 PM, Julie Nilsen wrote:
Is this on topic for this group? If not, please ignore.

How do you catch a mouse that simply will not be caught? Okay, there may be two of them, but my dh and daughter have done everything possible (it's her house) other than call in the professionals. Right now they have more than a dozen traps set up around the area where she has seen them. The fireplace is blocked off because she saw one run in there. My dh has blocked every possible entryway into the house so this one or two have been there for awhile.

She is reluctant to call exterminators because of the possibility of poison and she has a dog that stays home alone for a few hours every day.

What to do? Any suggestions?


I like the Victor mouse trap that looks like it has a piece of Swiss
cheese for the trap lever. Very sensitive to trip. I use peanut butter
and smear it into the holes.

There are traps that aren't worth a damn. Mice can nibble away the bait
without tripping them. Also don't like glue boards. Have not been able
to catch many mice with them and it is torturous to the mouse. Caught
one that had nearly chewed off his leg to escape.

On 11/22/2014 11:51 PM, J Burns wrote:
On 11/22/14, 5:35 PM, Stormin Mormon wrote:


Here is yet another post needing carriage
returns, but might be my program, who knows?

I can't remember if Thunderbird is your favorite newsreader or your
favorite wine. If it's your newsreader, hit Rewrap under Edit.

I'm not able to find either edit, or rewrap.

-
..
Christopher A. Young
Learn about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

On 11/22/2014 8:21 PM, wrote:
On Sat, 22 Nov 2014 17:43:29 -0500, "Mayayana"
wrote:

The sticky panels might
work, though personally I don't have the heart to
make them suffer such a cruel death.

Just kill them after you get them stuck.
A load of rat shot from a .22 will work if just covering the trap
with a few layers of newspaper and stepping on it is too graphic for
you.

Take em out to a parking lot, soak in
gasoline, and light em off?

-
..
Christopher A. Young
Learn about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

| I don't think these are coming and going and maybe they are panicking, but
not to the point of taking the bait from the traps.
|

What made me think of that is an experience I had
a couple of years ago. I was staying in a log cabin
and was asked to deal with the mice problem. Field
mice had been in the cabin for years. I figured out
they were coming in around the window trim and nesting
in the fiberglass between the windows and wall. I
took off the trim, in and out, and tacked up metal
lathe behind it.
Until I started patching holes the mice were a bit
noisy at night but left me alone. After I started patching
they took action by doing things like running across
my head while I was in bed. So I had to start chasing
them down in the middle of the night with gloves and
a flashlight so that I could sleep. In all I caught 8
mice, but I think there were only 3 altogether. My
first holding pen had gaps big enough for them to
escape from.

By the time all holes in the cabin were patched the
one mouse that was trapped inside at that point came
out in daylight and didn't fight very hard to avoid
capture. I ended up transporting them miles away.
Mice haven't been back since.

If they were trapped inside I expect you'd either
see them, as I did, or you'd soon smell them because
they'd starve. It's said that field mice can get
through a 1/4" gap, so in a typical house it's not
entirely possible to block them out.

I now seem to have a vole or small rat living in
my cellar workshop. It comes through gaps in the
foundation wall. (1835 house.) So far it doesn't
bother me and I've blocked its way to the upstairs,
so hopefully we have a workable truce.

On Saturday, November 22, 2014 9:18:25 PM UTC-6, Tony Hwang wrote:

Hi,
It always does the job but after few uses they don't come near it, I
guess they smell dead comrades.

I've reused traps with blood on them...they still "took" the bait!

On Saturday, November 22, 2014 8:17:12 PM UTC-8, nestork wrote:
As for the sticky pads, they're humane if you don't kill the mouse.
Just drive out to your local zoo parking lot and drop the mouse off
there. It'll find plenty to eat and a warm place to stay at a zoo.

??? I assume that is a joke but if not:

How do you get the mouse off the sticky pad? Once on there they are there for good.

Harry K

On Saturday, November 22, 2014 2:28:26 PM UTC-8, Julie Nilsen wrote:
Is this on topic for this group? If not, please ignore.

How do you catch a mouse that simply will not be caught? Okay, there may be two of them, but my dh and daughter have done everything possible (it's her house) other than call in the professionals. Right now they have more than a dozen traps set up around the area where she has seen them. The fireplace is blocked off because she saw one run in there. My dh has blocked every possible entryway into the house so this one or two have been there for awhile.

She is reluctant to call exterminators because of the possibility of poison and she has a dog that stays home alone for a few hours every day.

What to do? Any suggestions?

1. If you see one mouse, you have way more than that.

2. D-Con poison packets. They are easy to place where pets cannot get at them and mice that die from it do not have that evil smell. At most a minor musty smell.

I fought the good fight for years in this old house after I bought it. I now keep D-con packs spread around and replace them whenever I find one empty. House seems to be mouse free now as my current packs have been in place for a long time...except for the back porch. They come in there and the bait disappears, rarely do I find a dead mouse though.

