I have mice

[gbeirn]

When not mice just a mouse, one and very smart too. He's been living with us for a few months now. I first saw him maybe around November. Was in the basement and watching tv late at night and saw him run along the wall and under the door to the furnace room. At least I thought I did, it was late and I thought maybe I was seeing things.

Mention it to the wife and a few days later she see him in the plants we brought in for the winter. Almost chased him out the front door but he made a sharp last minute turn and disappeared down the furnace return.

Set traps but nothing. Didn't see him for a few weeks. I hoped he died in the furnace or between the walls.

January I see him again in he basement. Move the traps down there. Nothing. Few weeks ago we did some spring cleaning since its been unseasonably warm. Pull out the couch and find mouse poop there. Set some traps behind the couch, nothing.

Last week find some poop on the window sill, set a trap there, nothing.

Earlier this week I am in the downstairs bathroom and hear something fall behind the wall and make noise, must be him. Maybe he fell to his death. Nope.

Putting laundry away in the hall closet, see what looks like sawdust, he chewed open my 'corn bag' ( sewed a bag and filled it with corn which you heat in the microwave and put on your sore muscles). It's chewed up corn. Didn't clean it up, put a trap in there instead. Opened the door the next day to see if I got him. Nope. Saw him though and he scurried away between a gap in the door frame and wall.

Options? Burn the whole house down with fire? Develop mouse mind reading skills to see where he'll be next since he never visits the same place twice? Catch him and breed him to make an army of uncatchable super mice? Get rid of my worthless dogs who will eat mice outside but not inside and get a cat? Resign myself to the fact that he now owns the home and I am just a guest?

Never in my life had a mouse so hard to catch.

 

[skyking]

Is he shunning the traps or taking the bait? what are you using for bait? Do you use gloves when setting the trap?

 

[pcgeek11]

I use latex gloves when handling the old standard wooden traps. Attach raw bacon rind ( short piece ) to the trigger so that it will not pull out. Smear some peanut butter on the trigger also. Place trap along a wall and leave it alone for several days. Lots of patience. You can catch him, if you quit moving the traps all the time.

Use these: http://contentinjection.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/bet-mice-termination.jpg

Do not use poison as they will die in the wall and your house will stink. I say They as you most likely have more than just one, pretty much guaranteed. Mice are not loners.

 

[gbeirn]

Yep using the standard old wooden traps, putting peanut butter on them and placing them along walls. I've been moving the traps after a few weeks of no success. I didn't use gloves, think my smell is the problem?

 

[boomerang]

Too many make the mistake of putting too much peanut butter on traps. Just the tiniest smear is what you want. I've had mice lick the trigger paddle of a trap clean repeatedly. If they're doing that, I just throw the trap away and find a different brand.

If they're not eating the food on the traps at all it's because there is another food source readily available.

Remember too, that this time of year they will move outdoors. There is more food available and they are social creatures.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

Another vote for the standard old traps. I recently had 6 mice in the house, all 6 were caught in the old school traps, 5 were caught in the tomcat(?) traps the ones with the big plastic trigger.
I used peanut butter for the bait, go the organic route they can smell out additives.
Also make sure your house is sealed mine seemed to get in on the corners of the house under the vinyl siding. Check to make sure you bulked is sealed up like no light penetrates it.
I didn't wear gloves but I did wash my hands and prepared the traps away from the cat & dog. They can smell cats & dogs very easily.

**what boomer said is 100% correct**

 

[MustISO]

I've used these and they've never failed. We got one in our house and one or two in the garage. Put peanut butter in the base and wait a few hours.
http://www.d-conproducts.com/products/family-high-traffic-rooms/no-view-no-touch-trap/

 

[jaha2000]

Glue traps are always more effective IMO. Put them against the wall where you know he will run.

 

[DrPizza]

Another vote for the standard old traps. I recently had 6 mice in the house, all 6 were caught in the old school traps, 5 were caught in the tomcat(?) traps the ones with the big plastic trigger.
I used peanut butter for the bait, go the organic route they can smell out additives.
Also make sure your house is sealed mine seemed to get in on the corners of the house under the vinyl siding. Check to make sure you bulked is sealed up like no light penetrates it.
I didn't wear gloves but I did wash my hands and prepared the traps away from the cat & dog. They can smell cats & dogs very easily.

**what boomer said is 100% correct**

We don't eat organic food in our house, hence we never have mice. Just pointing out a minor flaw in the reasoning. Mice eat whatever food is available. They're not going to care if there are preservatives in your peanut butter.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

We don't eat organic food in our house, hence we never have mice. Just pointing out a minor flaw in the reasoning. Mice eat whatever food is available. They're not going to care if there are preservatives in your peanut butter.

Haha I get it, I was simply sharing my experience non preservative type worked good but there wasn't any scientific method to it.

 

[pcgeek11]

Glue traps are always more effective IMO. Put them against the wall where you know he will run.

Those are too cruel even for me to use...

 

[SP33Demon]

Glue traps are always more effective IMO. Put them against the wall where you know he will run.

Yup, we had field mice and got rid of them using glue traps that lined the area I knew they were coming in from (before I had a chance to seal the hole). That did the trick. Make sure you line them up in succession, don't just put one down. You have to block his entire path and then put some along the walls as well.

Also, like others have said the traps are the way to go as well. Victor "Quick Kill" traps are my preference.

 

[Subyman]

I always had good luck with the Tomcat easy reset traps:

 

[Elixer]

If you don't like traps, you can put 100% pure peppermint oil on some cotton balls (like 7-10 drops), and put them around the place and they really hate that enough to move out.
The downside is, 100% pure peppermint oil is pretty expensive, so you can also plant peppermint plants around the house which works as well, as long as you plant enough of them.

 

[pmark]

If you don't like traps, you can put 100% pure peppermint oil on some cotton balls (like 7-10 drops), and put them around the place and they really hate that enough to move out.
The downside is, 100% pure peppermint oil is pretty expensive, so you can also plant peppermint plants around the house which works as well, as long as you plant enough of them.

Be careful, mint is considered invasive and will take over if it isn't contained. If you do this then I would use pots or some sort of container so the plant doesn't take over.

 

[Subyman]

Be careful, mint is considered invasive and will take over if it isn't contained. If you do this then I would use pots or some sort of container so the plant doesn't take over.

Haha, so true. My grandma planted some mint one time in her herb garden. Now its everywhere.