Mouse (and other Pest) Wars

["couldbecousin"]

the corn chip is gone.

  Shit.  It was probably a bit soon for all of them to be gone.     What's your next move?

[WolFish]

the corn chip is gone.

  Shit.  It was probably a bit soon for all of them to be gone.     What's your next move?

Well, last night I passed out after eating five chocolate chip cookies (Py made them; each was a bit smaller than a CD) and left the bag on the floor. It was untouched in the morning so I think it's Teaspoon and her family, which, if she's still that small, could survive for a week on that corn chip fragment. I did leave out some more pepsi, so my next move is to look for "evidence" which so far I have not found anywhere. Teaspoon will be harder to catch because she won't trip most trap sets. She's also too small to consider the bucket trap unless I add to the ramp.

Suggestions welcome.

['andersom']

Any chance the corn chip was moved because of a door opening, or someone brushing by?

[WolFish]

Any chance the corn chip was moved because of a door opening, or someone brushing by?

no, it's in a niche under the counter near the stove. found "evidence" on the counter as well. we've used a lot of disinfectant spray this winter. it does keep them at bay for a couple of days at a time, but then they go elsewhere. I'll just have to wait for Teaspoon to get big enough to trip one of the traps.

['andersom']

When I had a mouse infestation, a few years ago, I cleansed the house, starting at the corner that had no escape route for them, working towards the spaces where escape routes to outside where available for them.

Every bit cleansed, I marked with peppermint oil. My territory. Cats, my own catching, and the weather improving, made that they were gone before they had gotten immune to the peppermint smell.

Used that tactic on every floor.

Maybe haunting them, but leaving open an escape route will help you too. The weather is improving, no need for them to stay inside.

[WolFish]

We're hoping that's why they are being inconsistent. It's been warm off and on here. It was snowing this morning.

While we were in the U.S. they got into a capsule of medication I had left in a cup on a table. The medication has a warning that it could cause birth defects. Makes me wonder if Teaspoon's mother is the one who chewed it. Teaspoon could be the first in a subspecies of mutant teaspoon sized mice. Unfortunately they probably would mate with regular size mice and in a few generations we'd be catching the fat ones in the traps again.

I had to buy a new backpack. They ruined two of mine and one of Py's. There have been a lot of casualties because we cleaned like heck in the kitchen but forgot about things like seaweed snacks, and coffee on the shelves and snack bars in backpacks.

["couldbecousin"]

While we were in the U.S. they got into a capsule of medication I had left in a cup on a table. The medication has a warning that it could cause birth defects. Makes me wonder if Teaspoon's mother is the one who chewed it. Teaspoon could be the first in a subspecies of mutant teaspoon sized mice. Unfortunately they probably would mate with regular size mice and in a few generations we'd be catching the fat ones in the traps again.

  That's a fascinating thought.  Either that, or Teaspoon is of a different breed of mouse than the others. 
  My former landlady had a pet mouse who, at least when she first arrived, was about the same size as
  Teaspoon.  I remember a photo of her in a little basket with a penny to show scale.  She was about
  twice the size of the penny.  I don't think she grew much bigger than that.  Anyway, good luck. 

[WolFish]

The kitchen is almost mouse proofed. Covered the toaster after reading that they could get down inside it and eat the crumbs. No evidence of that but since we've been cleaning with lysol there's been less evidence on the counter. Last night there was none.

On the other hand, they benefit from my carelessness. I somehow dropped a corn chip on the floor and they got that without my realizing. I heard them munching it and took it away. Actually saw a tail. Other than that, no sign of them sometimes for a day or so. Thought I heard one in my room but no sign of it - could have been a dream or one of CBC's ghost mice. My old backpack still stinks of Mont Blanc Presence. And one day we had sweet rice flour in a bag on the counter and they got into it in broad daylight.

Bottom line is that they are still here. We had some recycling folks come from the city and they told me put Vick's on the bin lid to keep critters away. They are taking meat scraps as well as regular compostables. But I think I might try that to keep them off the counter. I am also giving them the nasty chocolate that comes in kinder surprise in the hopes that they will try to get it out of the trap under the counter. I made the opening Teaspoon size, but so far no luck.

["couldbecousin"]

  I'm sorry they're still there.  Do you have any idea how many there might be? 

[FourAceDeal]

Found mouse droppings behind the kitchen bin.  Left a humane trap behind it for a few days and caught nothing.  Changed it to a couple of lethal traps and got 3 mice in less than 24 hours.

Sorry mice, but either you or me had to go.

["couldbecousin"]

Found mouse droppings behind the kitchen bin.  Left a humane trap behind it for a few days and caught nothing.  Changed it to a couple of lethal traps and got 3 mice in less than 24 hours.

Sorry mice, but either you or me had to go.

  Indeed.  They spread diseases and have no place in your living space. 

[WolFish]

  I'm sorry they're still there.  Do you have any idea how many there might be? 

Probably two or three - no signs of a family yet. So far there are few signs unless we leave something out by accident. There is a path from downstairs so they may be commuting. I am going to get some vick's to see if that will keep them out. I put stuff there with peppermint but i am sure they are used to it by now. It's on the short list to get in there and nail something over the holes.

At my mother's summer house the mice would bring in their own food and we'd find the remains of nests in the furniture. They'd bring in seeds and things that fell from the bird feeders. I think she gets an exterminator these days.

['andersom']

Any chance they are eating from both your place and the neighbours, while living in between?

[Jack]

Keep offering them soda.

[WolFish]

Any chance they are eating from both your place and the neighbours, while living in between?

Since the leavings are not daily anymore, I suspect so.