After finding mouse chewed stuff in my engine compartment, I now keep packs of d-con in the engine compartment of all rigs, in the trunk of the car and under the driver seats. Much cheaper than replacing wiring.

Harry K

Harry K

On 11/23/14, 7:54 AM, Stormin Mormon wrote:
On 11/22/2014 11:51 PM, J Burns wrote:
On 11/22/14, 5:35 PM, Stormin Mormon wrote:


Here is yet another post needing carriage
returns, but might be my program, who knows?

I can't remember if Thunderbird is your favorite newsreader or your
favorite wine. If it's your newsreader, hit Rewrap under Edit.

I'm not able to find either edit, or rewrap.


Sounds like your Menu Bar is missing.
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Toolbar_or...ut_not_working

On 11/23/2014 1:31 PM, J Burns wrote:
On 11/23/14, 7:54 AM, Stormin Mormon wrote:
I'm not able to find either edit, or rewrap.


Sounds like your Menu Bar is missing.
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Toolbar_or...ut_not_working


I didn't find rewrap, but I did find next unread.

Thanks for the tip.

--
..
Christopher A. Young
Learn about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

On 11/24/14, 3:55 PM, Stormin Mormon wrote:
On 11/23/2014 1:31 PM, J Burns wrote:
On 11/23/14, 7:54 AM, Stormin Mormon wrote:
I'm not able to find either edit, or rewrap.


Sounds like your Menu Bar is missing.
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Toolbar_or...ut_not_working


I didn't find rewrap, but I did find next unread.

Thanks for the tip.

If you have an edit menu, rewrap should be available when you are
composing a reply.

On Sun, 23 Nov 2014 09:01:17 -0500, "Mayayana"
wrote:

| I don't think these are coming and going and maybe they are panicking, but
not to the point of taking the bait from the traps.
|

What made me think of that is an experience I had
a couple of years ago. I was staying in a log cabin
and was asked to deal with the mice problem. Field
mice had been in the cabin for years. I figured out
they were coming in around the window trim and nesting
in the fiberglass between the windows and wall. I
took off the trim, in and out, and tacked up metal
lathe behind it.
Until I started patching holes the mice were a bit
noisy at night but left me alone. After I started patching
they took action by doing things like running across
my head while I was in bed. So I had to start chasing
them down in the middle of the night with gloves and
a flashlight so that I could sleep. In all I caught 8
mice, but I think there were only 3 altogether. My
first holding pen had gaps big enough for them to
escape from.

Every bit of this would make a great Tom & Jerry cartoon.

Part reminds me of the night in a foreign country when I felt a large
water walk over me. Ugh. (This is the only place I've ever been where
I saw the water bugs walking along the street in daylight.) It was a
metal frame with expanded metal sheet in the middle, and welded to metal
legs. With a mattress on top, but the bed was easy to twist. I had the
foot end resting on top of a two-foot wide dresser, laid on its side,
because the doctor told me to sleep with my recently broken leg elevated
until the swelling went down.

When I felt the bug, I squirmed so much the whole bed contraption fell
over, but slowly and I was't hurt. I turned on the light and hunted
for the bug. It took five minutes or more but I killed it. I must have
stayed there a second night, but nothing went wrong that night.

By the time all holes in the cabin were patched the
one mouse that was trapped inside at that point came
out in daylight and didn't fight very hard to avoid
capture.

Skip the cartoon. I think this coudl be a full length movie.

I ended up transporting them miles away.
Mice haven't been back since.

If they were trapped inside I expect you'd either
see them, as I did, or you'd soon smell them because
they'd starve.

I've had mice die in my house, because of the poison I left I guess, and
they just dried out, with no smell that my poor nose could detect.
Even though every I walked quite near the dead mouse.

It's said that field mice can get
through a 1/4" gap, so in a typical house it's not
entirely possible to block them out.

I now seem to have a vole or small rat living in
my cellar workshop. It comes through gaps in the
foundation wall. (1835 house.) So far it doesn't
bother me and I've blocked its way to the upstairs,
so hopefully we have a workable truce.

A movie, for sure.

Julie Nilsen wrote:
Is this on topic for this group? If not, please ignore.

How do you catch a mouse that simply will not be caught? Okay, there may be two of them, but my dh and daughter have done everything possible (it's her house) other than call in the professionals. Right now they have more than a dozen traps set up around the area where she has seen them. The fireplace is blocked off because she saw one run in there. My dh has blocked every possible entryway into the house so this one or two have been there for awhile.

She is reluctant to call exterminators because of the possibility of poison and she has a dog that stays home alone for a few hours every day.

What to do? Any suggestions?


Well, our cat Darwin used to catch mice for us himself, but when he got
older he was to lazy to do it and started using Victor traps like these:

http://home.comcast.net/~jwisnia18/jeff/catmouse1.jpg

Jeff


--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
The speed of light is 1.8*10^12 furlongs per fortnight.