Mice... and how to stop them
Hello Brownstoners. Between a never ending renovation on one side and a home who’s owner is now in elder care and his property in overgrown and disrepair, I saw 2 mice this week. My surrounding neighbors have been dealing with them too but for many it was seeing them in yards and a few neighbors have noticed them in their homes too. I do not want to go crazy with the hazardous and toxic chemicals so I would love it if anyone could recommend a friendlier way to catch them (and their cohorts) and then find out the access points and seal the heck out of them. Any advice or recommendations would be appreciated.
Have a good weekend everyone.
BKALLDAY
in General Discussion 5 years and 11 months ago
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brokelin | 5 years and 11 months ago
Yeah, I stopped using the spring traps back in college, after watching a mouse who caught its tail in the trap chew its tail off, while screaming, to get away. I used common household mice poison for some years, until I got tired of coming home and finding drunk-looking mice walking in circles in my kitchen, that I had to put a weighted coffee can over for a few days until they suffocated. I also stopped using poison because I was tired of smelling the decaying ones for weeks when they managed crawl into a wall to die.
When I had mice in homes years later, I bought a rat zapper – at least it kills them instantly, so that seemed more humane. And it makes disposing of dead mice easier – you just turn it over above the garbage bin. But catching a few mice does not rid you of them – it just catches some. Sealing is important, though I’ve found they can chew through almost anything – even bonding-type material you use to hold steel wool in place. I am, unfortunately, too allergic to cats to use that method.
stevecym | 5 years and 11 months ago
MDR, those spring traps are horrible. i once used them and a full 50% of the catches were still alive. i cannot imagine anyone wanting to deal with such a situation. i think the cat is the best idea though.
MDR | 5 years and 11 months ago
No need to use chemicals. The most effective solution is a young cat. But if you don’t want a cat the spring traps work very well. They are cheap so if you don’t want to reuse the trap just throw the dead mouse and trap together in the garbage and set a new one until all the mice are gone.
stevecym | 5 years and 11 months ago
bkallday. listen, I once had a pesticide license and could get all sorts of stuff others could not get their hands on. even today, I work with chemicals that I will expose myself to but when I deal with my customers, I have to figure out who is on the premises (and i ask; specifically the ages of females and children as chemicals are more dangerous for them). i can come on here and tell people ways to kill the mice but won’t because i do not want to put it in someone’s head that it can be done and have them possibly follow my lead and do it (i know something very illegal that would take care of the mice problem but could consequently harm birds of prey who might find and eat the dead mice; and it may not be that harmful to humans because of the way it is contained but if the city begins finding dead crows or hawks around, there would be an investigation).
case and point, I know of someone who applied a chemical in the basement of the house where he had a 3 and 5 year old living. he knew the risks because those risks were stated on the label. he died of cancer at age 55. two of his three children who are now adults, have had cancer (and kind of weird ones that could have killed them; they have to go for annual check ups). this guy knowingly did something wrong with a regulated chemical he got from someone else and put his entire family in danger and i do not doubt these cancers were not related to this product he used (just because i like to know, i am going to google the name of that insecticide with the types of cancers and see what comes up; the correlation will probably be frightening)
when i went to get my pesticide license, and this was for agricultural purposes (grounds care), we were told that the responsibility for handling these chemicals rises to the level that you are on the hook for what might happen or go wrong miles away and months or years later. we were told not to discuss these chemicals with others and that we were responsible for them if they fell into the wrong hands (kind of the way many of us wish guns were regulated; it makes people think beyond the reach of their own short arms and vision). we were even responsible for the empty containers and the proper cleaning and disposal of them. when i moved to NYC in the ’90’s i was aware of the corner stores selling something illegal for this purpose (and i recall the name of the other product) and was kind of dismayed that they did this and put their own children or the children of others (since we live in such close proximity to one another) at risk.
