help! mice coming from neighbors

[luv2liv]

i live in a townhouse so i think the mice are coming from the neighbors. we never leave any food outside so im sure they are just wandering around. i think their main entrance are from the cracks/holes in the basement. whats the best way to seal those cracks? would you suggest using the expanding foam for doors/windows?

 

[vi edit]

Aluminum foil. Mice hate it and won't chew through it. We had to take that and seal up all of the small gaps between the drywall and the footings in our garage. Mice were coming up through that small gap. Foiled it and no more mice in the house. We got the idea from a friend that does pest prevention and that's his go to solution for keeping mice out of places.

 

[ISAslot]

Foam does nothing. Tried it, they chewed right through it.

 

[krose]

Use steel wool to plug the cracks.

 

[Brainonska511]

Use steel wool to plug the cracks.

I would also suggest this - steel wool in all the spaces mice could get through should keep them away.

Also get some traps (I like the cheap, traditional snapping kind with a little peanut butter) to catch any residual mice hiding away in your place.

Have you tried talking to your neighbor about the problem too?

 

[luv2liv]

awesome! i will try aluminum first. thanks!

 

[brainhulk]

Cat

 

[highland145]

Aluminum foil. Mice hate it and won't chew through it. We had to take that and seal up all of the small gaps between the drywall and the footings in our garage. Mice were coming up through that small gap. Foiled it and no more mice in the house. We got the idea from a friend that does pest prevention and that's his go to solution for keeping mice out of places.

Rats, foiled again...

 

[mmntech]

Steel wool works great. If you do use foam, embed it with steel wool or chicken wire. Makes for a more permanent solution.

 

[fjmeat]

Rats, foiled again...

lol

 

[NetWareHead]

Another vote for steel wool. When mice attempt to chew through it, being metal it causes great pain to their teeth. Use that to plug up areas. Items like foam etc... will fail. Mice will just chew through that and use it to make a nest.

 

[NoTine42]

Cat

Yep. Cats only exist to destroy stuff, but at least real cats destroy mice, so I tolerate our outdoor cats.

 

[nageov3t]

just when my cat is getting on my nerves, last night it ate a silverfish, completely justifying its worth.

 

[luv2liv]

n just for clarification....steel wool is this type right?
http://www.amazon.com/Homax-106600-0...dp/B00004Z4EG/

 

[JimKiler]

n just for clarification....steel wool is this type right?
http://www.amazon.com/Homax-106600-0...dp/B00004Z4EG/

That should work...any type of steel wool should work.

 

[lord_emperor]

Cat

This is really the only answer. Cats domesticated us specifically because we create conditions where mouse populations explode.

 

[KeithP]

Use steel wool to plug the cracks.

Or copper mesh (available on Amazon)

-KeithP

 

[WhoBeDaPlaya]

Cat done wrong...

 

[WHAMPOM]

Foam does nothing. Tried it, they chewed right through it.

Foam seals the hole, cramming hardware cloth in first keeps out the mice and other rodents.

 

[Puppies04]

You can get a 2 part epoxy resin type material. You pump it into a hole out of what looks like a caulk gun with 2 barrels. Sets like concrete. I have seen it used to secure bolts holding structural steel into foundations. If the holes aren't too big see if you can get some of that stuff. Anything that chews through it deserves to be in there.

 

[DrPizza]

Fine hardware cloth (or course steel wool) followed by great stuff foam to stop the air from also going through. The foam also protects the metal which would otherwise rust out fairly quickly if exposed to any dampness at all.

 

[BoomerD]

Rats, foiled again...

 

[StarTech15]

Cat

Certain dogs are bred for hunting rodents, too.

My terrier/schnauzer mix killed two mice in one hour when my house became infested. Haven't seen a mouse since.

 

[highland145]

Did you mount it and put it on your wall?


Bastards invaded my crawlspace a few winters ago. They loved the hell out of my new insulation. Turns out they loved peanut butter more.:biggrin:

 

[BurnItDwn]

If the mice are coming because of the food, then they probably are actually rats that are chefs!