field mice love my seedlings

[andrewo]

Mouse organ

I know fox hunting is banned but what if we took to the fields with mallets, tracking down the mice...we could call it a Monty Python recreation of the wonderful Mouse Organ.

[nick the grief]

So long as there were no dogs involved

[sewer rat]

But officer, there I was, taking my forty four hounds for their morning exercise, when I bumped into some friends who were out exercising their horses, when this fox just appeared and seemed to be set on following the exact same route that I was planning for my hounds. Well, my hounds took off and I couldn't stop them so me and all my horsey friends were chasing after the hounds to stop them before they gave that poor little verm**, I mean fox, a fright ---- and if that ain't the truth, I don't know what is.

[andrewo]

It was just one of those coincidences that we were wearing our livery and riding gear...and that old Tom had a gun that kept going off and blowing away those poor hedgehogs...we can still hunt them can't we?

[Nicos]

All this talk of hunting has just made me think of a natural alternative...owls! maybe it would be worth putting up a few owl boxes and see what happens? You may just be in time to encourage a pair to nest.

www.the-owl-barn.com/bbop/barnbox.html ...... can give you advice on barn owls, but should be able to other info or contacts for other types who may prefer your locality. This has to be better than trying to poison the mice. Think I might get an owl box too now! Always a lovely sound at dusk and dawn too!
If you try to make sure the mice don't nest inside the polytunnel, I'm sure the owls would pick up on their movements.

[SueA]

We had a problem with mice getting into the kitchen years ago & I used the humane traps baited with cereals & chocolate biscuit crumbs & released them elsewhere (you have to take them a fair distance & are supposed to get the landowner's permission as they are vermin). I think cloves of garlic pushed into the ground all round the crops might deter them as it seems to stop squirrels digging up bulbs, I think the smell puts them off, & you'd get a nice crop of garlic too!

[sewer rat]

For humane ways to rid yourself of mice, check out www.greenpestco.co.uk or go to the Garden Action site and use their link - you get 5% discount if you quote Garden Action.
Rat

[KATHY]

For humane ways to rid yourself of mice, check out www.greenpestco.co.uk or go to the Garden Action site and use their link - you get 5% discount if you quote Garden Action.
Rat

Can't get to the site, Rat. Would you check the web address is right, please? Thanks for idea, though.

[KATHY]

We had a problem with mice getting into the kitchen years ago & I used the humane traps baited with cereals & chocolate biscuit crumbs & released them elsewhere (you have to take them a fair distance & are supposed to get the landowner's permission as they are vermin). I think cloves of garlic pushed into the ground all round the crops might deter them as it seems to stop squirrels digging up bulbs, I think the smell puts them off, & you'd get a nice crop of garlic too!

Wow! I feel like I lost the plot somewhere-what have I started!? Beginning to feel sorry for the bleep bleep mice but am determined to be the conqueror! Appreciate your ideas and will report back soon!

[Lesley Jay]

Kathy try www.greenfingers.com/superstore/ They have mice repellers including battery operated ones.

[dragonz]

Thanks Dragonz-what kind of price did you pay/any specifications you could let me have? there seems a big difference in price out there! Nicos, the cat idea is a no-no because of the birds we encourage! Thanks anyway. Hard to please aren't I?

We got it from homebase, cost about £15, its about the size of the palm of my hand and just plugs in like a night light but makes clicky noises that the mice dont like

[nick the grief]

Are your hands the same size as mine Dragonz I bet you looked at your hand when you typed that didn't you

[dragonz]

size 8 gloves

[KATHY]

thanks for the extra info Dragonz-still trying for a battery operated one but may end up putting in electricity-Could make it quite snug for the little fellas on a cold winter's night!

[dragonz]

the electric thing cleared them from the house, so they moved into the shed and have eat some of my seed potatoes, some bulbs, packets of bird seed and fatballs, and a cable for the lawnmower so as much as I hate to do it, poison was the only way forward and they eat that quicker than the rest of the stuff