here is the moral or ethical issue i have with letting people know about certain things and bear in mind, we do not know for certain that these products are no longer available or that someone won’t find a convenient replacement for them; it is ok for us guys to use certain things or other consumer chemicals in isolated situations where we will expose only ourselves (and so be it if we are stupid enough to do so). The issue is, if we tell people who are less than responsible, they will use dangerous chemicals in the presence of women of child bearing age or young children and not even worry about the risks to those people; just like we have climate change deniers who do not want to alter their habits for the potential good of others, the people who would use these chemicals won’t care. my point is, even while i doubt brownstoner’s readers, many of whom i am certain think of the bigger picture and would never do something that could harm their own family or their neighbors or even a kid living in India, by seeking out an illegal substance for this purpose, we still have people out there who will do so and the less they know, the better for all of us (and i am not thinking of me in that “us”, i have been handling things i shouldn’t for so many years, that the damage is already done; i am thinking of children)
shahnandersen
in General Discussion 5 years and 11 months ago
Very effective product, especially on pets and children: http://npic.orst.edu/ingred/ptype/illegal/trespasitos.html
BKALLDAY | 5 years and 11 months ago
My husband grew up in The Heights and they had rats not mice and certain Bodegas carried Tres Pacito. That mess worked like the genie in Aladdin’s Lamp. I’m fairly certain it was some Area 51 level chemical but it did what it said “3 steps” and the rats dropped likes flies… Ahhh the good old days.
cate | 5 years and 11 months ago
Don’t use foam. They chew right through it. We cover holes with hardware cloth, screws, plaster, concrete, steel wool, etc.
cate | 5 years and 11 months ago
Our experience living in a row house it’s impossible to get rid of them permanently. They are inside the walls and run between homes. Our approach is to seal our house as much as possible, including the cellar and any access points, and holes within the home. In addition to sealing, if you monthly have exterminators put tracking powder where they run, this keeps the population down and deters them chewing new holes. Otherwise expect to reseal every five or six years.
BKALLDAY | 5 years and 11 months ago
Thanks everyone. Got some suggestions and going with Universal.
slopefarm | 5 years and 11 months ago
Bob and Steve are both right about cats. females are the better hunters (male felines protect the pride but don’t really hunt) but any cat will chase the mice and put their scent everywhere. The mice will know to stay away. We used to lend one of our cats out, but he’s retired from that line of work, now.
Guest User | 5 years and 11 months ago
The main goal is to locate their entry points.
This is a great article on mouse proofing your home.
https://www.lakewoodexterminating.com/how-to-mouse-proof-a-home/
Guest User | 5 years and 11 months ago
The main goal is to locate their entry points.
This is a great article on mouse proofing your home.
https://www.lakewoodexterminating.com/how-to-mouse-proof-a-home/
RobertGMarvin
in General Discussion 5 years and 11 months ago
Female cats ARE better mousers, but the mere presence of any cat, even a tiny kitten, deters most mice
stevecym | 5 years and 11 months ago
see what “anotherposter” says. i have to tell you, i moved into a rental many years ago and there were a lot of mice there and i used the old spring traps. but is was a really awful thing to do as most of them i caught were still alive and other than that they can carry something called “hantavirus” they are kind of innocent (if you have children, be aware that hantavirus is deadly; when i was dealing with them in the rental, a man died from it and he contracted it from inhaling the dust from mice droppings; he was renovating a house somewhere in the new york area; perhaps statan island). it was not easy dealing with the living ones that were stuck in the trap and they do make noises. i had to deal with some in a family member’s house and i did go with the poison “d-con”. and do not even think of glue traps. perhaps you can find a deterrent? i think my cat is a deterrent. i think they know that she is here.
Guest User | 5 years and 11 months ago
Correction this is the right place
Universal Exterminators, Inc
Address: 119 Lakeville Rd, New Hyde Park, NY 11040
Phone: (917) 709-1270
Guest User | 5 years and 11 months ago
We had mice mostly like due to construction in the buildings behind us. Used the below company I think in Jan or Feb 2019. No mice since. They were not cheap. They sent Warren. From what I could tell they did not use hazardous and toxic chemicals.
They did seal some of the fixed access points per “stevecym” recommendation above.
Let me know how you make out.
Universal Exterminating Inc
Pest control service
New Hyde Park, NY
(917) 283-2007
stevecym | 5 years and 11 months ago
if you do get a cat, get a female. i have had both males and females and the females appear to be better hunters and harder workers in general. the males often appear lazy, content with things even when they shouldn’t be. the female spends every waking minute looking for something, even if it does not yet exist.
stevecym | 5 years and 11 months ago
stay on top of them. my family is from the rural east end of long island and they would come into my uncle’s house in the winter and he told me, if you ever let them build a nest and reproduce, you will have an infestation and it is impossible to get rid of them without a pro. i am not sure if he was correct in saying that but these were the kind of self-sufficient people who took care of things on their own.
anotherposter | 5 years and 11 months ago
For dispatching of the ones getting into your homes, I’m a big fan of the Victor brand mouse zappers. They kill them quickly and are more pet/kid friendly than most options. I replace the batteries a lot more often than they suggest.