…… Mouse poison question

[Cag3db1rd]

I've mentioned I have mice. I try not to leave anything out for it to eat, but I don't live alone.

A girl heard me grousing about the little buggers today. She suggested I use Mouse X bait. I said I couldn't due to pets and livestock. She was adamant that it was safe, and that it only affects rodents.

Well, I fot to Lowes to buy it, and chickened out. I got snap traps instead. They are loaded with peanut butter and deployed in strategic locations.

My question is has anyone used Mouse X or Rat X, and what is your opinion?

 

[school marm]

You might consider using instant potato flakes to kill mice. Totally safe for children and pets. The potato flakes swell in the mouse's stomach, rupturing it. I have used instant potato flakes a few times to kill mice. Of course, I have no proof that the mice were actually killed. I just know that after sprinkling the potato flakes around, the mice quickly disappeared.

Seven Really Diverse Ways to Use Instant Potato Flakes

 

[Salal Sue]

After dealing with the YUK of traps and poison we got two kittens. They are now a year old and not only love their job but have become expert mousers. No longer need a litter box as they have access to outdoors. These year old cats now also volunteer their talents to reduce Covid stress with cuddle and purr sessions.... so far its all good.

 

[kyrsyan]

I have not used the poison. What I have done is buy the large glue traps in bulk on Amazon. I laid them out very generously in the areas I knew mice were fond of. That pretty much handled the problem when flooding rains caused the "family" to all come running in at once.
Now I have a mouser kit that I inherited when a relative passed. She has decided that she is an indoor kit, which is fine by me. And she has a hunter instinct which currently come out with anything she decides is a toy. And one mouse she found at a point.
Normally early spring and late fall are my problem times. And so far, fingers crossed, this year it's been clear.

 

[Illini Warrior]

you also might want to go on a hole plugging expedition - see if you can cut down on the mouse infiltration >>> there's expanding foam now that inhibits their urge to chew thru to re-open the entrance .....

 

[zookeeper9]

We have dogs and cats and use the Mouse X with no issue. It binds specifically with the mouses gut to cause dehydration.

 

[Cag3db1rd]

The snap traps got 3 lil buggers already. Cleaned out and reset. 1 mouse survived, but I'm sure it is a matter of time b4 it succumbs to its wounds. In the meantime, it's in a gallon jar with a perforated lid. Toot is having fun watching it. I warned him it wilk die. He seems okay with it.

 

[John Deere Girl]

I use Tom Cat bars. We have livestock, cats, dogs and small children. I only place it in the basement and crawl space. I've never had an issue with it. It wipes out any mice in a few days. I buy the buckets off Amazon. I hate mice.

 

[summerthyme]

I use Tom Cat bars. We have livestock, cats, dogs and small children. I only place it in the basement and crawl space. I've never had an issue with it. It wipes out any mice in a few days. I buy the buckets off Amazon. I hate mice.

That's what we used for decades. Then, one summer about 6 years ago, we lost every barn cat to second hand poison! I have NO idea what changed... the cats never before would touch a rodent that was acting "off", but they *all* apparently did that year :-(

For closing up holes (they can get through a hole the size of a dime!), we used steel wool plus Great Stuff foam... stuff the steel wool into the opening somewhat loosely, then foam over it. They won't chew through it.

Also, if you plant peppermint around the perimeter of a building, you'll prevent most of the infestation... they hate the stuff! Cotton balls soaked in peppermint oil tucked in corners around foor storage areas, etc, also work.

Summerthyme

 

[Peanut]

Agree...Mouse X is the way to go. As stated above it causes them to dehydrate, which also means it doesn't smell to high heaven in the walls! Completely safe for pets.

 

[John Deere Girl]

That's what we used for decades. Then, one summer about 6 years ago, we lost every barn cat to second hand poison! I have NO idea what changed... the cats never before would touch a rodent that was acting "off", but they *all* apparently did that year :-(

For closing up holes (they can get through a hole the size of a dime!), we used steel wool plus Great Stuff foam... stuff the steel wool into the opening somewhat loosely, then foam over it. They won't chew through it.

Also, if you plant peppermint around the perimeter of a building, you'll prevent most of the infestation... they hate the stuff! Cotton balls soaked in peppermint oil tucked in corners around foor storage areas, etc, also work.

