How to get rid of mice

[Sandmannd]

I have mice in my house. I have the electrick things you plug in and that works to an extent, but still have them. Cats are bringing the in the bedroom to show us their "Kill". We can't use decon because of the cats. I've had no success with traps.

[fishermatt]

Isn't that why you have the Cats? ; - )

I live in the country, so mice are always around.I put decon in my sheds and garage, so the mice are attracted to and die there instead of in the house. We have a crawl space and I put some decon in there just in case they get in. If you can figure out where they're coming in and plug that up it's a big help.

Regarding the traps, the snap type work if you learn to set them light and bait with peanut butter. If you don't set them light, the mice can eat the bait without springing the trap. At least that's been my experience. Good Luck, maybe get another couple cats?

[fishing tech]

Snap traps with peanut butter, or get the sticky traps and lay them down by the walls. Get quick before more show up. Then inspect the foundation and other areas of the house to find out where they are coming in.

[crothmeier]

i've been battling them all winter. i havent had the peanut butter eaten from the snap trap or the sicky trap for about a month now. I dont know if i got all of them or not. i never seen them, no droppings or anything. the snap traps right out of the package are usually set too tight. i bend the tab that holds the bar down to have a lighter set. it takes me 5-6 times setting the trap down to get it to stay set. bait with peanut butter. and wrap dental floss around it.

[JeffB]

Go around your house with a can of great stuff foam insulation and fill any holes or gaps, be thorough get on your hand and knees to inspect everything. Check for gaps around doors, windows, garage doors and vents. Keep garage doors shut on attached garages. We bought a lake home that had mice and after doing this and setting about twenty traps the problem was solved. Don't set just one or two trap, traps are cheap. Go crazy with the traps till the problem is fixed. If you have clutter or a wood pile near your foundation get it moved. Steel wool also work well for holes, but I like the foam insulation amd it also seem to work well.

[IFallsRon]

If you fill cracks with the foam, mix in some steel wool. Rodents like to chew through the foam but have a hard time with the steel.

When we have mice problems, I mix some antifreeze with the peanut butter to sweeten it up. Then I load up the traps and slide them in a lunch bag and place them around the foundation or on normal paths. The wife can check the bags and toss out the kills without having to touch anything.

[Sandmannd]

Ifalls, that is a great idea with the bags, never woulda thought of that.

I also like the idea of the great stuff. I'll get on that and some traps.

[Redlantern]

The block walls in my house aren't filled with cement and I found the mice where crawling through them from the garage and getting into my basement. I used the spray foam but didn't add the mineral wool. Good idea. Next house I'll have to try that.

[MuleShack]

There also is something to do with a 5 gallon pail filling it half full and having a board run up to the edge or something.

I dont remember how it works, but you must put the bait in the bucket and the mice jump in to get it and then drown.

Someone else know how this works maybe can explain it better.

[AugieAngler1010]

I had a couple of mice fall into a bucket of mine this winter in the garage. It was about half full with a couple of suckers in it. They must have died right after I put the bucket in the garage, because the next morning they were dead, stinky, and had two mice floating with them.

This likely won't help you much because a) cats and b)the smell. But yes, mice will jump in buckets of water for food.

[B. Amish]

stick a marshmallow in the microwave for a few seconds, then spread it on your trap when it's nice and gooey. When it dries and hardens, it won't come off like peanut butter, and the mice will have to chew at it, then bam, their done.

[Charley]

Plug up any hloes you have around the side of your house. Peanut butter on traps does work like fish tech said.

[Tom7227]

The bucket thing - take a beverage can and string a wire through it lengthwise and then to each side of a 5 gallon pail. Make sure the can spins freely on the wire. Smear some peanut butter on the can and put a piece of wood up to the edge for a ramp. Put some water (winter use a bit of RV antifreeze) in the bucket and they will fall off trying to get to the peanut butter.

[CJH]

My friend who is in commercial real estate and manages multiple properties swears by the bucket trick.

[norm25]

Here is the bucket trap I made. I works very well. No need to reset like a trap just add peanut butter and it keeps on working.

Just have to remember to fluff the peanut butter every now and then to keep the odor up.

[CJH]

I think I have heard of putting something that floats in there as well, like peanut butter on a cork or something like that.

[Sandmannd]

HUH, that' bucket trick looks like it would work for sure.

[redhooks]

Bucket trick is the bomb, great for deershacks. We do a popcan lengthwise w/ pnutbutter and a wire and put antifreeze for the smell. Works great.

[thedeadsea]

Glue traps. I sweeten them up with a little more bait like chips, fruit snacks, or cereal. Those little pre-baited pellets don't seem to attract the mice all that well.

Once we forgot about one glue trap at the cabin. The cat kept digging back by the fireplace and all of a sudden all heck broke loose. He somehow had gotten his back leg stuck in the glue trap (which also contained a dead mouse). He made it across the cabin in about 1/10th second making a rat-a-tat sound as he tried to shake the trap off his leg. Probably not the funniest thing I have ever seen, but it was close.

Steve

[CrowRiverRat83]

Thats a funny story deadsea! Just laughing out loud picturing it in my head. Ha ha ha.

[JeffB]

The bucket trick works great for campers and things. Just put it on the floor close enough so they can jump in with a little antifreeze they will jump right in with out the can. I just put a little antifreeze in then smear peanut butter just above the antifreeze level.

[Surface Tension]

Stickies work but mice can get out of them or drag them off. They won't work in an unheated cabin during the winter.

Snap traps are good if your there to empty and reset.

Best for cabin is the bucket trap with antifreeze work year round, great for a cabin. Also the antifreeze acts like a preservative and the mice won't smell up the place.