Mice

[dexterdoglancashire]

I've discovered that I've got (at least) one mouse in my garden store where I keep my bird food and garden tools. That doesn't bother me, but should I get rid of it? If so, how? To be honest, I'm quite happy for it/them to live in there till the spring/summer when I think they'll leave - or should I move my bird food and clean it out?
The store is at the end of the garden (away from the veg patch) next to the garage, and to get into the house they'd have to go across the patio.
DDL
PS I guess I could put Ramsey and Crosby the cats in there, but they'd probably be frigtened to death! Same for Dexter!

[Nicos]

Well you could leave things be...esp if you have cats, but they may have peed on the bird food whilst munching away at it, and if you handle it, they may pass on infection to you.
If you have 2 mice now, you may well have hundreds by the end of the year.
I have them in my summerhouse and they are eating their way through my sunflower heads, but I've left them be for now. One of my cats will probably find them eventually, but maybe that is more cruel than a mouse trap??

[Lesley Jay]

DDL store your bird seed in plastic containers with sealed lids.

[Nicos]

Our mice are clearly more worldly than your LJ.....Would suggest metal tin would be more mouse/rat resistant!!!

[Sue]

Hi
I had mouse/mice in the shed who started nibbling the stored bird food, I then tried a substantial plastic container, next day big hole in plastic container - what are their teeth made of?? So scouted round the charity shops for some tins which has foxed them and there's no evidence of them now.
You would laugh to see one of the tins, it's a sort of faux Egyptian design with blue "jewels" and raised patterns and designs, very fancy but it was only £1.50 in Oxfam but it does look a bit out of place in my shed.
Sue

[Digger-07]

I thought I had a nest under the shed floor because my birdseed was being taken, I saw the culprit do it in front of me once!

When I moved the shed was sold and I was really surprised not to find any sign of a nest. The robber must have been a lone ranger.

[dexterdoglancashire]

Thanks for the advice - need to get some metal tins/bins.
We had mice in our shed in Wakefield (ours had at least a couple of litters - under the shed and in my wellies - they were beautiful - I couldn't kill them!) - when we moved back to Lancashire, my mother in law, who had the boxes in her car from the shed was convinced the squeaking noise was a mouse!
She drove round with her trousers tucked in her socks for weeks until OH spotted it when dismantling the interior lining of the car. Couldn't catch it though! Eventually the squeaking stopped, guess the little critter had finally had enough! DDL

[Digger-07]

I set one of the humane traps for my mouse and eventually caught it. I think it was just a case of being able to show who was boss. Once I had him in my grasp I just had to let him go again.

[dwrudd]

You dont just have one Mouse

Hi there DDL,

Please believe me when I say, there is no such thing as a lone mouse.
You may only see one, but there will be many more, especially come spring/summer.

We had 'A' mouse, took Hugh Fernley Whittingstall's advive and calmly asked them to leave my shed and move to the bottom of the garden, I then stood there for five minutes in the shed doorway whilst EIGHT mice walk round the shed and out of the door. I am not joking, it was unreal.

Unfortunatley, they decided to move into the attic instead. Suddenly, Mrs.D, who incidently would not hurt a fly issued the command to get rid of them. They were keeping us awake dancing in the loft and making a right mess. I tried in vain to trap them in an expensive live trap, not a chance and so in the end have had to resort to the usual snap traps , don't like it but at least its quick.

To date I have had 32.
So don't put it off, I know that they are cute little things but tidy up, move them out and don't get caught out with the 'I don't mind the odd one' syndrome.

Darren

[dexterdoglancashire]

Thanks for that D - I know I was being soft, but you've persuaded me. Will get OH to get some traps tomorrow from work. DDL

[dexterdoglancashire]

Ive just found two traps in our lecky meter cupboard. What should I put on them/in them? I remember something on tv recently saying that mice dont like cheese but cant for the life of me remember what they do like! DDL

[JennieAtkinson]

We made the mistake Dexter of thinking that they were just in the loft and we could live with them. Didn't want to kill any. Bad mistake - 8/9 months later we were just overrun with them, even in the house and we had to get rid of them big style. Tore us apart having to do it, but had we acted sooner it would have been far better - for them and us.
We tried traps, but there were so many of them we had to get the Council's Environmental Health to give us the powder. It is apparently more humane, and they do not die on your premises, they go outside looking for water.
And if you've ever had a dead mouse trapped under the floor boards, boy does it smell. Been there, done that too, unfortunately. Part and parcel of living in a old house next to a farm.
Good luck - hope this helps.

[dexterdoglancashire]

Thanks JA - I suppose I could always send Ramsey and Crosby the cats in there, but to be honest they would probably be frightened to death! Traps it is. DDL

[Weavie]

They love chocolate. Think I was a mouse in a former life. They also love peanut butter. You're doing the right thing by getting rid. Don't beat yourself up about it.

[CarolineSonning]

I got up one morning to find a lovely field mouse in our bath. It was very frustrated at not being able to climb out. I'm not too sure why it even ventured into it as it was actually clean .
After about 5 mins I managed to catch it in a shoe box (appropriately a pair of boots made by Cat ).