I have been plagued with mice for about a week or so for the first time in a very long time. I think my outdoor cats have become so old, they just don't thrill in the hunt any longer.
So, now, I have a mouse in a jar. While the one(s) in the kitchen cupboard have eluded two types of traps with trips and the sticky traps, I saw something clinging to my living room curtain (white sheers). It looked like a dried leaf; however, on closer inspection, it was a mouse, not even three inches long, clinging there.
Having been stung by a wasp last week, I was unwilling to risk a mouse bite, so I went into the kitchen and got jar with a lid. The mouse was still there when I got back, and as it tried to run up the curtain, I was easily able to knocked it down into the jar.
I guess I will take it down the road and release it. While I can execute a mouse via a trap, I am not keen about murdering one with my hands.
If the plague continues, I fear I will need to resort to poison, and I really do not want to do that.
(And always have a jar or two with a lid under your kitchen sink--you never know when they will be come in handy.)
8
Enjoy being online again!
Welcome to the community of good people who base their values on evidence and appreciate civil discourse - the social network you will enjoy.Create your free account
9 comments
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button."Down the road" is NOT far enough, it will be back in 20 minutes. 2-3 Miles is a maybe.......
I could bring over my smallish dog, she is an incredible, indefatigable vermin-hunter! But not if you put out poison.....she eats what she catches.
AnneWimsey
Level 9
July 17, 2022
1
@Gwendolyn2018 in pursuit of possible prey she can find a way nder/through a 4' high new chain link fence...I have had to ground-stake & tie-wrap chicken wire to the bottom foot of All fencing and extend a foot into the yard.....child locks on all interior cabinets too. When I say she is a Dedicated Hunter, I am stating it mildly.
@Gwendolyn2018 she only digs for moles now, having figured out she cannot dig through chicken wire...thank goodness
Find a better trap, a poisoned dead mouse in the wall somewhere smells REALLY awful for a long time. Trust Me.
silverotter11
Level 9
July 16, 2022
0
Mice sure can throw a wrench into things, can't they? Sounds like they've made themselves a bit too comfortable in your home. Have you thought about trying pest control services? Sometimes a professional touch can really help put a lid on the issue. But there are some DIY methods too, like peppermint oil or sealing up their entryways, that can keep the little critters at bay. What about other folks here? Any tried-and-true tricks for dealing with these whiskered invaders? I've heard steel wool can be a game-changer!
I understand your feeling. One thing I found was the poison is not good. It often does not kill right away and when it does it is spread to other animals eating the dead mouse/rat. Another, side affect, is it can make the animals really thirsty. They will chew on anything they think has water. We went on a trip and when I returned the kitchen sink drain sounded funny. Hers is what I found had been done to the drain. A desperate rat heard water running and went at it.
JackPedigo
Level 9
July 16, 2022
1
@Gwendolyn2018 That does happen and more often than we think. Another big problem is that within the walls they can chew through pipes. The new plumbing material is called PEX which is a pliable plastic. Our plumber told me that he has seen rats chew through copper pipes. Rats are very smart animals and some people make them as pets.
@Gwendolyn2018 Oh yeah. I have helped neighbors deal with rats in 'manufactured' homes. One had, as you said, a water heater that opened from the outside. It was a mess and stunk up the whole house. We had to remove the heater and clean and plug all the holes. However, the rats, being so smart, found a way back in. Later, I was informed the best way to plug holes is to use steel wool. Rats hate gnawing through that material.
@Gwendolyn2018 Good you've been able to get rid of them. Sometimes it's difficult keeping pests out.
Most people, like me, think mice are a pest and mostly harmless until I read a report of how the pandemic changed some of our affects on nature. One item was about mice dubbed 'vampire mice.' Pretty scary stuff. [rt.com]
@Gwendolyn2018 I also thought I had blocked my crawl space (half is a concrete stem wall and the other half is the wall of the house going down to the concrete base. The siding is hardiboard (concrete). The one weak spot was the intersection of the two and I had added a 2 X 4 to that spot. It worked for several years but one alpha female (the females always seem to be the smartest) found a weak spot and climbed over the 2 x 4 and got in. I found the spot and sealed it inside and outside. Problem was she was trapped inside and even leaving the entrance panel open all night didn't entice her out. I left water so she wouldn't chew the plumbing but she outsmarted herself and died from starvation. I actually felt sad at the loss of so smart a critter.
I took care of a friend's white throated monitor lizard for a while. A mouse would have only been a snack but definitely would have vanished.
MizJ
Level 8
July 16, 2022
1
MizJ:
@Gwendolyn2018 Goliath was over 4 feet long, Some of my sick friends would come by to see him eat good sized rats, swallowed whole. He kept growing and had to give him away as I feared for my cat.
MizJ:
@Gwendolyn2018 Absolutely. The monitor belonged to a friend with health issues. The lizard would have perished otherwise as it was an illegal species in that state thus no other options. His next home was over the state line so it all worked out well.
I also live out in the country but don’t have cats 🥲. They all died. So I have lots of snap traps for mice. Jiff crunchy peanut butter works great as a bait.
In NY, it’s illegal to move live trapped critters. So I have a euthanasia tub that I spray in ether and cover. Starter fluid spray is mostly ether.
ADKSparky
Level 8
July 15, 2022
2
Crap! I was wondering why everytime I tried starting my old car I would pass out.
@Gwendolyn2018 I leave possums and raccoons go their merry way. Right now, I might have to get out my bunny thinner. The raptors aren’t doing their job. This spring, the rabbits are every crocus flower 
It's in a jar- - You can suffocate it. If you want it to die quickly, make a hole in the lid and put the whole thing in a bucket of water letting the air out of the hole. I've been besieged by rats and that is no fun.
racocn8
Level 9
July 15, 2022
0
Man, that's dark.....
@PondartIncbendog I used to try to live trap them and set them free, but that was just giving the problem to someone else. The rats here swarm in packs and will chew a hole in a solid wooden door overnight. After dealing with that level of damage, my patience is exhausted. I don't like killing anything, but I'm not going to live with flies, spiders or rodents in my house, especially as they severely upset my partner. I do not take any pleasure in killing these creatures but do what I feel I must.
I've seen a lot of rats and mice die in the coils of a snake. Suffocation is quick. Seeing anything die causes revulsion (or should), and that sensation is thought to be a primary source of our morality. I seek to remain mindful of my reactions.
I live in the sticks. If I don't find a mouse, a vole, a mole or a rat in the garage, I'll start to worry. The raccoon in the garage should be doing his job.
PondartIncbendog
Level 8
July 15, 2022
2
@Gwendolyn2018 The fella sneaks in when I've got the door open. He's looking for cat food. I can't get mad at them.
I have a plethora of jars with lids in my kitchen. I haven't had to trap a mouse myself, though my A/C repair guy said there were mouse droppings in my compressor unit. He said no sign of a nest. I have so many neighbor cats that swing by I'm sure the mouse population is under control.
HippieChick58
Level 9
July 15, 2022
0
Just treat them like pickles. Should be able to get a dozen in a good sized jar.
Enjoy being online again!
Welcome to the community of good people who base their values on evidence and appreciate civil discourse - the social network you will enjoy.Create your free account
Share this post
Related Groups More
Feline Fanatics
1562 members
Categories
Agnostic does not evaluate or guarantee the accuracy of any content. Read full disclaimer.