Best way to eliminate/repel mice from entering a home?

[02supercrew]

Hey all,

I've got a bit of a problem that has recently arised with the relocation of my family and house to the area of my new job.

I have a 2005 16x80 single wide MH that I bought last year.

After relocating and reskirting my house with cement board, I have noticed that I've got a real problem with field mice under the house (they're crawling under the skirting to gain access). Thankfully I have not seen or heard them in the house, but I know it's only a matter of time, and I need to act fast.

I've already tossed several bricks of mouse poison under the house, 16 to be exact.

I have no desire to trap the little buggers so I'm looking for long term prevention alternatives to keep them out of my house.

I've read that oil of peppermint and moth balls work really well. I'm not sure I want to smell either one all that much however. Is the smell that bad?

What about those electronic pest repelants? Are they just a gimmick?

Any other suggestions?

Thanks all!

 

[Al]

#1. Cat
#2. Exterminator. They have more potent stuff. They have grain poison. Problem with the bricks and other stuff is that once the ants find them the mice won't eat the stuff. You might be able to get poison grain at a farm supply store. Also there is the bait in small paper containers. Mice cant get to it until at lease one mouse eats it. But can't say I personally have used one.

Check on the internet.

 

[brian fix]

I have four cats with claws,3 males and a female,one male is around 30#,part north american bobcat and manx,friendly,I have NO mice,bugs etc,,get yourself a couple of cats,it will take a little time till the problem is cleared up,poision is a no no with kids etc dogs,,cats work and they are great pets when they want.BL

 

[buster]

Cat.

 

[MarkC]

Snakes or ferrets.
Moth balls work okay.

 

[simple_gifts]

anyone have experience using an ultrasonic rodent repellor?

 

[Silk]

We onced lived in a big old farm house - when winter came the mice came inside,we were inundated,they were just everywhere.The was no way to control them by trapping and poison - so we got a ginger tom.On his first day on the job he caught 12 mice and one rat,then settled down to a steady maintanence program.They won't live there if they know a cat does too.

 

[02supercrew]

Thanks for all of the replies.

Unfortunately for me, Cats aren't a solution indoors or outdoors.

 

[Sepultura]

maybe rig up some sort of electrical shock thing like an electric fence only on a smaller scale under the house, i dunno....but then you might be smelling dead mice.

it sounds like cats are the best solution, i dunno man....i would hate to have that problem.

edit - those electronic frequency repeller things are a gimmick i have heard.

 

[Ron Jeremy]

If the poison isn't working, definitely go with an exterminator. If they get in the walls (and everywhere else), the cost, damage and health risk is not something to toy with.

 

[Flimflam]

quote:

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Originally posted by Silk:
We onced lived in a big old farm house - when winter came the mice came inside,we were inundated,they were just everywhere.The was no way to control them by trapping and poison - so we got a ginger tom.On his first day on the job he caught 12 mice and one rat,then settled down to a steady maintanence program.They won't live there if they know a cat does too.

---

Man, you gotta love those ginger toms. They are Killers. I lived in this apartment complex once, it was a real mess, leaky roofs and every now and then uncollected garbage. But we never saw a single [live] rat, ant or cockroach. It was uncanny.

The ants and cockroaches I don't know, but I am fairly certain the house ginger tom took care of the rats. That cat was totally ferocious with rats, but just wonderful with people and kids. He was worth every tray of "li'l fishies" Cat Cookies we gave him as tips.

 

[Sepultura]

02supercrew - I was thumbing through a magazine while on the john and saw some mouse traps in there and thought of your situation, yeah, I thought of you on the john... anyway it's from this place called Tek Supply and they had these larger metal traps that hold like 10 to 15 mice, check em out if you get a chance, they are real cheap too but I'm not sure how effective they are

http://www.teksupply.com/

just search for mouse trap

they even have this glue stuff in gallon buckets that is supposed to be super mega sticky, enough to hold a mouse in place for pretty cheap.

 

[jsharp]

quote:

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Originally posted by 02supercrew:
Thanks for all of the replies.

Unfortunately for me, Cats aren't a solution indoors or outdoors.

---

They're only semi effective anyway. My 4 outside cats are deadly with rodents. They are constantly killing them. But they were raised outside.

The inside 3 cats are worthless for this. Any time there's a mouse somewhere they go crazy and do their best to get it, only to play with it for a while and get bored if they do manage.

It's like any other defense. A layered approach is best. Sealing the house, not having things around to attract them, traps, poison, cats, etc. The more you do the better the defense...

 

[Clyde65]

quote:

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Originally posted by 02supercrew:
Thanks for all of the replies.

Unfortunately for me, Cats aren't a solution indoors or outdoors.

---

Are you one of those people who doesn't like cats? If that's the case, then I hope all the mice in the whole world move in with you. I hope they crawl in bed with you.

 

[02supercrew]

quote:

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Originally posted by Clyde65:

quote:

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Originally posted by 02supercrew:
Thanks for all of the replies.

Unfortunately for me, Cats aren't a solution indoors or outdoors.

---

Are you one of those people who doesn't like cats? If that's the case, then I hope all the mice in the whole world move in with you. I hope they crawl in bed with you.

---

My 16 mo. old daugther has a real allergy problem around cats.

Thanks for the well wishes however.

 

[Master ACiD]

i had mice at my place when i first moved in. something the realator and previous owner leglected to tell me. i used a electric heating mosquito fogger and fogged the heck out of my place for 30 mins a day every day for a week.

thats some nasty stuff. the mice would come choking out from under the house. id run up and stomp them.

after a week no more mice came out.

 

[Bob Woods]

Camphor is a rodent repellent, hard to find. It used to be sold at feed stores in fist sized blocks.

 

[02supercrew]

What about barriers like a moisture/weed barrier and river rock and the such around the base of my house?

I realize that they would/could still find thier way in, but wouldn't it make it more difficult?

 

[GROUCHO MARX]

"I hate mieces to pieces"

 

[Clyde65]

Originally posted by 02supercrew:

quote:

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My 16 mo. old daugther has a real allergy problem around cats.

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The above statement is understandable; however, your first statement made you sound like a person who doesn't like cats. I would think that harsh chemicals would be more harmful to young children than cats are. Something for you to consider.