My Sister In Law is CONVINCED she has mice and they are coming through the
airbricks!! No amount of reassurance from my Brother or myself will stop
her and she wants the airbricks blocked up. This is NOT an option
obviously, so she is asking us about putting some sort of grids over them.
They live in quite a large bungalow and there are approx 30 airbricks. They
are the 'standard' type i.e. same size as a brick and with two rows of small
square holes. Can we do this without any detriment to the airflow and if so
what is the best size of mesh to use so as to stop the 'mice' and still
allow airflow. By the way my Brother has mentioned divorce may be an
option!

Cheers

John

"John" wrote in message
...
My Sister In Law is CONVINCED she has mice and they are coming through the
airbricks!! No amount of reassurance from my Brother or myself will stop
her and she wants the airbricks blocked up. This is NOT an option
obviously, so she is asking us about putting some sort of grids over them.
They live in quite a large bungalow and there are approx 30 airbricks.
They are the 'standard' type i.e. same size as a brick and with two rows
of small square holes. Can we do this without any detriment to the
airflow and if so what is the best size of mesh to use so as to stop the
'mice' and still allow airflow. By the way my Brother has mentioned
divorce may be an option!

Cheers

John

You need to contact a kitchen utensil manufacturer to find out where he gets
his mesh from that is used for flour sieves and suchlike. Something like
0.2mm. Get some. Put this over each brick to avoid divorce. There will
negligible effect on airflow.
Obviously no mouse would be able to effect entry through airbrick size holes
anyway , so save time and effort by bolting the doors when she is out !!!

Pete
www.thecanalshop.com

"Peter Stockdale" wrote in message
news:ct6bvc$1s1

Obviously no mouse would be able to effect entry through airbrick size
holes

Well, I disgree ... they can.

Get some expanded aluminium and fix it round the air bricks. IF mice are
getting in through there it will stop them. It won't stop air circulation.

I've used it to prevent swarming bees from gaining access to cavity walls.

Mary

wrote in message
...

IME house mice will fit through the little square holes in our air
bricks, they get stuck getting out.

AJH

You obviously feed them too much inside !
(my original post said mm -sb cm sorry)
Try feeding them outside and perhaps they will get suck coming in !!

Pete

Peter Stockdale wrote:

Obviously no mouse would be able to effect entry through airbrick size holes
anyway , so save time and effort by bolting the doors when she is out !!!

Like hell they can't!

For the OP - you need mesh, like this:
http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?id=76498&ts=94780


--
Grunff

On Tue, 25 Jan 2005 21:36:51 +0000, wrote:

IME house mice will fit through the little square holes in our air
bricks, they get stuck getting out.

Of course they are bigger and fatter after feeding up inside. B-)

I agree a mouse could just get through a normal masonary air brick. I
don't think they could get through 1/4" mesh but if they have a known
path the mesh will have to be pretty tough or they'll knaw through it.

At this time of year once they are in they'll stay in, nice and warm
plenty of food. So you'll have to trap or poison 'em. Poison isn't a
good idea as they have a habit of dieing in a most in accesable place
and stinking for a week or three. Live trapping is OK but remember
releasing vermin anywhere but on your own land is illegal. Iif you
release at the bottom of the average garden mousey will be back inside
before you. You need to transport 'em a few miles but then you aren't
on your land...

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

On Tue, 25 Jan 2005 21:36:51 +0000, wrote:

IME house mice will fit through the little square holes in our air
bricks, they get stuck getting out.

Do you have an air compressor ?

Dave Liquorice wrote:

and stinking for a week or three. Live trapping is OK but remember
releasing vermin anywhere but on your own land is illegal. Iif you
release at the bottom of the average garden mousey will be back inside
before you. You need to transport 'em a few miles but then you aren't
on your land...


Releasing them from my second floor window onto the road outside seems
to work for me :-)


--
David Clark

$message_body_include ="PLES RING IF AN RNSR IS REQIRD"

On Wed, 26 Jan 2005 08:05:01 GMT, quisquiliae
wrote:

Dave Liquorice wrote:

and stinking for a week or three. Live trapping is OK but remember
releasing vermin anywhere but on your own land is illegal. Iif you
release at the bottom of the average garden mousey will be back inside
before you. You need to transport 'em a few miles but then you aren't
on your land...


