In article ,
Blair P. Houghton wrote:

Katra wrote:
I'm actually impressed that you are live trapping... ;-)

Well, that was the plan, as I've only had one other
mouse in the house and that was 2 or 3 years ago.

But my karma bartering may end. I looked over the back
fence, and there are an easy dozen mouse-sized holes in
the dirt beside the culvert.

I tried live traps with the original rat infestation in the hen yard.
Really I did... It got out of hand swiftly so I had no choice
but to start poisoning. They ate eggs, killed young pigeons
and crapped profusely in the feed dishes, and attracted rattlesnakes...

Rodents are oh so prolific.

You usually only visually see about 10% of your infestation.
I was forced to poison finally. You just have to be OH so careful!

Bar baits BTW are safer as they cannot drag them away if they
are fixed in place properly with a catch pan to control crumb dispersal.


I doubt the mice I've caught this time were the same
mouse*, so if the cover plate doesn't stop the invasion
I'll have to start leaving out poison baits.

If your infestation gets bad enough, it's the only way. I hated to
do it, but as I said in an earlier post, when I first started using
dicoumarol baits, (not sure if that is spelled right), the body count
slowed down at over 40. What I like about that poison is that the animal
bleeds to death, and that is really not a bad way to die. They get weak
and thirsty, which usually drives them out into the open in search of
water. Most died near the water pans so I could gather them and dispose
of them properly. Only a few died where I could not see them, just smell
them.

That is the drawback of poison, but they dry out after about a week,
but it is rather unpleasant. :-P

"one bite" brand works pretty well, and there are other similar brands
as well.


Watch out tho', mice can carry Hanta virus.

Exactly my worry if the numbers start getting into
the range of statistical significance.

It's looking that way. sigh
Your other alternative is to either import some really good mousers,
(cats) or some good bullsnakes. Ferrets are good too, as long as you
don't have any other rodent pets or pet birds. Ferrets will go out of
their way to kill birds, or so I've heard. I've never owned one.


--Blair
"This ain't no Waldorf Moustoria."

* - and it's up to 3 now; the last one was an ugly scene,
as he'd been caught in the trap overnight and either
the Stilton had disagreed with him or he'd gotten
claustrophobic (a claustrophobic mouse? there's a
trick...) or maybe they really do just go wherever and
whenever, because the trap was dripping mouse gunk of
all sorts.


Ew. ;-P

K.

--
,,Cat's Haven Hobby ,,
http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...user id=katra

I don't know where you live, but it seems like you could use
a neighborhood coyote or fox on permanent mouse patrol
OUTSIDE the hen house. S

`````````

On Wed, 31 Dec 2003 03:30:51 -0600, Katra
wrote:


I tried live traps with the original rat infestation in the hen yard.
Really I did... It got out of hand swiftly so I had no choice
but to start poisoning. They ate eggs, killed young pigeons
and crapped profusely in the feed dishes, and attracted rattlesnakes...

Rodents are oh so prolific.

You usually only visually see about 10% of your infestation.
I was forced to poison finally. You just have to be OH so careful!




Practice safe eating - always use condiments

In article ,
sf wrote:
`````````

On Wed, 31 Dec 2003 03:30:51 -0600, Katra
wrote:


I tried live traps with the original rat infestation in the hen yard.
Really I did... It got out of hand swiftly so I had no choice
but to start poisoning. They ate eggs, killed young pigeons
and crapped profusely in the feed dishes, and attracted rattlesnakes...

Rodents are oh so prolific.

You usually only visually see about 10% of your infestation.
I was forced to poison finally. You just have to be OH so careful!

I don't know where you live, but it seems like you could use
a neighborhood coyote or fox on permanent mouse patrol
OUTSIDE the hen house. S


Practice safe eating - always use condiments

Texas rural... There are even deer on the lawns. G
Pretty wild.

I wish it were that easy. I've actually considered rat terriers. G
There are nearly always shelter dogs available, but they can't be
chicken killers! :-o

K.

