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October 30, 2009
Mice in Bed-Stuy
We've been renting a floor-thru in a brownstone for a year and a half. We saw a mouse when we first moved in, but after plugging in some holes we went an entire year before seeing another one. Five months ago, we started seeing a mouse and/or droppings almost everyday. We suspect it is because the next building over had construction work done. We've plugged more holes. Our landlord had a handyman come in to plug additional holes.
We have used glue traps and poison, but neither have worked. We keep the kitchen super clean and throw out the garbage regularly. The only thing that was effective was peppermint oil but only for about a week.
Our landlord does not want to hire an exterminator. She doesn't seem to think mice are that big of a deal. "This is NYC" she says. Also, she thinks an exterminator will just lay down poison which she could do herself.
Any other suggestions for things we can do? Is it worth us hiring an exterminator to just work on our floor or is it only effective if the whole building is done?
Comments
your landlord is nuts not to hire an exterminator. i would tell your LL you will hire an exterminator and take the cost of your next rent, see how that flies. of course, my ultimate advice is to get a cat, the mice will skedaddle fast, whether or not the cat is a 'mouser.' they smell the cat and survival instinct sends them back down to the neighbors'!
Posted by: Jimmy Legs at October 30, 2009 12:45 PM
I would also say-- what is the exterminator gonna do differently? Try snap traps.
Plus you are right about construction next door -also when weather starts to get cooler seems they appear.maybe from outside.
Posted by: Petebklyn at October 30, 2009 12:48 PM
Pete is right. Also, an exterminator is just going to lay down poison. That won't keep mice from reappearing it'll just kill them once they show up.
Construction next door is always a big issue, as are the colder months.
Keep looking for the holes...radiator water/steam pipes, gas for the stove, sink drain and water supply where they meet the wall. Use steel wool. It works.
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at October 30, 2009 1:00 PM
I third the comment that the exterminator is going to little beyond that what you can do yourself, except for maybe the poison, which isn't the greatest idea for an indoor problem. Definitely employ snap traps. Also, if you can get into the basement, treat that, too.
I had a serious mouse problem in a 4 family so I just pretty much land mined the basement with traps. It seemed to do the trick.
Posted by: bessie2 at October 30, 2009 1:27 PM
Meow.
Posted by: bohuma at October 30, 2009 1:28 PM
I highly recommend a Ratzapper--the easiest and most humane way to kill the critters. You can buy one online.
Posted by: tinarina at October 30, 2009 1:29 PM
What bohuma said!
I've only seen mice when we've been temporarily between cats {our first two cats having died in mid-Winter, when kittens are scarce at the shelters]. Even a tiny kitten is enough to keep them away for the 15+ years of its lifespan. Unless the OP is very allergic, or hopelessly alurophobic, a cat is the way to go.
Posted by: Bob Marvin at October 30, 2009 1:34 PM
Okay, so it has been said. Cats. Poison. Traps.
You do want some poison in the basement, too, for sure.
Posted by: serpentor at October 30, 2009 1:37 PM
Hmmmmm....try to plug every single hole. They can't come in.
Also, be aware you could have holes in the wall behind your kitchen counters and stove where it's impossible for a human to reach to plug them up. Then they come through the bottom of the stove and around the sides of the counters (depends on how the counters are made).
I'm not sure how to solve this problem -- maybe with sheet metal, boards, and caulk around the bottom of the stove and sides of the counter.
Some exterminators are very effective (some are not) but in all cases you have to seal every hole, or it won't work.
Posted by: mopar at October 30, 2009 1:39 PM
Poison OR a cat. You wouldn't want your cat to eat a poisoned mouse.
Posted by: Bob Marvin at October 30, 2009 1:47 PM
Get an actual mint plant or sprinkle mint in the areas you've seen the mice. Rodents hate mint...and even basil, which is a deriviative of mint.
Posted by: cillmylandlord_again at October 30, 2009 1:59 PM
DIBS is right about the steel wool -- or this copper mesh they make for this (because it doesn't rust). Just pack the spaces with steel wool... tiny spaces too. I think it's something like a 1/4 inch is all the little poop machines need.
I had mice... don't anymore. It was a combination of snap traps, steel wool and LOTS and LOTS of d-CON pellets all over the place. And I scattered the pellets -- they didn't seem to want to eat out of the little plastic trays. Once i poured it right on the floor... SUCCESS!