Releasing them from my second floor window onto the road outside seems
to work for me :-)

I prefer live trapping since it doesn't spatter mouse juice round the
bottom of your food cupboard. I then empty the mouse into a freezer
bag and beat it with a shoe.

M.

I used the soffit mesh linked below to cover up my air bricks, as I was
having a problem with wasps wanting to live under my house. Although I did
find it was not quite wide enough, so I bent the longer edges of two cut
pieces together, and flattened the join with a hammer. Thus I made a piece
about twice as wide as the original. I then fixed it over each vent with 6
screws evenly placed to try to stop things bending the mesh and making gaps
to still get in. Not that a wasp is likely to be strong enough to bend it,
but something else might be.
I did have some concerns about it restriciting air flow, and I'm sure it may
have a very minor effect if looked at from a scientific view. It made me
wonder why air bricks do not come with mesh already, perhaps fitted on the
inside when the house was built?

James



"Grunff" wrote in message
...
Peter Stockdale wrote:

Obviously no mouse would be able to effect entry through airbrick size
holes
anyway , so save time and effort by bolting the doors when she is out
!!!

Like hell they can't!

For the OP - you need mesh, like this:
http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?id=76498&ts=94780


--
Grunff

In article ,
"James" writes:
I did have some concerns about it restriciting air flow, and I'm sure it may
have a very minor effect if looked at from a scientific view. It made me
wonder why air bricks do not come with mesh already, perhaps fitted on the
inside when the house was built?

The finer the mesh, the more likely it is to get clogged over
time. When I fit airbricks, I use the plastic ones with clip
on grills. These have finer openings than in conventional
brick ones, but you can take them off and clean out the grills
and the airway through into the house. (Was also useful for
feeding copper pipes under the floor.)

--
Andrew Gabriel

"Dave Liquorice" wrote
| ... Live trapping is OK but remember releasing vermin anywhere
| but on your own land is illegal. Iif you release at the bottom of
| the average garden mousey will be back inside before you.
| You need to transport 'em a few miles but then you aren't
| on your land...

If you use a catapult mousey is on (over) your land when released, but a
good distance away when it lands.

Owain

Markus Splenius wrote:
On Wed, 26 Jan 2005 08:05:01 GMT, quisquiliae
wrote:

Dave Liquorice wrote:

and stinking for a week or three. Live trapping is OK but remember
releasing vermin anywhere but on your own land is illegal. Iif you
release at the bottom of the average garden mousey will be back inside
before you. You need to transport 'em a few miles but then you aren't
on your land...


Releasing them from my second floor window onto the road outside seems
to work for me :-)

I prefer live trapping since it doesn't spatter mouse juice round the
bottom of your food cupboard. I then empty the mouse into a freezer
bag and beat it with a shoe.

That's not very humane.
I give them to the cat, so they can play happily together

"John" wrote in message
...
My Sister In Law is CONVINCED she has mice and they are coming through the
airbricks!! No amount of reassurance from my Brother or myself will stop
her and she wants the airbricks blocked up. This is NOT an option
obviously, so she is asking us about putting some sort of grids over them.
They live in quite a large bungalow and there are approx 30 airbricks.
They are the 'standard' type i.e. same size as a brick and with two rows
of small square holes. Can we do this without any detriment to the
airflow and if so what is the best size of mesh to use so as to stop the
'mice' and still allow airflow. By the way my Brother has mentioned
divorce may be an option!

As a guide, if you can push an ordinary Bic biro though a hole, a mouse can
get through it. The answer used to be galvanised perforated metal, as used
on meat safes, but I expect expanded metal is easier to get these days.

Colin Bignell

"nightjar .uk.com" nightjar@insert_my_surname_here wrote in message
...

