Where do mice come from?
They often enter houses and apartments through basements or attics. Rodents use unsealed holes near pipes, cracks in baseboards, ventilation and garbage disposals. Sometimes they climb to higher floors through balconies and holes in concrete slabs, or chew their way through wood and plastic. They are also capable of digging a tunnel under the foundation of a house.
Mice also have “favorite” materials. For example, wall insulation, especially foam Mike Holmes: When the mice move in / National Post or glass wool, where they build passages and nests and reproduce.
The chances of mice appearing in residential areas increase if there is a cellar, barn or granary nearby. In the house itself, they are attracted to untidy crumbs and garbage. As soon as rodents find water and food, they are ready to settle in such a place forever.
In addition, it is worth preparing for an “invasion” if your neighbors have mice - pests like to expand the territory of their presence.
Fighting mice on different objects
The choice of a specific means for exterminating mice should be made based on the characteristics of the object where they were found:
- in apartments and private houses it is better to use anticoagulants that are safe for humans and pets;
- in the basements of residential buildings, more aggressive poisons can be used, for example, Rat, but only if the basement is kept under lock and key;
- The easiest way to get rid of mice that have settled in a car is with the help of aerosol poisons, which are used to treat the entire engine compartment;
- in large non-food premises (warehouses, plants, factories, etc.) powerful poisons are used, inviting the deratization service;
- In closed greenhouses and cellars, sulfur bombs are used.
If mice are infested in a car, it is recommended to use aerosol poisons to combat them.
How dangerous are mice?
They are capable of creating real chaos: chewing off walls, destroying food packages, ruining clothes or shoes, and more. Because of such guests, an unpleasant odor appears in the house or apartment. Moreover, mice often damage wires, which can cause a fire.
But perhaps the most dangerous thing about such a neighborhood is that rodents are carriers of more than 35 diseases. Pests can also Rodents / National Center for Healthy Housing aggravate allergic reactions and asthma if family members suffer from them.
Homemade rat traps
The simplest and most humane option is the classic rat trap made from a can and a coin. The jar is placed upside down and the bait is placed at a low height. A large coin is placed on the opposite side so that the container is raised and does not collapse on its own. When the rat tries to get the bait, it will move the jar and become trapped. It is recommended to place a lid or any hard flat surface under the neck in advance. This will help you lift the trap without releasing the rat.
Homemade trap made from a bucket and a jar.
Is this method effective?
Thanks to this method, you can catch 1-2 pests, but such rat traps are useless against large flocks. Rats are social and intelligent animals. They warn their relatives of danger by squeaking and do not fall into the same trap twice.
Why is it better to choose Hawk devices?
When purchasing Hawk repellers, you will not have to build any additional traps using step-by-step instructions. It is enough to connect the device to the network and leave it indoors. The repeller acts more humanely because it does not kill rodents, like some homemade rat traps. You don't have to take the animal outside or think about what to do with it.
Another advantage of the devices is their effectiveness against single individuals and large flocks.
Mousetraps are able to cope with a few rodents, but later the pests are no longer caught in the traps. In the case of repellers, rats cannot avoid the effects of ultrasound, so even large flocks have to leave their habitable place.
How to understand that there are mice in the house
The main symptom is mouse droppings. In appearance, it resembles dark rice granules about 6 millimeters long. For comparison, rat droppings are about twice the size—about 12 millimeters in length.
Another clear sign of mice is chewed food boxes, dirt and strange debris on the shelves.
If one mouse runs somewhere, most likely there are several more hiding in the house. Since one rodent was able to enter the room, others probably did as well. In addition, their number is increasing very quickly.
Storm
Today, Storm (Storm, manufactured by BASF), taking into account price, effectiveness and ease of use, can be considered one of the best drugs for baiting rats and mice in the house. The active ingredient of this drug, flocumafen, is one of the most effective blood anticoagulants.
A rat that eats this bait dies within 3-8 days (this period depends on how much of the product the pest ate the first time and how often it returned to the bait again). In fact, rodents disappear from the premises after 7-10 days, since they do not always find and eat poison on the first day.