--
,,Cat's Haven Hobby ,,
http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...user id=katra

Katra wrote in message ...
In article ,
sf wrote:
`````````

On Wed, 31 Dec 2003 03:30:51 -0600, Katra
wrote:


I tried live traps with the original rat infestation in the hen yard.
Really I did... It got out of hand swiftly so I had no choice
but to start poisoning. They ate eggs, killed young pigeons
and crapped profusely in the feed dishes, and attracted rattlesnakes...

Rodents are oh so prolific.

You usually only visually see about 10% of your infestation.
I was forced to poison finally. You just have to be OH so careful!

I don't know where you live, but it seems like you could use
a neighborhood coyote or fox on permanent mouse patrol
OUTSIDE the hen house. S


Practice safe eating - always use condiments

Texas rural... There are even deer on the lawns. G
Pretty wild.

I wish it were that easy. I've actually considered rat terriers. G
There are nearly always shelter dogs available, but they can't be
chicken killers! :-o

You need a good colony of Texas Glossy snakes. Set up a habitat for
them (woodpile, area to bask, water nearby), and ask a breeder to sell
you a mated pair or two. Once established, it is unlikely the
rattlers will hang around for too long, and mice/rats will be
non-existent.

-L.

In article ,
(-L.) wrote:

Katra wrote in message
...
In article ,
sf wrote:
`````````

On Wed, 31 Dec 2003 03:30:51 -0600, Katra
wrote:


I tried live traps with the original rat infestation in the hen yard.
Really I did... It got out of hand swiftly so I had no choice
but to start poisoning. They ate eggs, killed young pigeons
and crapped profusely in the feed dishes, and attracted
rattlesnakes...

Rodents are oh so prolific.

You usually only visually see about 10% of your infestation.
I was forced to poison finally. You just have to be OH so careful!

I don't know where you live, but it seems like you could use
a neighborhood coyote or fox on permanent mouse patrol
OUTSIDE the hen house. S


Practice safe eating - always use condiments

Texas rural... There are even deer on the lawns. G
Pretty wild.

I wish it were that easy. I've actually considered rat terriers. G
There are nearly always shelter dogs available, but they can't be
chicken killers! :-o

You need a good colony of Texas Glossy snakes. Set up a habitat for
them (woodpile, area to bask, water nearby), and ask a breeder to sell
you a mated pair or two. Once established, it is unlikely the
rattlers will hang around for too long, and mice/rats will be
non-existent.

-L.

Are glossy's better than Texas Rat Snakes or Bull Snakes?
I'm regretting now relocating the Rat Snakes that I had here!
I trapped them and gave them away because they were killing my
baby pigeons! That is when the rat problem started... sigh And
since the rats kill baby pigeons too, I'm still in the same boat. :-(

Seems I just can't win.

I'd be interested in re-introducing a smaller snake that would not go
for birds?

I currently have a blue racer that eats my grasshoppers. :-) Funny, I
was having a problem with 'hoppers eating plants until this snake
appeared. He's been here now for abut 3 years and I see him/her from
time to time. I tried to capture it initially as that species also tends
to eat lizards and frogs, and I have a very nice population of med'
geckos and toads. (I'm very much into natural control/organic gardening
without the use or minimal use of pesticides).

When I finally managed to catch the snake one day, it had a very, very
large grasshopper in it's teeth so I told the snake that if it was
willing to eat 'hoppers, it could live here, then I tossed it back into
the garden! G

So, I more than welcome beneficial snakes here. I have no fear of them...

K.

--
,,Cat's Haven Hobby ,,
http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...user id=katra

Katra wrote in message ...
You need a good colony of Texas Glossy snakes. Set up a habitat for
them (woodpile, area to bask, water nearby), and ask a breeder to sell
you a mated pair or two. Once established, it is unlikely the
rattlers will hang around for too long, and mice/rats will be
non-existent.

-L.

Are glossy's better than Texas Rat Snakes or Bull Snakes?

Not really - any of the the Colubrids (Glossy, Rats and Bulls) will be
just as each other.

I'm regretting now relocating the Rat Snakes that I had here!
I trapped them and gave them away because they were killing my
baby pigeons! That is when the rat problem started... sigh And
since the rats kill baby pigeons too, I'm still in the same boat. :-(

Seems I just can't win.

I'd be interested in re-introducing a smaller snake that would not go
for birds?

All of them will eat baby birds but rodents are preferred prey. The
Rat snake is probably your best bet - I think it is the smallest of
the three (I don't have my reference guide handy, or I would look it
up!).


I currently have a blue racer that eats my grasshoppers. :-) Funny, I
was having a problem with 'hoppers eating plants until this snake
appeared. He's been here now for abut 3 years and I see him/her from
time to time. I tried to capture it initially as that species also tends
to eat lizards and frogs, and I have a very nice population of med'
geckos and toads. (I'm very much into natural control/organic gardening
without the use or minimal use of pesticides).