"John" wrote in message
...
My Sister In Law is CONVINCED she has mice and they are coming through
the airbricks!! No amount of reassurance from my Brother or myself will
stop her and she wants the airbricks blocked up. This is NOT an option
obviously, so she is asking us about putting some sort of grids over
them. They live in quite a large bungalow and there are approx 30
airbricks. They are the 'standard' type i.e. same size as a brick and
with two rows of small square holes. Can we do this without any
detriment to the airflow and if so what is the best size of mesh to use
so as to stop the 'mice' and still allow airflow. By the way my Brother
has mentioned divorce may be an option!

As a guide, if you can push an ordinary Bic biro though a hole, a mouse
can get through it. The answer used to be galvanised perforated metal, as
used on meat safes, but I expect expanded metal is easier to get these
days.

I have a roll of perforated galvanised AND a roll of perforated stainless
steel.

Offers?

Mary

Colin Bignell

Markus Splenius wrote:

On Wed, 26 Jan 2005 08:05:01 GMT, quisquiliae
wrote:

Dave Liquorice wrote:

and stinking for a week or three. Live trapping is OK but remember
releasing vermin anywhere but on your own land is illegal. Iif you
release at the bottom of the average garden mousey will be back inside
before you. You need to transport 'em a few miles but then you aren't
on your land...


Releasing them from my second floor window onto the road outside seems
to work for me :-)

I prefer live trapping since it doesn't spatter mouse juice round the
bottom of your food cupboard. I then empty the mouse into a freezer
bag and beat it with a shoe.

That sounds emminently sensible, mouse gets dispatched fairly humanely,
you don't risk getting bitten and the resultant mess of blood and brains
is contained. I like it. I generally prefer poison and have had no
trouble with smells. Last time I had to I came down one Sat a.m. and
found small house mouse sitting hunched on the kitchen floor shivering.
Mouse did not so much as move (apart from said shivering) while I
stepped over him, fetched my hammer from the toolbox under the sink and
put it out its misery with a well aimed thud. We had a vinyl floor, so
no problems. I did have to clean the hammer though.

Peter

--
Add my middle initial to email me. It has become attached to a country

"Peter Ashby" wrote in message
uk...



I prefer live trapping since it doesn't spatter mouse juice round the
bottom of your food cupboard. I then empty the mouse into a freezer
bag and beat it with a shoe.

That sounds emminently sensible, mouse gets dispatched fairly humanely,
you don't risk getting bitten and the resultant mess of blood and brains
is contained. I like it. I generally prefer poison and have had no
trouble with smells. Last time I had to I came down one Sat a.m. and
found small house mouse sitting hunched on the kitchen floor shivering.
Mouse did not so much as move (apart from said shivering) while I
stepped over him, fetched my hammer from the toolbox under the sink and
put it out its misery with a well aimed thud. We had a vinyl floor, so
no problems. I did have to clean the hammer though.

I suspect you had more blood and brain spatter from a hammer than you would
with a trap. We've never had it when using a trap.

Mary

Peter

--
Add my middle initial to email me. It has become attached to a country

Mary Fisher wrote:

"Peter Ashby" wrote in message
uk...



I prefer live trapping since it doesn't spatter mouse juice round the
bottom of your food cupboard. I then empty the mouse into a freezer
bag and beat it with a shoe.

That sounds emminently sensible, mouse gets dispatched fairly humanely,
you don't risk getting bitten and the resultant mess of blood and brains
is contained. I like it. I generally prefer poison and have had no
trouble with smells. Last time I had to I came down one Sat a.m. and
found small house mouse sitting hunched on the kitchen floor shivering.
Mouse did not so much as move (apart from said shivering) while I
stepped over him, fetched my hammer from the toolbox under the sink and
put it out its misery with a well aimed thud. We had a vinyl floor, so
no problems. I did have to clean the hammer though.

I suspect you had more blood and brain spatter from a hammer than you would
with a trap. We've never had it when using a trap.

We did once, caught the poor blighter by the nose. I don't like traps.

