Moth balls, Hmmm, maybe not

[RichZ]

On our farm, since we raise livestock (goats, sheep, pigs and chickens) there's always plenty of food for rodents in the form of various livestock feeds. I've found that the only thing that controls rats and mice are good old barn cats. We have 12. They're all neutered, and are also pets. We also feed them good cat food (Iams). Most cats like to kill rodents, but most don't like to eat them, except for an occasional nibble. Well fee cats are great hunters. Just about all of our cats are great ratters and mousers.

Usually in the course of a day, several of them bring me a present of a dead mouse or rat. I make a really big deal of it, and really praise them for being good hunters. They usually act very happy and go back out on the hunt. Since we got all of our barn cats, our rodent population is under control.

 

[gemini5362]

The common rodent poison -- D-con is one brand name -- is warfarin. It is very safe to use, being highly specific in its action and affecting rodents far more than it affects other critters. A dog or cat would need to eat a huge number of poisoned rodents before showing any effect from the poison. The rotted rodent remains might make them sick, but the poison contained therein would still be pretty safe.

I dont know what kind of poison it was but when I lived in california one of my dogs ate a rabbit that had eaten gopher poison. I found the dog bleeding from they nose, mouth etc, I rushed her to the vet who spent most of the night getting the rabbit to come back up and filling the dog with vitamin k all night and finally got the dog to pull through. I am a bit leary of leaving any poison where a favorite pet might get at it.

 

[shvl73]

Try the bait stations that will keep the poison inside. Use peanut butter to entice the rats/mice to it. it definitely won't change the danger of a pet eating a poisoned carcass but it will help prevent direct contact with the poison.

 

[john_bud]

John,
I have the 5 gallon bucket system set up in one of my small barns so far no luck. The water is now frozen so I Will have to go back to the green poison.
The reason I tried the bucket method is the green stuff was costing an arm and a leg because the critters were taking it and storing it then dying and the new critters didn't find the stash. I would go through 15 to 20 of the small boxes in the barn and 5 or six in my basement. If you use the green stuff keep a fresh supply of water available, they die much quicker if you do.

Farwell,

There are a couple tricks.

1) the line should be placed at about the same level as the handle (3" from the rim)

2) The line should be as thin as possible. I use the small nylon stuff, but 20# test fishing line works too.

3) The line has to be tight tight tight.

4) The pop bottle has to spin super easy. I drill a small hole thru the cap and the bottom of the bottle. A 500 ml water bottle works good.

5) Put a wood ramp (1x3 x 3') so the top of the ramp is short of directly over the pop bottle.


The mice run up the ramp, jump down to the peanut butter and instantly are rotated down into the bucket.

You can use a winter windshield washer fluid or RV antifreeze, you can even use old motor oil. You just want them to be forced to swim and stay in the bucket (forever). If you have pets, don't use antifreeze as it can harm them.

I can vouch that if the #1-4 above are not right, you won't get a mouse. But get them right and the bucket fills! It's just like Christmas morning coming out and finding 1,2 3 or more dead rodents. Yes, I hate mice.

 

[jimmer2880]

John bud... after living through the stench of dead mouse over the Thanksgiving holiday (and, of came, everyone comes to my house to enjoy it) I'm switching from bait to the bucket idea.

Thank you for the detailed setup info. I'll have one setup by the end of the weekend.

My biggest concern, is keeping my dog out of the bucket. I wonder if there is something I can add to the water so she won't drink it?

 

[ArmsOutWide]

I dont know what kind of poison it was but when I lived in california one of my dogs ate a rabbit that had eaten gopher poison. I found the dog bleeding from they nose, mouth etc, I rushed her to the vet who spent most of the night getting the rabbit to come back up and filling the dog with vitamin k all night and finally got the dog to pull through. I am a bit leary of leaving any poison where a favorite pet might get at it.

Warfarin (coumadin) is a "vitamin K killer". Vitamin K is a key component in blood clotting. If the vet was pumping your dog full of vitamin K, then he obviously thought that it had got into some warfarin (rat/mouse/rodent poison).

