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centerchannel68 · Dec 20, 2006, 03:33 PM

I'm using these box traps that catch them 'live', and then when I'm walking Laika in the mornings I dump them near a field about 2 blocks away. However, the littel ****ers keep getting in somehow... probably not the same ones, but they're getting in under my sink, where I keep my garbage. Sure, I could buy a garbage can and keep it somewhere else, but my kitchen is pretty small... I'm not sure where I'd put it. Any ideas? I don't really want to kill them... since... realistically, they were probably living in this spot before bulldozers turned this into an apartment building, but I'm running out of ideas. They seem to be getting in around the back 'wall' underneath the sink....

Any shared experiences would be helpful.

Thanks

- Rob

Doofy · 04:02 PM

You gotta plug the hole they're getting in through. That's really your only option (short of killing 'em, but mice are nice so...).

They're prolly not after your garbage. When I occasionally have mice they're usually after the chocolate.

Eug · Dec 20, 2006, 03:57 PM

I think you should just accept them for who they are.

P.S. I'm surprised you're not banned yet Ca$h.

centerchannel68 · Dec 20, 2006, 04:00 PM

Plug the hole with what? I was thinking about buying some sheet metal and making a back panel for under the sink.

nonhuman · Dec 20, 2006, 04:04 PM

Great name for the dog.

Doofy · Dec 20, 2006, 04:04 PM

Originally Posted by centerchannel68

Plug the hole with what?

Ummm... ...a phone call to the carpenter/builder.
(Don 't ask me - I do guitars, hair and chicks, not mouse holes <shrug>)

Originally Posted by centerchannel68

I was thinking about buying some sheet metal and making a back panel for under the sink.

That sounds like it should do it.

Rumor · Dec 20, 2006, 04:07 PM

How about getting a cat?

Kerrigan · Dec 20, 2006, 04:08 PM

Mice can squeeze through some incredibly small cracks- I once watched one slip underneath my door, a gap a little less than 2cm.

Doofy · Dec 20, 2006, 04:11 PM

Originally Posted by Rumor

How about getting a cat?

I got five of 'em but still get mice occasionally (especially climbing the wall behind the kitchen cupboards to get at the chocolate drawer).

sek929 · Dec 20, 2006, 04:19 PM

I like using those metal thingies that lures the vermin in with food and then promptly snaps its spine in half.

centerchannel68 · Dec 20, 2006, 04:22 PM

Originally Posted by sek929

I like using those metal thingies that lures the vermin in with food and then promptly snaps its spine in half.

Except they usually spray **** and guts everywhere. No thanks.

imitchellg5 · Dec 20, 2006, 04:23 PM

I would use a mousetrap. Just don't overload it and the guts won't go everywhere.

rickey939 · Dec 20, 2006, 04:25 PM

Originally Posted by centerchannel68

Plug the hole with what?

Must. Resist. Posting.

sek929 · Dec 20, 2006, 04:25 PM

Put some cardboard under the trap, problem solved.

nonhuman · Dec 20, 2006, 05:12 PM

Wide-mouthed glass container + piece of paper with 'X' cut in it over the top + dangling bit o' cheese over the 'X' = giant jug 'o mice.

bstone · Dec 20, 2006, 05:18 PM

Mice are great.

Glad to see you're not banned yet. Maybe you won't be this time?

rjenkinson · Dec 20, 2006, 05:19 PM

Originally Posted by centerchannel68

Plug the hole with what? I was thinking about buying some sheet metal and making a back panel for under the sink.

steel wool.

-r.

andi*pandi · Dec 20, 2006, 07:23 PM

^ I've heard this before also.

Maybe find a trash can that will fit under your sink also.

centerchannel68 · Dec 20, 2006, 08:05 PM

I have a trash can under my sink.

slpdLoad · Dec 20, 2006, 08:06 PM

Are they bluetooth mice? If so, you probably need to go to System Preferences and pair them with the trap.

andi*pandi · Dec 20, 2006, 08:09 PM

Originally Posted by centerchannel68

I have a trash can under my sink.

with a lid?

but anyway as doofy pointed out, now that they know there's food you'd have to block the hole(s).

would your landlord do anything?

centerchannel68 · Dec 20, 2006, 08:11 PM

I doubt it. My landlord is extremely slow. Our back door has had a 1-2" gap around the frame for about 3 months. When he does do something (if at all) it's always done REALLY REALLY WELL, so I guess I can't complain too much.

