Need to wage war on mice / rats

[newbury]

<snip>
As a side note about rats and mice. This is reason enough to refrain form killing every snake found in and around buildings. Learn to id the ones that are poison and let the others live.

That's my main solution. I'm usually finding 1 or two skins about 4 foot long (or longer) every year in my main shed. In 10 years I've yet to find a live snake inside.

But when I first moved in 10 years ago mice were rampant. The prior owner had used the shed as "party site". I took out about two 55 gal drums of beer bottles, liquor bottles and party trash. In a dry county. So the mice had a great food source.

Non-venomous snakes are good.

 

[nacl9163]

Check YouTube for dozens of simple mouse traps, many involving a teeter-totter top on a 5 gal bucket. I also found mothballs in the engine & battery compartments to be effective--no smell if they're isolated from the living area. Hate the furry little bastards!

 

[big bubba]

"While an overwhelming task, preventing entry is the most effective prevention. Mice and rats and most rodents have super sensitive smell at least for certain things—their urine and pop which they follow to food sources as well as many types of food sources." CoyPatton

yes

 

[bartjoebob]

Create a rolling log mouse trap with some PVC, coat hanger straight sections and 5 gal buckets. dissolve salt into the water so it doesn't freeze and add some borax. Bait the center of the log with some peanut butter. You'll get a few mice per night per bucket. Also, get some Cab Fresh and place that where you don't want mice to go around September/October. This will help keep them from establishing a nest in your RV. They will nest nearby instead but gradually get killed off by the rolling log traps

 

[Tony H]

This place I'm currently renting as I build my home was used as a hunting cabin. It was infested when I got here. I went with blocks of poison. Put them throughout the house. I kept replacing until the eating stopped. I do constant maintenance outside with traps but bait them with the inviting poison. None detectable in the house anymore but catching about ones day all year. Make a box with an opening that is the width of the trap. Bait inside entices them stand on trap at its not entrance. Tie the traps so undead mice won't carry them off. Tie poison for dame reason. See pic. This has worked great for me. I put a cover over this as well to force entry over the trap

 

[1st Tractor]

I live on a farm and have tried all the suggestions posted here with little luck (but cats do help). I tried for years to keep the mice out of my shop area and it wasn't uncommon for me to empty 6 mouse trap a day with dead mice. I finally realized that mice love dark covered areas. I installed a few low watt LED daylight style lights where my traps were located. Like magic the mouse problem disappeared. I leave the lights on 24/7 by my traps were I had the issues with mice and ever since putting on the lights I haven't caught a single mouse and it's been a years now.

I also would have issues with mice getting into my trucks air filter and chewing it up every year. Now I keep the hood open with another LED bright daylight style bulb shining down onto my engine bay. No more mice there either.

 

[jtuck5187]

jtuck5187 so how do you keep the seeds from getting water logged and sinking ?​

As long as it doesn't rain, the seeds will float for several days. I'm using black oil sunflower seeds from the birdseed section of Tractor Supply. Not sure if that kind makes a difference but they work so well I haven't had the desire to try anything else. I get a 20 or 40lb bag and I keep them in the garage in sealed food-grade buckets. I am using leftover seed from last year this year. I think the oil in the seeds cause them to float for quite awhile.

 

[Tory022]

I'm familiar with, and often use typical household mouse traps in my enclosed garages (Victor brand.)

But I need to do some hard core serious mouse reduction. In about a month, I'll be storing a motorhome in my barn. I don't want it to be quickly destroyed by mice. I've never done any mouse reduction in the barn.

It's about 50x90, with lots of openings to nearby adjacent pastures and fields. There are mice in it now, of course. I want to knock the population back before the motor home shows up.

Various critters also wander in from time to time. I have a skunk in the barn at night usually about half the time, but I've never seen it there during the day. So I don't want a mouse trap snapped onto a skunk's paw.

Do the "walk the plank" traps work well? I've heard of them but never used one? And when the motorhome arrives, is there anything that can go around the tires to dissuade mice from invading?

I tried the walk he plank traps and int have success. Then a got a couple of barn cats from the trap: neuter / return program and no mice.

 

[RancherGuy]

I've used a rat bait called "Just One Bite" and I recommend it highly.

It comes in a powder or bar form and you can get it at grain and feed stores and online.

It's very effective on rats and mice and it seems to be 100% safe for our barn cats.

I second that. I've used lots of methods but for simplicity and effectiveness, I now only use Just One Bite - chunk style. In a good sized barn as yours is, I would use two locations, visible, so I can notice if bait needs to be added. At certain times of year it goes fast, but other times it just sits for months.

 

[mikester]

Napalm the complete area. You will move away and not notice the rodents any more.