Storm is produced by the largest German chemical concern BASF and is available in several packaging options:
- Packaging for 4 grams (1 briquette). Its price is about 15 rubles. A good option for an apartment or small house in which there is only one rat or mouse;
- A 16 gram package (4 briquettes) costs approximately 50 rubles. Allows you to poison rats in an apartment or, for example, the basement of a private house;
- A 50 gram package costs about 120 rubles. This option is well suited for a large private house in which a couple of dozen rodents need to be exterminated;
- 10 kg bucket with pellets or briquettes (briquettes can be 4 and 16 grams). Such a bucket costs about 10,000 rubles, and this volume is optimal for fighting rats in enterprises and in the basements of apartment buildings.
It is also useful to read: Ultrasonic rat and mouse repeller Tornado 400 and reviews of its use
It is also important that the drug Storm is produced in the form of wax briquettes and pellets, which makes it especially convenient for use at home. Due to this molding, the bait is easier to dose, it does not generate dust and retains its attractiveness to mice and rats for a long time.
On a note
Storm's hard pellets may be more preferable to rat baiting than soft briquettes. The manufacturer specially produces such pellets with uneven sharp edges - this provokes animals to gnaw them when detected, even if the animal is not hungry. This behavior is typical of all rodents, since they need to constantly grind their teeth - they gnaw off protruding parts of various objects reflexively. This nuance increases the palatability of pellets and the effectiveness of the product.
Storm can be used against rats and mice only where children or pets cannot find it. If bullying is carried out in a residential area, it is advisable to send pets and children to relatives for the duration of treatment. As a last resort, you can use bait stations (they will be discussed below), but they do not provide a complete guarantee of safety, since pets can still find the poisoned pest.
On a note
Storm's analogue, Goliath, a remedy for rats, could have become its competitor, if not for one “but”: the drug is difficult to obtain and more expensive. Goliath can only be purchased in a few online stores; it is sold in large packages (in buckets) and costs almost one and a half times more than Storm. As a result, rats in houses are rarely poisoned with it.
How to get rid of mice
Find where they come from
Before you begin pest control, you need to study how they got into your home. Experts warn How to get rid of mice in your house and prevent them from ever coming back / Good Housekeeping that randomly setting traps is not the best idea.
Therefore, first you should take the time to carefully inspect the rooms, storage rooms and garage, if you have one. You need to try to find all the places where mice can build nests.
Set traps
The best way to quickly get rid of mice is to use traps and special baits. They must be placed in the most vulnerable places: along walls and behind containers with garbage.
It is worth noting that all traps, except sticky tapes, will require bait. Suitable food items include peanut butter, chocolate, cheese, birdseed, or nuts.
Mousetraps
This is the most popular, time-tested and effective way to get rid of mice. There are different types of mousetraps: tunnel, cage, alligator and many others.
These devices are easy to use, but they can be dangerous for family members and pets. Among the disadvantages is also the need to constantly check the functionality of the structure, prepare bait, and then also get rid of the rodent caught in the trap.
Under no circumstances should you touch the mouse after it is in the mousetrap. You should wear rubber gloves and spray disinfectant on the rodent and the area where it is located. Then put the mouse in a sealed plastic bag, close it tightly, place it in another bag and throw it away. And then thoroughly wash your gloved hands with soap, treat them with a disinfectant and get rid of the gloves. At the end, you need to wash your hands again and use an antiseptic.
Electrical traps
They lure mice and shock them. When the trap is triggered, a special indicator lights up. Such devices are safe for people and pets, who simply cannot get into them.
But mice caught in such a trap have practically no chance - the electronic circuit is closed as soon as the rodent is inside. This is a relatively humane method of control, since the victim dies instantly from the discharge, and you can get rid of mice without even touching them.
The main disadvantage here is the high price, compared to other types of traps. However, if effectiveness is more important than cost, this control method would be a good choice.
Sticky traps
They consist of a special backing and non-drying glue. Rodents adhere to the structure and remain in place until they are released or killed.
Sticky traps are cheap and easy to use. At the same time, they are disposable, which is rather a minus. Sometimes the substrates are very light, so the mouse can drag them into hiding. In addition, this method is not suitable for combating large numbers of rodents or if there are pets in the house.
After the trap works, you need to put on gloves, place the pest along with the sticky backing in some deep container and throw it away.
If you want to free the mouse, after transferring it to the container, you can carefully cover the rodent's head with a towel to calm it down, and hold it by the back until you can peel it off. To do this, you need to pour vegetable oil on the place where the animal is stuck. After getting rid of the trap, you should carefully remove excess oil from the rodent, pour some water into it and cover the container with a towel. When the rodent recovers from shock, you can release it into the wild.
live traps
These are cages with a specially designed door that closes as soon as the mouse gets inside. This is a humane, simple and inexpensive way to control rodents.