Peter
--
Add my middle initial to email me. It has become attached to a country

On Wed, 26 Jan 2005 12:53:34 -0000, Owain wrote:

If you use a catapult mousey is on (over) your land when released,
but a good distance away when it lands.

But probaly not far enough. We used to take 'em down to the bottom of
the padock, a good 200yds from the house, they'd come back in that
night or the next. We now deport them up onto the fells (several miles
from any habitation) they don't come back from there...

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

Mary Fisher wrote:
As a guide, if you can push an ordinary Bic biro though a hole, a mouse
can get through it. The answer used to be galvanised perforated metal, as
used on meat safes, but I expect expanded metal is easier to get these
days.

I have a roll of perforated galvanised AND a roll of perforated
stainless steel.

Offers?

Trade you 20 mice a metre.

--
Ian White
Abingdon, England

"Ian White" wrote in message
...
Mary Fisher wrote:
As a guide, if you can push an ordinary Bic biro though a hole, a mouse
can get through it. The answer used to be galvanised perforated metal,
as
used on meat safes, but I expect expanded metal is easier to get these
days.

I have a roll of perforated galvanised AND a roll of perforated stainless
steel.

Offers?

Trade you 20 mice a metre.

We can do our own mice, thanks.

But they're shorter than a metre ...

Mary

--
Ian White
Abingdon, England

On Wed, 26 Jan 2005, Dave Liquorice wrote:

If you use a catapult mousey is on (over) your land when released,
but a good distance away when it lands.

But probaly not far enough. We used to take 'em down to the bottom of
the padock, a good 200yds from the house, they'd come back in that
night or the next. We now deport them up onto the fells (several miles
from any habitation) they don't come back from there...

How do you know it was the same mouse coming back?

--
Alistair Riddell - BOFH
Microsoft - because god hates us

On Wed, 26 Jan 2005 18:49:23 +0000, Alistair Riddell wrote:

How do you know it was the same mouse coming back?

We got on first name terms...

Occasionally one will make a jump for freedom when being transfered
from trap to holding cage. I skined the tail of one of the escapees
catching it, I then saw it again for the next three days emptying the
trap... It was this that really spurred us into the long distance
deportation, which we started last winter. This year we've only caught
about 4 maybe 5 and those where back in November. The first year here
we lost count of the little beggers and where catching them right
through from October to April.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

"Mary Fisher" wrote in message
et...

"Ian White" wrote in message
...
Mary Fisher wrote:
As a guide, if you can push an ordinary Bic biro though a hole, a mouse
can get through it. The answer used to be galvanised perforated metal,
as
used on meat safes, but I expect expanded metal is easier to get these
days.

I have a roll of perforated galvanised AND a roll of perforated stainless
steel.

Offers?

Trade you 20 mice a metre.

We can do our own mice, thanks.

But they're shorter than a metre ...

Mary

I think even my big tom cat would have trouble getting them in through the
cat flap if they were that big.

Colin Bignell

On Wed, 26 Jan 2005 09:18:50 +0000, wrote:

Releasing non indigenous animals in the wild is unlawful but where
do you get this other bit from?

Field mice (brown, which is what our visitors are) non indigenous?
Releasing of vermin, the web. Beggered if I can find an authorative
reference now...

An animal will suffer a crueler death on being displaced from its
home territory than a swift blow when caught.

But may well help feed a family of stoats, weasels, several species of
owl and other birds of prey, all of which we have up here.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

In message , Markus Splenius
writes
I prefer live trapping since it doesn't spatter mouse juice round the
bottom of your food cupboard. I then empty the mouse into a freezer
bag and beat it with a shoe.

M.


Of course there was a famous(e) website that had the ultimate use for a
Henry vacuum, optical beam across the end of the hose and a tempting
bait just inside, Mickey spies the bait, breaks the beam and Henry gives
him his final suck into a half water filled collection bag.
--
Clint Sharp

In message , Mary
Fisher writes
I suspect you had more blood and brain spatter from a hammer than you would
with a trap. We've never had it when using a trap.
http://www.ibras.dk/montypython/episode02.htm#5

Mary
Got any bells?
--
Clint Sharp

"Dave Liquorice" wrote
| If you use a catapult mousey is on (over) your land when
| released, but a good distance away when it lands.
| But probaly not far enough. We used to take 'em down to the bottom of
| the padock, a good 200yds from the house, they'd come back in that
| night or the next.