CollinG3G4 · Dec 20, 2006, 08:20 PM

Originally Posted by centerchannel68

Plug the hole with what?

I used balled up paper towel and it seemed to work just fine. Oh, if you decide to get some of the classic mouse traps, a bit of peanut-butter and a Cheerio makes for excellent bait. Good luck.

SpaceMonkey · Dec 20, 2006, 09:05 PM

I would definitely call these guys. They only advertise their effectiveness against bugs, but I'm sure they take care of rodents, too.

FireWire · Dec 20, 2006, 10:27 PM

Originally Posted by Centerchannel68

Ever have a mouse problem?

Wrong foru... wait

Eriamjh · Dec 21, 2006, 06:37 AM

Originally Posted by slpdLoad

Are they bluetooth mice? If so, you probably need to go to System Preferences and pair them with the trap.

LOL!

moonmonkey · Dec 21, 2006, 06:50 AM

Had a mouse (I think it was) problem once, if you stop leaving food out and always close internal doors it gets less attractive and they will probably find someone less careful.

residentEvil · Dec 21, 2006, 07:19 AM

yeah, put some food in an easier place to get by someone other dolt's apartment; let them worry about it. ha!

Y3a · Dec 21, 2006, 07:22 AM

Heavy Steel Wool for the smaller holes. The sticky tape traps work pretty good but the mice are alive and it's pretty sad to see.

Dakar² · Dec 21, 2006, 07:36 AM

Originally Posted by rickey939

Must. Resist. Posting.

His baseball bat?

(If you know what I mean. Eh, eh?)

Doofy · Dec 21, 2006, 07:38 AM

Originally Posted by moonmonkey

Had a mouse (I think it was) problem once, if you stop leaving food out and always close internal doors it gets less attractive and they will probably find someone less careful.

You don't have to leave food out. Mine were climbing up the back of the kitchen units and squeezing in the drawers, so unless you have fully-sealed kitchen units they'll locate the food.

osiris · Dec 21, 2006, 09:51 AM

I'd unplug it and plug it back in. If the mouse is still a problem, try restarting.

mac-at-kearsarge · Dec 21, 2006, 12:48 PM

Perhaps you need to clean their balls. See instructions here A Momma Giggle: How To Clean Your Mouse (An old, but classic computer joke)

turtle777 · Dec 21, 2006, 04:24 PM

Originally Posted by slpdLoad

Are they bluetooth mice? If so, you probably need to go to System Preferences and pair them with the trap.

WINNAAR

-t

IceEnclosure · Dec 21, 2006, 06:47 PM

I promise that I walked into my bedroom one night to find a mouse SWINGING on the string that adjusts the blinds on my window. Seriously, like a circus show. He saw me and jetted behind my dresser. I got my 12 year old neighbor to retrieve the mouse from my room. effin' critters, I dun like 'em(I got bit by a prairie dog real good once).

Traps suck. They're messy, sometimes they're not dead, and I don't like lookin' at the brokeback rats.

I've had them all..

in the walls and roof: opossums, rats, mice, raccoons(I think).

in the yard: huge iguanas, various crazy lookin' lizards, all sorts of snakes

in the yard, my dog fought: a 4 foot iguana, two cats, a opossum.

in the pool once: giant soft shell turtle

in the canal: gators, manatees, tarpon, snook, peacock bass, bass, catfish, gar, and of course the snakes.

ps - The manatees used to roll through yearly when I was younger. These are brackish canals. These big guys would eat the leaves off the banana tree across the canal. We'd also throw heads of lettuce out there. Tight.

I hear they don't roll through there much anymore.

Rumor · Dec 21, 2006, 06:49 PM

How the **** did a turtle get into your pool?

IceEnclosure · Dec 21, 2006, 06:58 PM

they can walk and swim.

?

turtle777 · Dec 22, 2006, 09:44 AM

Originally Posted by IceEnclosure

they can walk and swim.

?

And fly, don't forget.

-t

slugslugslug · Jan 5, 2007, 09:49 AM

There's a mouse in my kitchen sink right now. Me and the girlfriend are trying to decide whether to "set it free" in the backyard (where I'm sure it'll stay happily away from our food from now on) or buy a terrarium and keep it. Because 2 dogs and an epileptic cat aren't pets enough for us.