Summerthyme

All of our cats except for one are barn cats. Maybe that's why I'm not having issues with second hand poisoning, and our house cat and dogs aren't allowed in the basement. I will definitely try the peppermint around house. I haven't seen or heard mice recently, and I hope I don't. Nasty little things!

 

[SouthernBreeze]

LOL. I just finished dropping cotton ball bombs soaked in peppermint oil all around in my pantry room! Man, I learn something new here every day!

 

[summerthyme]

All of our cats except for one are barn cats. Maybe that's why I'm not having issues with second hand poisoning, and our house cat and dogs aren't allowed in the basement. I will definitely try the peppermint around house. I haven't seen or heard mice recently, and I hope I don't. Nasty little things!

LOL. I just finished dropping cotton ball bombs soaked in peppermint oil all around in my pantry room! Man, I learn something new here every day!

Yep, it's pretty cool! The old timers would get together in a rat infested barn, and drop "peppermint bombs* knife way of putting it!) Into the various tunnels and holes. That would drive the vermin out into thr open, where the rat terriers and teenage boys with clubs would finish them off.

We had an old (1830s) barn where rats took over... they had tunnels under the concrete, in all the walls, etc. There were so many they were mutating! We had long haired rats, pinto rats, a couple jet black ones... it was nuts! We poisoned them...ugh, it stunk for weeks! But we also planted a strong strain of black peppermint (transplanted from patches near our pond and creek) around the entire perimeter. I was shocked (and very happy!) when they didn't move in from the fields that fall. It stayed mostly rodent free, despite tons of grain in the bin and chicken pens.

Summerthyme

 

[SouthernBreeze]

Yep, it's pretty cool! The old timers would get together in a rat infested barn, and drop "peppermint bombs* knife way of putting it!) Into the various tunnels and holes. That would drive the vermin out into thr open, where the rat terriers and teenage boys with clubs would finish them off.

We had an old (1830s) barn where rats took over... they had tunnels under the concrete, in all the walls, etc. There were so many they were mutating! We had long haired rats, pinto rats, a couple jet black ones... it was nuts! We poisoned them...ugh, it stunk for weeks! But we also planted a strong strain of black peppermint (transplanted from patches near our pond and creek) around the entire perimeter. I was shocked (and very happy!) when they didn't move in from the fields that fall. It stayed mostly rodent free, despite tons of grain in the bin and chicken pens.

Summerthyme

I haven't seen any signs of mice here but went ahead and dropped the bombs just to make sure. This time of year, they are usually looking for a place to den up for the winter. I think I might plant some peppermint next to the back and front doors next spring. I've got plenty of seed, and it won't hurt if it spreads there.

You've just been a wealth of info, today, Summerthyme! Thank You!

 

[SammiP]

Added peppermint oil to my shopping list. They are nuts here in my chicken coop this year despite some excellent outdoor cats.

45 minutes later... Ok, you all are a bad influence (or good, the jury is still out)! I did a little reading and found that eucalyptus oil is also used for this. That one I have on hand. My chickens are very confused. I stuffed eucalyptus cotton ball bombs in the holes and covered them up. Hopefully the uninvited rodent visitors will go out where the cats can reach them. I'll still get the peppermint oil, and add that to the mix tomorrow.

 

[bartp40]

Mix baking soda and cornbread mix.
Mice and rats can not fart. It kills them.
There are videos describing it on YouTube.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

Added peppermint oil to my shopping list. They are nuts here in my chicken coop this year despite some excellent outdoor cats.

45 minutes later... Ok, you all are a bad influence (or good, the jury is still out)! I did a little reading and found that eucalyptus oil is also used for this. That one I have on hand. My chickens are very confused. I stuffed eucalyptus cotton ball bombs in the holes and covered them up. Hopefully the uninvited rodent visitors will go out where the cats can reach them. I'll still get the peppermint oil, and add that to the mix tomorrow.

That's good to know about the eucalyptus oil. I have plenty of that on hand, too. Seems I also have read that peppermint oil will drive away pantry moths, too. Dual purpose for that in the pantry if true.

 

[L.A.B.]

Early one 00:-dark-30 morning, when only mice, cat-burglar’s, and logistics guy’s are calling it a day and the next morning, a wayward mouse made it into the abode.

As I leaned against the kitchen countertop the mousy little intruder saw an opportunistic moment to use my flannel shirt as an expedient ladder to the floor, with a bee-line under the fridge. SOAB!

