mice in shed

[MikeFromVA]

Based on the earlier thread that has already been linked to, I bought 2 rat zappers last fall. The exterminators had put down glue traps, but the wife didn't like hearing/seeing the things struggle to get out once stuck - seems pretty inhumane. I put one rat zapper in the garage and one in the basement. I baited them with the included bait (looked like dog food to me) and a tortilla chip w/ peanut butter smeared on. The one in the garage zapped 6 mice in the first week. Not too many since as I've been lazy about baiting and renewing the battery. I'm pretty sure that the problem has been licked. I will renew my efforts in the fall or if I see any more mouse droppings.

The units do burn throught the AA batteries. You will get 3 or 4 weeks out of 4 AA batteries (if you zap no mice). I think that they are also good for about 4 zappings before they needed to be replaced. If your problem is real bad, you can get an add on to allow the units to use D cells instead of AA. Shop around, I found a lot of difference in the price.

 

[fractal]

NiMH batteries are good for 2 zaps or about 2 weeks but are rechargable.

Alkalines are good for 5-10 zaps and last a couple of months.

I used the NiMH batteries when I first got it and we had a mouse problem. I would switch batteries every time I dumped a mouse. The two hour charger did not have any trouble keeping up. I now use alkalines for sustaining as I only get a mouse ever month or two.

I still use the old fashion type in remote places I can't get the zapper but find that I don't check em often enough so when they do catch something, I end up tossing the trap with the rotting remains.

And yes, I too use peanut butter. Perhaps we should do a test to see if mice prefer smooth or crunchy /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[jeffinsgf]

Sure sounds like you guys are going through an awful lot of trouble and expense in order to NOT have a cat around. We have three -- two spoiled in the house and one recent adoptee that lives in the barn. Haven't had to deal with a dead mouse in a trap or a stinking poisoned carcass in 11 years. If I started talking about how they compare to dogs as pets, it could get as ugly as a Green/Orange debate -- /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif -- so we'll leave that alone. If you can tolerate them, you just won't get better rodent and snake control.

I know that Wisconsin winters can get pretty tough, but my Uncle's barn in central Iowa was lousy with cats that survived the winters there. I think food, water and maybe one 60 watt light bulb close to the ground some place ought to keep them happy.

 

[beenthere]

I'll take the poison sets and the occasional trap sets anyday rather than the cats, but that is just one opinion. I am not bothered with mice, as I keep an occasional poison program going to head them off 'before' they get inside. Only once, when I was replacing siding on my house, did I get a dead mouse inside and smelling.
I put out poison for them to carry back to where they came, which isn't in the house. Just plan to stay one step ahead of them.
Works for me, and the poison costs less than cat food. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

But I have not a thing against anyone who wants cats. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Dozernut]

Bird
Have you heard of putting dryer, softener sheets in your camper to keep the mice out? Just wondering if it works, if not the camper would sure smell nice!

 

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( dryer, softener sheets )</font>

I don't recall ever hearing of that, so I don't know whether it would work or not. I've heard of using moth balls, even used them myself, but don't know whether that, or something else, was what kept the mice out. I never had a mouse problem with any of my RVs. One of my brothers lives in a motorhome that's seldom moved and squirrels got up in the wall in the back end and chewed up the wiring for the backup camera. He put moth balls in there, and the squirrels carried them back out and left them in a pile at their entrance. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[Dozernut]

Now that is some tough squirrels! I am going to give the dryer sheets a try, I will probably have the best smelling mice in Illinois! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif.

 

[beenthere]

I've heard of dryer sheets being used to keep no-see-ums and mosquitoes from flying around your face by putting a couple on your shoulders when working outdoors, but can't imagine mice would 'run' from their smell. Let us know how it works. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[woodlot]

re: the zapper. Can it be pluged-in to a 120vac outlet and use a transformer for power? If it has the ability to have a d-cell power pack attached I'd think a transformer would work too. I really like that thing but the idea of using all those batteries is not very appealing

 

[mwechtal]

Dozernut,
I think that the people that say that dryer sheets work don't have a mouse problem.

We tried them one winter, and had the worst mess ever. I must have put 30 sheets in a 22' motorhome. I put them inside cabinets, under the couch, scattered some around the floor, etc. and as near as I could tell they either attract mice or have no effect.

In the new motorhome, we use one of those ultrasonic gadgets from Lowes now. It's on whenever it's parked at home. So far, no sign of mice in 2 years. Maybe it's just tighter than the old one. Only problem is that you have to use the transformer. I don't think that they last more than a couple of days on a 9v battery.

Mike

 

[Dozernut]

Mike
Thanks for sharing your experience, I think I will go to Lowes and get a couple of those electronic repellers and give them a try.

 

[sassafraspete]

I have a variation of John's trap. I saw this in an outdoor magazine...where some people had one at a cabin. I have a dowel rod and a can... I think I used a pringle can...but anything like an aluminum can will work. Drill a hole in the can so you can thread it onto the dowel rod. I smear peanut butter on the can, and then set the dowel rod and can across the top of a 5 gal bucket with enough water to drown the mice. I have a piece of lath strip for a ramp going up to the dowel rod.

We were having trouble with mice in our garage, which prompted me to build the trap. When I first built mine, it sat there a few days, and nothing. My wife laughed at my contraption. Initially, I did not put water in the bucket, and the mice were climbing out. Well , not long after putting some water in the bottom, I had 3 in the bucket in one day...and continued to catch several. I now keep it sitting in an out of the way place, and have it baited all the time. I found it is better to NOT smear peanut butter evenly around the can, but to put on one side of the can and position that side up. It makes it top heavy, and when a mouse gets out there it has a better chance of spinning him off in the water. Getting rid of the mice is not messy, I just take the bucket out to the edge of the yard and dump them out.

I thought about posting pictures of my trap and the catch one time, but then thought the Anti's might be after me.

sassafraspete

 

[beenthere]

Your trap sounds effective.

Pic if you would.
I don't think we should fear the 'anti's'. I don't mind one bit if the 'anti's' like mice and don't want to kill them. But that is there business, and my thoughts on mice is my business, and the can stay the heck out of my business, IMO.