The main disadvantages are that you need to spend time on proper installation, and after catching the pest, you need to decide what to do with it. If you need to get rid of mice in a safe and bloodless way, the caught rodent can be taken further into the forest and released.
Poisons
There are two main types of poison for mice: acute and chronic. The first include, for example, zinc phosphide and ratsid. They cause symptoms from the first hour of consumption and lead to death after a single use. The second type of poison, such as fentolacin or warfarin, acts gradually.
Toxic substances are an effective and cheap, but not the most humane and convenient way to control pests. In addition, poisons pose a danger to people and pets. In addition, mice rarely die immediately, on the spot. They can climb into walls, behind furniture and even inside it, as indicated by a characteristic smell. There is also a chance that the poison will spread throughout the house, which means the danger to family members will increase significantly.
Call a specialist
When all possible methods have been tried, but mice continue to reign in the apartment, it is worth calling professionals for help. You can ask friends, neighbors and acquaintances. Perhaps they have already encountered a similar problem and know where best to turn.
Physical method of destruction
This includes any deadly device with which you can catch a mouse:
- traditional mousetrap;
- glue trap;
- electric trap,
- homemade products.
An ordinary mousetrap, which is sold in any hardware store today, was invented at the end of the 19th century. Many years have passed since then, but the mechanism of the device is still the same: platform, trigger, spring and the so-called guillotine. It is enough to charge the device with tasty bait, for example crumb or lard soaked in vegetable oil, install it closer to the habitat of the minnow, and after a while the “criminal” will be caught and immediately executed.
Glue traps work on a different principle. A thin layer of glue is applied to any solid base (cardboard, wooden block, plastic), and bait is placed in the center. The prepared trap is also installed closer to the rodent nesting site or where they most often appear. After a while, the seductive smell of the bait will attract the attention of the rodent and it will firmly stick to the glue.
Here it is worth understanding that the death of the animal will be long and painful - from fear, thirst and in the death agony it will emit heartbreaking screams, so such nets should be installed either in non-residential premises, or only for those who have a callous and cold heart.
Electric traps operate on batteries and mains power. They are a small container, the floor of which is energized, dangerous to the life of an adult mouse. As soon as the gray bandit decides to profit from free cheese and steps into the trap, he will immediately kill her with electric shock. Such traps are probably the most humane methods of killing rodents compared to the previous two. Death occurs almost instantly, and there can be no annoying misfires, as is the case with mousetraps, when rodents are maimed but not killed.
How to protect your home from mice
Once your home is finally rodent free, it's important to make sure they don't come back. This can be done in several ways.
Use sealant and steel wool
Unfortunately, mice have ways of getting into the house through the smallest holes and even making them even larger by gnawing. However, sealant and “steel wool” are too tough for these pests. Experts advise How to get rid of mice in your house and prevent them from ever coming back / Good Housekeeping to pay special attention to the places where the pipes pass, as well as to the floor in the basement along the walls, ventilation and fireplace, if there is one.
Reduce the number of bushes near the house
Shrubs and piles of branches attract mice. Therefore, it is worth regularly trimming the green spaces near the house and maintaining order on the site. Mice love to build nests in piles of things, so it is better to keep firewood at least 6 meters from human habitation.
Make your home uninhabitable for mice
Kitchen shelves strewn with crumbs and leftover food are a real paradise for rodents, especially during the cold season. You need to regularly wipe the inside surfaces of cabinets and store food in airtight containers. The same goes for pet food: don’t leave it in a bowl all day.
Mice also love to chew paper, so it's important to clean out cabinets regularly and throw away any unwanted cellulose packaging right away.
Close the trash can tightly
Garbage attracts mice as well as insects and other pests. To protect against rodents, it is better to choose a waste container with an airtight lid or seal it tightly using rubber cords.
Try organic oils
Experts emphasize How to get rid of mice in your house and prevent them from ever coming back / Good Housekeeping that home remedies are not the best way to get rid of rodents. Still, it's worth a try.
Mice are repelled by the smells of clove and peppermint esters. You can soak cotton pads in one of these oils and leave them in areas that attract mice, such as drawers and cabinets in the kitchen.
Folk remedies against mice
Those who do not want to get rid of mice using poisonous drugs can use folk remedies for rodent control. Such products can drive out mice forever.