Trebuchet?

If the g force in flight doesn't kill it, the impact on landing should.

Owain

Snip

As a guide, if you can push an ordinary Bic biro though a hole, a mouse can
get through it. The answer used to be galvanised perforated metal, as used
on meat safes, but I expect expanded metal is easier to get these days.

Colin Bignell


A rentokill operative told me the same story about the Bic pen... so
holes in air bricks shouldnt present a problem for them.

Gerry

"Owain" wrote in message
...
"Dave Liquorice" wrote
| If you use a catapult mousey is on (over) your land when
| released, but a good distance away when it lands.
| But probaly not far enough. We used to take 'em down to the bottom of
| the padock, a good 200yds from the house, they'd come back in that
| night or the next.

Trebuchet?

If the g force in flight doesn't kill it, the impact on landing should.

Are we allowed to have such an offensive weapon - as private, mice hosting
householders that is?

Mary

Owain

Mary Fisher wrote:

"Owain" wrote in message
...
"Dave Liquorice" wrote
| If you use a catapult mousey is on (over) your land when
| released, but a good distance away when it lands.
| But probaly not far enough. We used to take 'em down to the bottom of
| the padock, a good 200yds from the house, they'd come back in that
| night or the next.

Trebuchet?

If the g force in flight doesn't kill it, the impact on landing should.

Are we allowed to have such an offensive weapon - as private, mice hosting
householders that is?

Just purchase a subscription to the Sealed Knot and you can claim it is
being built for use in historical enactments. With some ingenuity you
could get Tony Robinson and some experts in to build it for you.

Peter

--
Add my middle initial to email me. It has become attached to a country

Cuprager wrote:

Snip

As a guide, if you can push an ordinary Bic biro though a hole, a mouse can
get through it. The answer used to be galvanised perforated metal, as used
on meat safes, but I expect expanded metal is easier to get these days.

Colin Bignell


A rentokill operative told me the same story about the Bic pen... so
holes in air bricks shouldnt present a problem for them.

If they fit their heads through they can get through, since mice on the
move are often young weanlings we are talking small heads here.

Peter

--
Add my middle initial to email me. It has become attached to a country

On Thu, 27 Jan 2005 10:47:21 +0000, wrote:

The 1958 act specifies the taking of "small ground vermin" which
doesn't exclude what we think of as mice or rats except for dormice
and shrews.

Which 1958 Act?

The only reference to releasing animals is in zoo regulations and
wildlife and countryside act 1981, non indigenous is the only
obvious prohibition, which could refer to black and brown rat, grey
squirrel and rabbit.

The WCA 1981 (as ammended) was the only authorative reference I could
find last night. Nice outline he

http://www.naturenet.net/law/wcagen.html#otheranimals
http://www.naturenet.net/law/sched9.html

"sched9.html" lists the animals that are prohibited for release into
the wild. I was surprised to see the Barn Owl on that list and two
species of Porcupine!

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

"Peter Ashby" wrote in message
k...

Are we allowed to have such an offensive weapon - as private, mice
hosting
householders that is?

Just purchase a subscription to the Sealed Knot and you can claim it is
being built for use in historical enactments.

Not for the English Civil War you couldn't. Not that I'd want anything to do
with that lot.

With some ingenuity you
could get Tony Robinson and some experts in to build it for you.

If I wanted a trebuchet I have access to far better qualified builders than
the gnome. I don't rate his 'experts'. I and many of my fellows have been
involved.

Hmm.

Mary

Mary Fisher wrote:

"Peter Ashby" wrote in message
k...

Are we allowed to have such an offensive weapon - as private, mice
hosting
householders that is?

Just purchase a subscription to the Sealed Knot and you can claim it is
being built for use in historical enactments.

