Firstly I must say that I have nothing against Mice, or any other wildlife. But in certain circumstances they HAVE to be removed.
Lady M spotted one scuttling behind the kitchen sink recently, and (of course) called for my assistance.
It used to be said that if you shouted at them, they would leave the house, but French Mice have yet to understand this. They seem only to understand more brutal methods. A classic mousetrap and some Peanut Butter being my method of choice (above).
We are just beginning to get things in order for when we leave, and that includes ridding the house of any MICE.
It's at this time of year when they start to look for autumn/winter quarters, and that means heading for chez nous.
Well, I'm sorry mice, but you ain't staying here, and if you don't leave willingly, it'll be by my methods instead. So far I have caught two and the trap is set in case there are any more around.
The one above must have died instantaneously. I don't like to kill them, but leaving them in the house is not an option. We do leave mouse poison around, but with a trap I know exactly what's what.
If there's no mouse in the trap for 2 or 3 days, then I know they've gone!
At this time of year the doors are usually left open all day, and all sorts of birds and creatures come inside. Lizards, small birds, butterflies, dragonflies, and plenty of things that sting, all come to have a look round, and usually leave after a short while. It's only the mice that visit with the intention of setting-up home.
You'll have to imagine Mrs Thatcher saying this. No, No, No!
I don't like to kill them, but sometimes it's needs must. We had a solitary mouse in our kitchen last Christmas, under the sink in the cupboard where I keep pans. The smell of mouse wee was awful. I tried a humane trap - mouse came back, so I resorted to peanut butter in a trap and within 10 mins the poor thing was caught. We have loads however in our garage roof across the garden.
ReplyDeleteIt's not nice to kill them, but occasionally one must. We leave our cupboards filled with all sorts of things from Tea bags to Pasta, and I really don't want them peed-on. As you say. the smell of Mouse pee isn't nice. No Mouse in the trap this morning, so I think we may now be free of them.
DeleteAt least once a week the cats here bring me one or two mice as a gift, they are very disappointed that I don't allow the gifts to be brought into the house.
ReplyDeleteWhen Freddie (our cat) was still around, he would bring live mice up to the bedroom at night. I shall leave the rest to your imagination!
DeleteWe used to regularly get mice in the roof space of our old house. A trap with peanut butter was the only way to keep the numbers down.
ReplyDeleteIt's the best method. They have to be kept in order.
DeleteMakes me smile when people trap them humanely and then release them outside, just an invitation to go back in again!
ReplyDeleteUnless you take them miles away by car, and I don't think many do that.
DeleteWe have had mice a couple of times and I'm afraid poison seems to be the only way to get rid of them. I hate doing it but we can't have mice running around , eating food and weeing on everything !!! In this last week we have had so many MASSIVE spiders { which was reported on the news } .... I know it's irrational but I don't like this time of year when they come in the house..... especially the big ones. XXXX
ReplyDeleteOur Mice have the whole of France to play in, so there's no need for them to move in here! Yes, I've heard about the giant Spider invasion. Get a big spray can, and spray everywhere before going out for the day!!!
DeleteContinuously playing one of Thatcher's speeches over your sound system would surely dispel all household pests as well as all birds and animals within a five mile radius plus annoying neighbours and postal workers too.
ReplyDeleteNo, No, No! Mrs T would have set the Downing Street cat on them.
DeleteAccording to Downing Street household staff, when Dennis was in the bedroom, Thatcher would cry out, "Yes! Yes! Yes!"
DeleteAnd Macmillan used to shout "I've never had it so good".
DeleteHorrible little things. They leave their mess all over the place and eat through anything if you don't catch them fast. We leave poison in places pets can't reach and watch as the poison is nibbled. This stuff is good because they don't smell of they die somewhere unreachable. Shudder.
ReplyDeleteThat's the good thing about poison; they eat it and go elsewhere to die. Traps need to be emptied and re-set.
DeleteHaving always left the doors open for our dogs to come and go, I've always worried about unwelcome visitors like mice. So far I haven't found any trace indoors, but that may be down to regularly feeding two or three feral cats in the garden. Not sure how I'd approach killing and disposing of them should they suddenly decide to move in. Poison isn't really an option with dogs and cats - or the ghekos around.
ReplyDeleteI only put poison where Billy doesn't go. A few years ago the mice chewed all the wires in the pool pump house, so there's now always a lot of poison in there. Also I put it in the wood store, behind all the logs. One has to be so careful.
DeleteDid you shout at them in French though, being they are French mice? ;)
ReplyDeleteThat's probably where I went wrong; I think I shouted in anglais.
DeleteI have a vivid memory of my mother killing a nest of mice, in a place she didn't want them. She was in hand to hand combat with them.
ReplyDeleteCutlasses at dawn! That reminds me of the three mousketeers.
DeleteMice are nasty but we are currently being overrun with Chipmunks. Do you have Chipmunks in the UK? They're essentially little hoarding rodents/rats in cute furry suits. Charming but like mice, dangerous wire chewers, pee on everything and most unwanted house guests. Our neighbors cat used to keep them in check but the sweet kitty was elderly and has since passed on. Sadly, no cats for me as hubs is very allergic. Hoping the neighbor will soon adopt another cat to patrol our yards!
ReplyDeleteNo, no Chipmunks in the UK, other than ones maybe kept as pets by children. I think you'll have to obtain a cat, and give it to your neighbours. Natural methods are always the best.
DeleteI've had mouse problems too and use the same trap with Peanut Butter. One year I caught 5 mice during Sept.-Oct. That year I decided to store all pantry dry goods in plastic boxes with lids or large glass jars. The 20 lb. bag of dry dog food is also stored in an enclosed plastic box. My dog shows no interest in mice and my neighbors cats no longer roam due to coyotes.
ReplyDeleteWe too try to leave everything in containers, but the little wretches can chew through such things. Most of what we leave here is in cans or large glass jars.
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