- Herbs. Herbs that are harmless to humans and taken in the form of seasonings, supplements, and teas. For humans, herbs provide health benefits, but some types of herbs can repel mice, for them they are like poison:
- Sagebrush;
- Elder;
- Peppermint;
- Chamomile.
To prepare poison for mice, chop the herbs, put them in bags and place them in the corners of the house.
- Boric acid. To scare away mice using this method, pour boric acid in the corners of the room. It is recommended to do the procedure every day.
- Bay leaf. It is necessary to mix acetic acid and ammonia. Spread the resulting mixture onto bay leaves and place them around the perimeter of the apartment.
- Cement. Take dry cement and mix it with vanillin in a 3:1 ratio. Thus, the alluring aroma will attract rodents. Place the resulting mixture in a saucer, and place a small container of water next to it. As soon as the mouse tries the cement powder, it will certainly want to drink, after which the mixture will harden inside the mouse, and soon it will die.
- Ash. The effect of ash on the paws of pests causes severe irritation. Sprinkle ash in all corners of the room. Rodents will not live in such conditions and will leave your home in the near future.
Rodent mesh
To protect a frame house from mice, a fine-mesh metal mesh is used. It is laid during construction and prevents mice from entering the home.
If the house has already been built, then the mesh can also be used by burying it underground near the concrete base; an earth mouse cannot crawl through the small cell.
Which mesh should I choose? Of course, metal, with small cells. It is necessary to make protection against mice at the construction stage of the building; such a device is laid under the insulation on the floor and on the walls. After installing such protection, you can even decorate your house with plasterboard.
Do mice chew polyurethane foam?
There is an opinion that if you seal a mouse hole with foam, the little pests will go away and won’t bother you anymore. One such opinion is far from the truth; in fact, mice even really like it, there is such material.
Reasons why mice chew polyurethane foam:
- Mice chew on foam due to the constant growth of their teeth. This soft building material allows rodents to grind down the upper incisors without breaking them.
- Polyurethane foam and polystyrene sheets are easier to chew than other materials, so if you have areas sealed with this substance, then be sure that mice will make a new move in it.
- Mouse and rat are very smart animals. There are often cases when they decorate their home with polyurethane foam.
There are materials that are similar in their characteristics to polyurethane foam, but are hazardous to the health of mice. For example, eco-wool contains boric acid and other substances that can cause a suffocation attack in a rodent that swallows it. Mice are also afraid of insulation such as glass wool; you can sprinkle the area where you are going to pour polyurethane foam with broken glass.
In Europe, polyurethane foam is sold that mice cannot chew. It is safe for human health, but it contains bitter impurities that rodents do not like.
Two ways with a plastic bottle
1. Plastic bottle coated with oil
Take a tall half- or two-liter plastic bottle (for example, from a Coca-Cola drink), as well as scissors, bait and sunflower oil (preferably unrefined and unrefined). You can use a handful of seeds as bait.
Use scissors to trim the top of the bottle. Do this in a circle and start cutting at the very place where the bottle begins to narrow towards the neck.
Next, generously lubricate the walls of the bottle with vegetable oil (internal only). It is also recommended to pour oil into the bottom of the container, in a small layer - about 2-3 centimeters, and then pour the bait there.
Place the finished bottle with bait at a slight angle, but do not forget to attach it to a wooden path so that the one for which you tried (that is, the mouse) can climb up it into the bottle with oil.
If you leave your structure overnight, then in the morning you will probably find that in the bottle there is an almost exhausted, oil-smeared, but still alive and intact small animal. The mouse will not escape into the wild, since the slippery oil will stop all mouse attempts.
2. Trap from a plastic bottle with a lid
In addition to the indicated container, you need to prepare a rubber band, two tubes made of plastic or wood and just one more paper clip.
Cut a small hole in the center of the bottom of the bottle, then cut its top, but at a short distance from the neck (it should reach about a quarter of the size of the neck itself), so that after this you have a kind of lid.
Now take the tubes and thread the first one through the center of the bottle, and the second through the center of the improvised cap. Connect the paperclip and rubber band, securing the bait to the paperclip. Pass the rubber band through the hole you drilled at the bottom, and fasten the other end of the same rubber band to the outside of the tube. In this case, the second end of the rubber band (outside) should be secured to the tube so that the lid remains open after this.
When a mouse climbs into a plastic bottle mousetrap for bait, it will definitely pull the rubber band, and from the tension it creates, the first rubber band will break, then the lid will slam shut.