Lot's of munched up pellets and the VERY SATISFYING green mouse poo! That means the poison is working it's way through the little bastards! (I don't work for PETA, if you hadn't guessed already)
Also -- don't use glue traps. They're just mean. What you end up with is a pissed off mouse that will probably bite you, completely alive, and beginning to chew his legs off so he can get away.
Posted by: tybur6 at October 30, 2009 2:10 PM
bb gun, flashlight, thermos of coffee, and a bottle of scotch.
Posted by: northsloperenter at October 30, 2009 2:11 PM
And my two cents... I'd MUCH rather live with an army of mice than a stoopid cat. :-)
Posted by: tybur6 at October 30, 2009 2:13 PM
The exterminator I use for rentals guarantees his work so I think he's worth it. What he does is safe for babies & pets. Empire - 718 237 0989
Posted by: Arkady at October 30, 2009 2:14 PM
the biggest problem with the glue traps is uou feel bad stomping on the mouse to put him out of his misery (they are actually cute looking) and worse, you can't reuse the trap like a spring trap.
I've heard lots of good things about the ZAPPER.
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at October 30, 2009 2:15 PM
I wholeheatedly second the ratzapper idea. In my experience, exterminators don't do too much and they are a waste money. You can go and buy the same posion yourself for much cheaper. I've used the ratzapper and it really works (without the mess of the snap traps).
Posted by: MaconStreetMan at October 30, 2009 2:18 PM
I am deathly afraid of mice/rats/whatever.. I would def say if an exterminator would put your mind at ease then you should tell your ll that you would like one. you never know. beyond what you are doing already there isn't much else until the contruction stops.
Posted by: scarter at October 30, 2009 2:18 PM
tybur6,
I just read your post to my cat, Max. He says you deserve mice :-)
Posted by: Bob Marvin at October 30, 2009 2:19 PM
Likewise have had success with the ratzapper and snap traps. Plugging holes with steel wool CAN work, but you have to be totally thorough (brownstones are just porous) and keep in mind the hidden places mice can come up (e.g., thorugh the gaps around pipes and gas lines to your stove, etc.). I have never had an exterminator do any good against mice nor heard of anyone having success with an exterminator.
Posted by: basementalist at October 30, 2009 2:27 PM
I had a similar problem
bags of dirty cat litter near recently plugged up holes works very well.
Posted by: dirty_hipster at October 30, 2009 2:47 PM
Mmmm, bags of dirty cat litter.
Posted by: mopar at October 30, 2009 3:46 PM
I just spoke to Max and he's willing to share his used cat litter if anyone wants it. He's a very generous cat.
Posted by: Bob Marvin at October 30, 2009 3:50 PM
What kind of litter is it, Bob? As I posted yesterday, my dog is very partial to World's Best.
Posted by: mshook at October 30, 2009 3:54 PM
Bob, I don't mind cats named Max if they have a "Max" personality... though, I probably still wouldn't want to be his roommate.
Posted by: tybur6 at October 30, 2009 3:54 PM
mshook,
Of course it's World's Best; my Max deserves nothing less! However dogs are usually attracted to cat litter because there's lots of undigested protein there. As pure predators, cats have very short, and relatively inefficient, guts.
tybur6, Max definitely has a "Max" personality. We wanted an outgoing cat and picked one who we observed bossing around his litter-mates. He's also the smartest cat I've ever had.
Posted by: Bob Marvin at October 30, 2009 4:08 PM
Cats are great! We usually see a mouse once or twice a year...the cats find it, play, eat it, nothin' left...though once we did find a hairball with a tail attached to it...but, right, no poison..not good for kitties!
Posted by: ninamango at October 30, 2009 4:37 PM
they have a device you can buy at home depot thats an electronic device that will keep the mice out of your house not that expensive also use glue trap with peanut butter will always catch the little critters just you have to see them hope you are not sqeemish goodluck
Posted by: 5 COUNTY ALARM at October 30, 2009 4:38 PM
Bob, my girl likes the - as you so politely put it - undigested protein of many mammals, but she does also enjoy unadulterated World's Best, straight from the bag if she can.
Posted by: mshook at October 30, 2009 9:19 PM
I don't know from cats, but I can tell you our dog is terrified of mice. Jumps in my lap at the sight of them, funny because his breed (Brussels Griffon) supposedly are ratters.
Posted by: likes2lurk at October 30, 2009 9:37 PM
the rat zapper! truly.
Posted by: honeycut at October 31, 2009 10:40 AM
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