Toadfish Monastery

What exactly is it about mice that scares you?

Just curious, I don't like them about for reasons of hygiene, but I find them rather lovely in a Very Small Mammal type of way.

It's quite normal to have these fears, and mice are a common subject.  Griffin's phobia is not as weird as some of mine!
Seriously, Griffin, wouldn't it be worthwhile getting an expert in?  They could probably settle the question just by looking around.

Oh, not suggesting it's weird, just wondering if it's a straight phobia or if there's something in particular about mice.

Well, she could buy a cat.  I have two.

But, I also had the irony of purchasing a brace of mousetraps, catfood and kitty litter all at the same time.

I commented as such to the cashier, but she was sympathetic: her cats weren't very good at de-mousing either.

The traps I got, were newfangled kind, that trap and hold the mousie without killing him.  I found this out much to my dismay, by letting the bugger go accidentally.  It took another week to coax him back into the infernal thing.  (I thought it would've killed him)

So when I finally trapped the bugger, I turned on the hot water, turned on the disposal and opened it directly into the unit.... ga-woosh, and he was instantly dead and gone.  No muss, no fuss.

But, alas I still had at least one more, and he wasn't haveing any with those traps...

... so back to the store, this time, a different trap--shaped kinda like a giant bow-tie.  But it did not *clap* so very hard that if one of the kitties pawed the thing, it wouldn't break their paw-- I tested it on my own fingers to be certain.  It was a "catch only" type trap, too.

I set it, and within an hour, I heard this scrambling behind the door I'd placed one.  Actually, my black cat heard it-- she loves to play with the mice-ies, but she's a bit too fat to be a good catcher.  My grey cat is too citified and is basically clueless when it comes to rodents.

Anyway, Samantha hears this mouse-like scrabbling, an' she's on point-- so I opened the cabinet to see-- before I knew what was what, she had the mousey lickety-split-- broke it's neck, between her grabbing his backside, and his head inna trap.  Merciful, says I. 

She pranced around with it for a bit, nibbled a bit, then grew tired and put it down-- I pounced, and garbage-disposaled this one too.

That was the last, thank the stars.

I've no idea why I am so scared of mice. There's something about their bodies that makes me feel all squeamish.

It's rather odd as I have no fear of spiders whatever and can pick them up etc,, whereas the rest of my family is terrified of them, so I am always called in for getting rid of spider duties.

The "experts" - rentokill - etc. put poison down resulting in death stinks. I don't want that.

I think I will try the flour trick to at least confirm I have the pests.

What about a snake?  They like mice.

Ayuh, ferrets too...

Wouldn't mind a snake they don't worry me assuming its not one of the lethal to human ones but nnot so keen on ferrets

Left lots of good nest building bits of stuff as markers on floor last night and none got moved

this topic is doing well, page 3 already, quite surprised !

Mice are as universal as weather. 

We had lots of mice running around in the walls of our summer house, and making their way into our cupboards as well, so we bought one of those ultrasonic repellers a few years ago and stuck it in the attic. Worked like a charm -no pitter-patter of little mice feet could be heard at night afterwards, and it hasn't bothered us a bit. Can't remember the brand name, but if you are interested, I could try to find out. Do note that this is a summer house right in the middle of deep woods, so results may vary in urban conditions.

The repeller was very easy to use, too,  -a 15 by 15 cm grey plastic box into which you inserted a few batteries and flicked a switch, and that was it. No special requirements for installation, apart from the obvious (i e not submerged in running water, etc.).

Quote from: Lindorm on April 30, 2010, 01:20:23 PM
We had lots of mice running around in the walls of our summer house, and making their way into our cupboards as well, so we bought one of those ultrasonic repellers a few years ago and stuck it in the attic. Worked like a charm -no pitter-patter of little mice feet could be heard at night afterwards, and it hasn't bothered us a bit. Can't remember the brand name, but if you are interested, I could try to find out. Do note that this is a summer house right in the middle of deep woods, so results may vary in urban conditions.

The repeller was very easy to use, too,  -a 15 by 15 cm grey plastic box into which you inserted a few batteries and flicked a switch, and that was it. No special requirements for installation, apart from the obvious (i e not submerged in running water, etc.).

I could see an attic install actually being somewhat effective.

The problem with the majority of these, is not that the ultrasonic 'screech' failed to annoy and drive away the pests, but that the 'screech' was simply not loud enough to penetrate all the home.

With a sometimes occupied, sometimes not place, I could see the subsequent quiet allowing the 'screech' to become the dominant sound, and drive them off.

Presuming the thing emits sound in the ultrasonic frequencies in the first place-- some brands don't actually emit anything...

That got me thinking that if you can place those things inside walls (most non structural walls are hollow) it could work to a degree if that is the route they use to get in and out. Not only the space is limited (maximizing the effect) but it should go farther (provided that the walls are interconnected).

My walls seem to be solid concrete !