We just recently moved in to a new (to us) house and found that we have uninivited other family members. I know that a 42 year old man should not be scared of these little buggers but I just don’t like them. Anybody remember the movie “Ben”?. Ugh!
Anyway, I have just about got all of them killed off in the house and want to keep their extended family outside. The basement is not finished yet so I can seal around the mud sill and all that easily once I get the courage up to take the insulation out from between the floor joists and find all the old nests and access points. Definitely not looking forward to that. My question is, what should I use to seal up any small openings that I find where they can sneak inside? Will they just chew through caulking or is it a sufficient deterrent?
This is my first posting on here but I have been lurking and reading quietly for a while. I have definitely picked up on a lot of good info. Everybody seems willing to help. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
Muttray
Replies
cat.
how to find out if a cat is a mouser :
1 get cat(s)
2 put them in sideyard
3 walk around to backyard
4 fire shotgun
5 ones that come running, are the ones you want, scared ones will go hide.
no turn left unstoned
Unfortunately our cat has proven itself to be worthless in the pest control department. She is more along the lines of Garfield.
Muttray
I got my cat from the humane society. My approach to seeing if my cat was a mouser was to take a cat toy to the humane society and see how he responded. He attacked! I knew he was a hunter right then and there and he came home with me the next day.
The problem with him is that he sees himself as more of a big game hunter. He'd rather go after large squirrels and rabits than mice, but he still kills plenty of mice.
This is the time of year when mice are busy getting ready for winter, so you will see a lot of activity. I'd say one of the biggest things cut down on mice is to be vigilant about food. Keep pet food off the ground where mice can't get it, clean up counters, sweep floors, etc. etc.
I hate mice even though I think they are adorable looking. A cat does help, but it is a horrible way to go. We still use a lot of traps because frankly, they are more humane than getting tortured and killed by a sadistic cat (and they are all sadistic!)
Feed the cats a bit less, and they'll be better hunters. Who wants to go hunting for food on a full stomach?
I don't feel sorry for the mice - They've been prey for all kinds of animals since God created them. (Or since they evolved, if you're not a creationist)
.
Did I ever tell you about the old Mother cat we had around the farm when I was a kid? She was named Ben Hur.
At first we named the cat Ben. But when she had kittens, we changed it to Ben Hur.
After all, she'd been a "her" all along.
Wink. I'll do the rest.
Feed my little Louie-schmoosy lambchop less food? He's my baby, surely you can't be serious! LOL!
Ben Hur. That is cute.
And you are right about the mice being prey, but still. The same fate probably awaits my cat at the jaws of a coyote or mountain lion. I dread that day.
I used to have a cat called Jungle Rot.no turn left unstoned
Panama,
I don't understand, how are you supposed to shoot a cat in the sideyard when your in the backyard?
dl
no, your not shooting the cat, you want to see if the little furball will come running, when it hears the blast, like, "where's the food you just shot?"no turn left unstoned
Where is the fun in that?
dl
Jam chicken wire, hardware cloth, or like into the opening.......then shoot it with foam urethane in a can (Great Stuff or similar)........they can chew through the urethane UNTIL they hit metal! jocobe
They will chew right through chicken wire and hardware cloth as well.
Two metals that seem to deter them the most... Anything with zinc on it. Steel wool. I have no idea why they don't like metal with zinc on it. But I have an idea the reason they don't like the steel wool is because it basicaly leaves a ton of tiny metal splinters in their mouth.
I would stuff some steel wool in loosely, then seal up with the great stuff spray foam.
Quittin' Time
Becareful with them I was watching a TV show and a mouse ran into a hole and when someone reached in the hole to catch him the mouse handed him a stick of dynamite, the same mouse also hit him with a hammer so like I said......becareful Darkworksite4: When the job is to small for everyone else, Its just about right for me"
Them smart ones with an arsenal are the ones I am worried about.
Thanks for everyones input. Now that you guys mention it, I had heard before that steel wool was a good deterrent.
Muttray
"...I had heard before that steel wool was a good deterrent."
In my experience, it is. But it will rust, so do protect/hide/cover it, or use stainless steel wool, if there is such a thing.
Be seeing you...
Lived in a travel trailer for three years in a mouse filled forest. Wife filled every hole with steel wool, never a mouse. Don't know why, I'm a city boy, she is a country farmers daughter, and she has her "ways". NEVER mess with the "ways".
Forget the cat idea.......unless ya already have one...he can stay...cat's are cool.
But...what ya need is a ferret. Neutered..to control the scent...but not descented...which is unneccessary anyway..and kinda cruel and painful.
The natural scent of the ferret will repell any rodents in the house. Give the ferret free reign...let him spread the scent...........weekly baths help rid any scent you'll be able to pick up on.........and the cat and the ferret will come to some kind of understanding........they both eat cat food..and both use a little pan.....but the ferret will want his own little pan...they're picky like that.
My ferret used to like to play chase the cat....my cat hated the game.....but was real good at being chased! The ferret just thought they were both having fun.
One year way back....when I had the ferret...and that cat........the hilltop above our street was being developed. Old woods were distrubed...and all the houses down the street had mouse and rat invasions come fall....as the little critters were run outta their homes.....and the weather was turning cold...so they naturally went indoors.....
Both neighbors on each side of us had rodent problems....we had none........but then again...we were the only house to have a pet ferret.......suddenly...my parents liked my choice of pet!
Jeff.......Sometimes on the toll road of life.....a handful of change is good.......
Just grab them by the tail and plug them into your computer.
Bob
"Rather be a hammer than a nail"
Anyone who's in the mood to laugh so hard that the tears run down your cheeks should check this out......
http://www.mamarocks.com/how_to_give_your_cat_a_pill.htm
Edited 9/7/2002 11:29:15 AM ET by GOLDHILLER
Checked out this steel wool solution with the wife, and she concurs, you have to stuff the little mouse holes real tight with it. Though she said that the hardest part was getting someone to hold the mouse still while you did it.
I just love my ND gal. Never know what she is going to say next.
Be very careful hunting for old nests.
Wear a dust mask and gloves. Not just because of the itch from the insulation.
I believe the Hanta virus is found in vermin droppings and can be fatal if caught.
You are right on the point with Hanta. I heard it was mouse urine, though urine is supposedly sterile, but viruses are tiny and sly. I keep my wife routinely informed about all the mouse nests I uncover in the firewood shed, always adding that if I come down with lung problems to get me tested ASAP for Hanta.
Doctors seldom do this test early, and by the time they do get around to it, you are in that dark tunnel with the bright light at the end. Wife lost a neighbor to this disease. He cleaned out under a trailer home cabin he had just bought, and a few days later he's gone. Even in Arizona, the source of Hanta, the doctors were late in testing.
I don't think a dust mask will give you any protection.
The last particle mask I bought actually said "Hantavirus" on it, so I HOPE it would help screen out the virus. Hanta virus can be in the droppings, urine, or saliva.
If you see mouse droppings, spray them with a bleach water solution before cleaning them up and wear a mask. I cleaned out our infested Airstream a few weeks ago and that's what I did, along with wearing the mask.
The steel wool idea sounds great. I need to stuff some holes in that airstream
when you go out trick or treating on holloween, don't forget your mask, you wouldn't want to catch a haunted virus.no turn left unstoned
Silly, in a sort of ghostly way. he-he