[Help] Mice

[um bongo molongo]

I need the collective wisdom of NSC. I live in a terraced house and have recently renovated so everything is quite new and “clean”. However, in the storage under the eaves in the converted loft we have mice. We’ve only caught 2 (babies) in a month with 2 traps but having cleared it out at the weekend there were a lot of droppings. Based on where they are it looks like they’re running through the terrace near the front wall.

Mrs um bongo got a quote from Rentokil of £550 for 3 visits 1-2 weeks apart - with any proofing extra, which seems extortionate. We now have a local guy quoting us £75 for a call out and initial treatment at which he will assess and quote for any proofing needed (which would then be £75 call out again plus this quote). I’m tempted to have a go myself with some poison and some expandable foam stuff but the mrs is pregnant and wants “a professional”.

What should I do?

 

[Algernon]

Get some Neosorexa gold.
We use this at work. Works really well.

 

[timbha]

I need the collective wisdom of NSC. I live in a terraced house and have recently renovated so everything is quite new and “clean”. However, in the storage under the eaves in the converted loft we have mice. We’ve only caught 2 (babies) in a month with 2 traps but having cleared it out at the weekend there were a lot of droppings. Based on where they are it looks like they’re running through the terrace near the front wall.

Mrs um bongo got a quote from Rentokil of £550 for 3 visits 1-2 weeks apart - with any proofing extra, which seems extortionate. We now have a local guy quoting us £75 for a call out and initial treatment at which he will assess and quote for any proofing needed (which would then be £75 call out again plus this quote). I’m tempted to have a go myself with some poison and some expandable foam stuff but the mrs is pregnant and wants “a professional”.

What should I do?

In her condition, whatever she says!!

 

[spence]

Keep putting traps down. That's what my mum did and eventually she got the lot.

 

[WATFORD zero]

Get one of these

 

[Magic Sponge]

Keep putting traps down. That's what my mum did and eventually she got the lot.

This is what I did and got about seven of them in the end.
A nice bit of cheddar with a bit of peanut butter on in the trap works very well.

 

[Barham's tash]

So if you’re using the expandable foam to plug any gaps eventually they’ll gnaw through it.

We recently had a juvenile rat (!) in our kitchen and it was getting in through a hole by the gas supply to an external wall for the boiler, then coming up the wall where the pipes connected to the boiler. It was also navigating through the external wall cavities and could be heard scurrying around.

I eventually put three layers of steel wool cut to size around the pipes to the boiler and the first night I heard it trying to eat through but it couldn’t, it’s the only stuff they can’t eat through so if you’ve got an obvious hole and it’s only mice stuff it with steel wool and seal it at the other end.

After two nights it gave up and ****ed off.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Rogero]

Put poison outside and traps inside . Talk to your neighbours as it turned out 4 of us had the problem with rats and mice. We all did the same and the problem went away.I found 14 mice in traps outside the back door.Poison does work but if they die they can smell.

 

[AmexRuislip]

I need the collective wisdom of NSC. I live in a terraced house and have recently renovated so everything is quite new and “clean”. However, in the storage under the eaves in the converted loft we have mice. We’ve only caught 2 (babies) in a month with 2 traps but having cleared it out at the weekend there were a lot of droppings. Based on where they are it looks like they’re running through the terrace near the front wall.

Mrs um bongo got a quote from Rentokil of £550 for 3 visits 1-2 weeks apart - with any proofing extra, which seems extortionate. We now have a local guy quoting us £75 for a call out and initial treatment at which he will assess and quote for any proofing needed (which would then be £75 call out again plus this quote). I’m tempted to have a go myself with some poison and some expandable foam stuff but the mrs is pregnant and wants “a professional”.

What should I do?

Keep persevering, if you're using the old fashioned trap method, you will get rid of them.
We had some in our shed, making their way, through the dry wall up into the loft.
They start off normal size, then get smaller, due to the fact the little ones are left to fend for themselves.
In total, we got rid of about 20-25.

 

[Wardy's twin]

I am sure Rentokill are good but I know someone who was quoted £300+ to sort out a wasp nest. A local guy came round in an hour and did it for £45 and was totally effective. So I would go local guy IF you have to have someone in who is a professional. I do think though you need to sort holes out if you don't want problem coming back.

 

[whitelion]

I had a similar problem last year but currently no sign of mice.

Now spiders are a whole new issue.

https://nortr3nixy.nimpr.uk/showt...What-am-I-Doing-Wrong&highlight=Mice+or+mouse

 

[Hugo Rune]

Get one of these

View attachment 100976

With guns.

Big guns.

 

[um bongo molongo]

How does poison work with cats around? We don’t have one but a lot in the area and we already nearly killed one (a long story to do with a roof covering and a trespassing moggy). Ok inside but would probably preclude using any outside? If we poisoned it again we might have a major neighbour issue!

 

[vegster]

This is what I did and got about seven of them in the end.
A nice bit of cheddar with a bit of peanut butter on in the trap works very well.

Peanut butter and a bit of a Jacobs Cracker is a winner too.

 

[clapham_gull]

Unfortunately the only way to rid them is to completely block any means they have of coming in. In the past, I've even witnessed them (over time) eat through skirting board.

As mentioned above steel wool works and also (oddly) in an emergency does "gaffer tape". For some reason they won't eat through it and even attempt to.

In the last year - I've had two. One definitely came from upstairs and probably came in under the door. Now I have a problem... The mouse was around for days and days - because it couldn't get out

Another probably came in through the back door when open.

Apparently in London they have built up a resistance to poison. It just never works.

 

[Denis]

I phoned Brighton and Hove council when I had mice in the loft. It was about £53 (4 winters ago), that covered as many times as they had to come out, until the problem was eliminated. I thought it was very reasonable. I didn’t like having a Brighton and Hove van outside, though as I wondered what the neighbours must think.

 

[mikeyjh]

How does poison work with cats around? We don’t have one but a lot in the area and we already nearly killed one (a long story to do with a roof covering and a trespassing moggy). Ok inside but would probably preclude using any outside? If we poisoned it again we might have a major neighbour issue!

You definitely shouldn't put poison outside, you need to put in the places that the mice will get to but other pets & wildlife won't. Poison is the correct approach as it's easy to refill and take out the infestation more quickly.

 

[blue'n'white]

I'd go with the council too - we had a problem with rats a few years ago and after the initial payment of (I think) £75 they came back as many times as was needed. Yes it is a bit embarrassing having a van with "Pest control" parked outside but if it works . . .

 

[BadFish]

but the mrs is pregnant and wants “a professional”.

What should I do?

I have edited the post for you and left you with the important information.

 

[GOM]

This is what I did and got about seven of them in the end.
A nice bit of cheddar with a bit of peanut butter on in the trap works very well.

The peanut butter works well, as does chocolate. Mice prefer other things than cheese !