We're too soft to even think of telling the Orkin man about anything with fur.

turtle777 · Jan 5, 2007, 09:58 AM

Break the legs of the mouse and have it be a toy for the epileptic cat

-t

Doofy · Jan 5, 2007, 10:43 AM

Originally Posted by IceEnclosure

I've had them all..

in the walls and roof: opossums, rats, mice, raccoons(I think).

in the yard: huge iguanas, various crazy lookin' lizards, all sorts of snakes

in the yard, my dog fought: a 4 foot iguana, two cats, a opossum.

in the pool once: giant soft shell turtle

in the canal: gators, manatees, tarpon, snook, peacock bass, bass, catfish, gar, and of course the snakes.

Dakar² · Jan 5, 2007, 10:43 AM

Excuse me, you have something stuck in your teeth.

turtle777 · Jan 5, 2007, 10:45 AM

Originally Posted by Dakar²

Excuse me, you have something stuck in your teeth.

Unpossible (sic!)

-t

BlueSky · Jan 5, 2007, 10:46 AM

Originally Posted by slugslugslug

There's a mouse in my kitchen sink right now. Me and the girlfriend are trying to decide whether to "set it free" in the backyard (where I'm sure it'll stay happily away from our food from now on) or buy a terrarium and keep it. Because 2 dogs and an epileptic cat aren't pets enough for us.

We're too soft to even think of telling the Orkin man about anything with fur.

We once had a cat whom we thought was epileptic. We eventually discovered the "seizures" were caused by a skin condition; she'd start chewing on herself and suddenly go into a seizure, even pissing all over the place. Once we had the skin condition treated and kept it under control, no more seizures. Just a heads up, just in case.

Dakar² · Jan 5, 2007, 10:47 AM

Originally Posted by turtle777

Unpossible (sic!)

-t

Hey, no mixing pop culture references!

All_Insane · Jan 5, 2007, 11:15 AM

Having lived with my parents, my siblings and a random assortment of mice for the past 13+ years, I consider myself somewhat of an expert on all 3.

The only way to get rid of mice completely is to seal the hole they're coming in through. Sheet metal works as long as its completely sealed. Any opening whatsoever is an opening for a mouse. I read on the internet (so it must be true!) that deer mice have no ribs, only cartelidge, so they can squeeze through an opening 1/4" wide.

I have also found that the sonic mouse repellant thingies that you plug in, and then they make noise outside your hearing range work well for repelling mice out of a certain area of your house.

Best of luck!

centerchannel68 · Jan 5, 2007, 12:00 PM

Thanks. I'll try one of those sonic ones then... because the under sink area is pretty complex looking and I'm not sure how I'd seal it all off.

slugslugslug · Jan 5, 2007, 07:10 PM

Originally Posted by BlueSky

We once had a cat whom we thought was epileptic. We eventually discovered the "seizures" were caused by a skin condition; she'd start chewing on herself and suddenly go into a seizure, even pissing all over the place. Once we had the skin condition treated and kept it under control, no more seizures. Just a heads up, just in case.

That's really intriguing. We usually assume that the seizures hit her in her sleep, but that's because they tend to happen in the middle of the night, waking us from ours.. Do you know the name of the skin condition, so's I can do more digging and figure out if there are other symptoms to watch for?

BlueSky · 07:57 AM

Originally Posted by slugslugslug

That's really intriguing. We usually assume that the seizures hit her in her sleep, but that's because they tend to happen in the middle of the night, waking us from ours.. Do you know the name of the skin condition, so's I can do more digging and figure out if there are other symptoms to watch for?

I don't recall if there was a particular name for it, this was practically 15-20 years ago. But I recall that I eventually noticed that she only had a seizure when she was chewing on herself...she probably hit a sensitive area and just lost control completely, looked exactly like a violent seizure. I stopped giving her the prescribed anti-seizure drug, took her back to the vet and had her skin treated. The seizures never came back, and I had to take her in for baths pretty regularly.

Check to see if there's any scabs on her. If you find some, she needs something for her skin. The vet will know what to prescribe, and it might be only a special bath that they can do at the vet's office, with some maintenance afterward.

Even if there's no scabs, maybe it's still a skin thing, check with your vet. Of course, keeping her flea-free is very important.

Maybe your cat has the real thing, but a little investigation might lead to something else, who knows.