When I finally managed to catch the snake one day, it had a very, very
large grasshopper in it's teeth so I told the snake that if it was
willing to eat 'hoppers, it could live here, then I tossed it back into
the garden! G

Racers are meaner than all get out! I'm surprised you could catch it.
They are also one of the most diverse in their predatory behavoirs -
they will eat almost anything.


So, I more than welcome beneficial snakes here. I have no fear of them...

Seriously, I'd establish some Rats or Glossys. They are less likely
to eat the birds than the rats. Sounds like you have a cool property!

-L.

On Sun, 28 Dec 2003 21:59:15 GMT, Mark Thorson
wrote:

Nancree wrote:

Mice also love gumdrops. Honestly! I read this tip years ago. They seem to
like the color and taste. The advantage is that the gumdrops last. They don't
dry up and fall off like cheese.

In my experience, Resse's Peanut Butter Cups are beloved
as trap bait by both rats and mice.

Unfortunately, squirrels seem not to care for them a bit.
Still working on that squirrel in my attic.

my dad had a raccoon in the attic. the exterminator told him, 'well
you got to watch where they come in and out.'

dad says, 'how can i watch them? they're nocturnal'

the exterminator says, 'i know they're not. but you got to watch them
anyway.'

your pal,
blake

On Mon, 29 Dec 2003 01:03:21 -0600, "jmcquown"
wrote:

It's not like... oh wait...
are you one of those people who believe cats suck the breath out of babies?!

Jill

hell, adults too.

your pal,
blake

jmcquown wrote:


I had a mouse problem when they started digging up the field across the
street to build some houses. True, your regular mouse trap is a tad messy.
And after hearing the thing snap shut and emptying it about 6 times in an
hour I decided perhaps poison bait would be better. Put it well behind the
refrigerator so as not to allow the pets access. They ate it, gluttons that
they are, then wandered off to wherever they go when you can't find them and
were not seen or heard from again.

Living in the country, we get mouse problems every winter when the mice decide
to find warmer quarters. I never found traps to be much use. We catch a few but
that does not get rid of the problem. Rodent bait seems to be much more
effective.

I keep meaning to try something that I heard on the radio. Leave pieces of
Juicy Fruit Gum for them. Mice and rats will not eat mint, and Juicy Fruit has
no mint in it. The rodents will go for it because it is sweet. They cannot
digest it and it clocks up their intestines and they die. It sounds like a
cheap solution to a rodent problem.

In article ,
blake murphy wrote:

On Mon, 29 Dec 2003 01:03:21 -0600, "jmcquown"
wrote:

It's not like... oh wait...
are you one of those people who believe cats suck the breath out of babies?!

Jill

hell, adults too.

your pal,
blake

Especially when they pounce on your stomach in the middle of the night...

Oof! ;-D

K.

--
,,Cat's Haven Hobby ,,
http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...user id=katra

On Fri, 02 Jan 2004 18:11:38 -0500, Dave Smith
wrote:


I keep meaning to try something that I heard on the radio. Leave pieces of
Juicy Fruit Gum for them. Mice and rats will not eat mint, and Juicy Fruit has
no mint in it. The rodents will go for it because it is sweet. They cannot
digest it and it clocks up their intestines and they die. It sounds like a
cheap solution to a rodent problem.


IOW: Rodents will be constipated to death? That'll put a
damper on people buying it for human consumption! S



Practice safe eating - always use condiments

On Fri, 02 Jan 2004 18:11:38 -0500, Dave Smith
wrote:

jmcquown wrote:


I had a mouse problem when they started digging up the field across the
street to build some houses. True, your regular mouse trap is a tad messy.
And after hearing the thing snap shut and emptying it about 6 times in an
hour I decided perhaps poison bait would be better. Put it well behind the
refrigerator so as not to allow the pets access. They ate it, gluttons that
they are, then wandered off to wherever they go when you can't find them and
were not seen or heard from again.

Living in the country, we get mouse problems every winter when the mice decide
to find warmer quarters. I never found traps to be much use. We catch a few but
that does not get rid of the problem. Rodent bait seems to be much more
effective.

I keep meaning to try something that I heard on the radio. Leave pieces of
Juicy Fruit Gum for them. Mice and rats will not eat mint, and Juicy Fruit has
no mint in it. The rodents will go for it because it is sweet. They cannot
digest it and it clocks up their intestines and they die. It sounds like a
cheap solution to a rodent problem.


Sounds like a Smelly rodent problem if they go off and die inside the
house in some unreachable spot. Call an exterminator or get a
[mouser-type] cat.

Harry