I take warfarin to prevent blood clots (I had two near fatal ones at the ages of 25 and 30), and I cannot take any multi-vitamins with vitamin K in them as it will interfere with my medicine.

 

[ArmsOutWide]

On our farm, since we raise livestock (goats, sheep, pigs and chickens) there's always plenty of food for rodents in the form of various livestock feeds. I've found that the only thing that controls rats and mice are good old barn cats. We have 12. They're all neutered, and are also pets. We also feed them good cat food (Iams). Most cats like to kill rodents, but most don't like to eat them, except for an occasional nibble. Well fee cats are great hunters. Just about all of our cats are great ratters and mousers.

Usually in the course of a day, several of them bring me a present of a dead mouse or rat. I make a really big deal of it, and really praise them for being good hunters. They usually act very happy and go back out on the hunt. Since we got all of our barn cats, our rodent population is under control.

That's all well and good, but now you have yourself a cat infestation - I'm not sure which one is worse!

 

[john_bud]

John bud... after living through the stench of dead mouse over the Thanksgiving holiday (and, of came, everyone comes to my house to enjoy it) I'm switching from bait to the bucket idea.

Thank you for the detailed setup info. I'll have one setup by the end of the weekend.

My biggest concern, is keeping my dog out of the bucket. I wonder if there is something I can add to the water so she won't drink it?

If you are setting it up in the house, then I don't know. I would say to use something like motor oil, but in the house? Probably not...

The conundrum is that you WANT the bucket and all to be attractive to the critters, and dogs have both good noses and curiosity. Anything that would keep the dog out would probably keep the mice away too. Can you set it up in a closed area?

Good luck with the mouse-termination!

jb

 

[jimmer2880]

I have an attached garage, and an un-finished laundry area in the basement that I plan to put the bucket. The dog isn't typically in those places, but wouldn't want to forget & have her get into it anyway.

Guess I'll start with water. If that doesn't cut it, I'll try some oil.

I have no problem completely coating the bottle with PB though. I suspect that will attract them the best.

 

[gemini5362]

I have an attached garage, and an un-finished laundry area in the basement that I plan to put the bucket. The dog isn't typically in those places, but wouldn't want to forget & have her get into it anyway.

Guess I'll start with water. If that doesn't cut it, I'll try some oil.

I have no problem completely coating the bottle with PB though. I suspect that will attract them the best.

I have a thought. Try putting a teaspoon of dishwater soap in the water. If the dog gets into that it wont hurt them but it probably wont help any mice that try to climb up the side of the bucket.

 

[john_bud]

he he he , slippery little feet. I like it!

jb

 

[DavidPerry]

Moth balls aren't for repelling mice and squirrels. They are very effective for polar bears and elephants. Since I started putting this out, I haven't seen a single one.

 

[dknarnd]

My tractor is kept in a tent canopy, so I opened the top of the door flaps. That made it lighter inside and "seem" more open. Now they don't get in there either. I think they like those dark protected places. If you expose them or open it up, they won't go in there to nest.

Anyone ever try low voltage lighting? Wish I had power in my shed maybe I would try it. I have a JB1010 that gets a next in front of the radiator every year, if I had power I would shine a spot light on the front of the tractor!

 

[jimmer2880]

Love the dish soap idea. That would keep her (the dog) from drinking the water, as well as providing "slippery little feet".

Sounds like my Saturday morning project (If I ever finish the FEL & Power Steering project).

 

[unreconstructed]

My water well man said to put a opened bottle of bleach in the well house to repel rats--said they hate the smell. I am going out to the farm this weekend and will give it a try and see what happens.

 

[Farwell]

John B.
I didn't think of using antifreeze. The bucket is in an isolated area safe from all critters except the rodents. The unit is built exactly as you described with the exception of my putting the ramp close to the peanut butter and adding antifreeze. My project for tomorrow.

 

[hazmat]

OK so what will work for protecting my trac vac trailer which won't fit in my shed? (sits out in the open). I just paid $200 to fix it after the mice built a nest under the shroud and feasted on the ignition system.

I'd rather not poison all the critters in the woods. I'm perfectly alright with killing some mice though...

I guess the neighbor's cat isn't doing her job.