Not for the English Civil War you couldn't. Not that I'd want anything to do
with that lot.

Touche, I am hoist with my head on your pike. Since we moved to Scotland
and the kids have grown it has been some years since we last graced a
re-enactment.

With some ingenuity you
could get Tony Robinson and some experts in to build it for you.

If I wanted a trebuchet I have access to far better qualified builders than
the gnome. I don't rate his 'experts'. I and many of my fellows have been
involved.

But surely if it only has to hurl miniature rodents the quality is
immaterial? and if the work is free.....

Peter
--
Add my middle initial to email me. It has become attached to a country

"Peter Ashby" wrote in message
uk...
Mary Fisher wrote:

"Peter Ashby" wrote in message
k...

Are we allowed to have such an offensive weapon - as private, mice
hosting
householders that is?

Just purchase a subscription to the Sealed Knot and you can claim it is
being built for use in historical enactments.

Not for the English Civil War you couldn't. Not that I'd want anything to
do
with that lot.

Touche, I am hoist with my head on your pike. Since we moved to Scotland
and the kids have grown it has been some years since we last graced a
re-enactment.

It shows.

With some ingenuity you
could get Tony Robinson and some experts in to build it for you.

If I wanted a trebuchet I have access to far better qualified builders
than
the gnome. I don't rate his 'experts'. I and many of my fellows have been
involved.

But surely if it only has to hurl miniature rodents the quality is
immaterial? and if the work is free.....

This is a d-i-y ng so you do it yourself if you wawnt one.

But believe me it wouldn't be 'free' if the gnome were involved. It would be
as cheap as they could get because they use the 'glamour' of tv to try to
persuade true (as well as poor) craftsmen to undercut their already modest
costs. But someone would be paying for it, when it comes down to it it would
be you.

Mary

Mary Fisher wrote:

"Peter Ashby" wrote in message
uk...
Mary Fisher wrote:

With some ingenuity you
could get Tony Robinson and some experts in to build it for you.

If I wanted a trebuchet I have access to far better qualified builders
than
the gnome. I don't rate his 'experts'. I and many of my fellows have been
involved.

But surely if it only has to hurl miniature rodents the quality is
immaterial? and if the work is free.....

This is a d-i-y ng so you do it yourself if you wawnt one.

But believe me it wouldn't be 'free' if the gnome were involved. It would be
as cheap as they could get because they use the 'glamour' of tv to try to
persuade true (as well as poor) craftsmen to undercut their already modest
costs. But someone would be paying for it, when it comes down to it it would
be you.

Not me, I kill mice as humanely as possible. I have no use for a
trebuchet.

Peter
--
Add my middle initial to email me. It has become attached to a country

"Peter Ashby" wrote in message
uk...


... surely if it only has to hurl miniature rodents the quality is
immaterial? and if the work is free.....

But believe me it wouldn't be 'free' if the gnome were involved. It would
be
as cheap as they could get because they use the 'glamour' of tv to try to
persuade true (as well as poor) craftsmen to undercut their already
modest
costs. But someone would be paying for it, when it comes down to it it
would
be you.

Not me, I kill mice as humanely as possible. I have no use for a
trebuchet.

Nor me. We're 100% non combatant. But we do know a bit about them ... both
trebuchets and mice :-)

My point was that you don't get anything from tv free.

Little Nippers for mice and rats. We're still using those we bought forty
odd years ago - they were very cheap then but would have been an excellent
investment at almost any price.

Mary

"Peter Ramm" wrote in message
...


snip
Little Nippers for mice and rats. We're still using those we bought forty
odd years ago - they were very cheap then but would have been an excellent
investment at almost any price.

I'm pretty sure there was a Big Nipper specifically for rats ;-)

We have one - but I admit that I haven't read it for some time :-)

Mary

In article ,
" says...
snip

Interestingly only the black rat is listed as not to be released,
presumably because it only arrived in medieval times, the rabbit and
brown rat are not in the list, supposed resident/indigenous?

Rabbits probably arrived with the Normans - "bunny" is Anglo-Saxon
for squirrel :-)