Now I had to covertly clean the countertops without upsetting my germaphobe wife who I concur with, but didn’t want to trigger.

A couple days went by until my wife did the girly mouse scream! It triggered my reactive G-32 mindset… but wait. Intuition intervened. I bet it was a mouse! BINGO! Or (((PINGO))).

My wife wanted to poison inside and out. No I said, we have wildlife that include mice and rabbit on the menu to Hawks, owls, feral cats. Then there are our 18 month old and 4-year old neighbors that forage for fun. Besides. There is nothing as satisfying as being alerted by the snapping trap that just broke the offending mouse-or rats neck. Then retrieving the secured trap, staring past the dark sheen of those beady eyes to say, “didn’t I tell you this wouldn’t end well for you.”

If they sold little-mice blindfolds and last cigarettes with the trap, I’d still op for almond butter over peanut butter for a last meal. I mean come on man…. You know that thing… Hummus…. No… No… I meant humane!

My vote for traps.

 

[SammiP]

Early one 00:-dark-30 morning, when only mice, cat-burglar’s, and logistics guy’s are calling it a day and the next morning, a wayward mouse made it into the abode.

As I leaned against the kitchen countertop the mousy little intruder saw an opportunistic moment to use my flannel shirt as an expedient ladder to the floor, with a bee-line under the fridge. SOAB!

Now I had to covertly clean the countertops without upsetting my germaphobe wife who I concur with, but didn’t want to trigger.

A couple days went by until my wife did the girly mouse scream! It triggered my reactive G-32 mindset… but wait. Intuition intervened. I bet it was a mouse! BINGO! Or (((PINGO))).

My wife wanted to poison inside and out. No I said, we have wildlife that include mice and rabbit on the menu. Hawks, owls, feral cats, and then our 18 month old and 4-year old neighbors. Besides. There is nothing as satisfying as being alerted by the snapping trap that just broke the offending parties neck. Then retrieving the secured trap, staring past the dark sheen of those beady eyes to say, “didn’t I tell you this wouldn’t end well for you.”

If they sold little-mice blindfolds and last cigarettes with the trap, I’d still op for almond butter over peanut butter for a last meal. I mean come on man…. You know that thing… Hummus…. No… No… I meant humane!

My vote for traps.

I'd love to use traps! You explain to my chickens to leave them alone though!!! And I get the rights to the video!

 

[raven]

Multi mouse trap ~ $20 ~ Walmart
Use peanut butter. Catches multiple mice at a time. Drop it in a bucket of water to dispatch mice.
Reusable.
(you could put a glue board in it but where's the fun in that?)

 

[WanderLore]

Mix baking soda and cornbread mix.
Mice and rats can not fart. It kills them.
There are videos describing it on YouTube.

This. Works great. I have the little bowls everywhere. Moth balls too.

 

[L.A.B.]

I'd love to use traps! You explain to my chickens to leave them alone though!!! And I get the rights to the video!

I recommend a underfed cat that identifies as a chicken. Pretty sure pet stores in San Francisco and L.A. cater to that market.

 

[Barry Natchitoches]

Mix baking soda and cornbread mix.
Mice and rats can not fart. It kills them.
There are videos describing it on YouTube.

You can put out shallow saucers of fresh cola or other carbonated beverages, to do the same thing.

The mice are attracted to the sweet taste, and they drink it.

The carbonation works inside of them, but they cannot fart it out.

Bye, bye mousey...

 

[Barry Natchitoches]

Multi mouse trap ~ $20 ~ Walmart
Use peanut butter. Catches multiple mice at a time. Drop it in a bucket of water to dispatch mice.
Reusable.
(you could put a glue board in it but where's the fun in that?)
View attachment 359088

These work extremely well - the only thing I know of that is safe inside the chicken coop.

Only problem - after I catch them in the trap, I feel it is my duty to give them impromtu swimming lessons.

So I place the trap - mice enclosed within - into a bucket of water, and leave them for a few minutes.

The problem is that it turns out, they are not good swimmers, trapped inside that metal box. I have not had one mouse yet that passed that swimming class!

 

[Kathy in FL]

That's what we used for decades. Then, one summer about 6 years ago, we lost every barn cat to second hand poison! I have NO idea what changed... the cats never before would touch a rodent that was acting "off", but they *all* apparently did that year :-(

For closing up holes (they can get through a hole the size of a dime!), we used steel wool plus Great Stuff foam... stuff the steel wool into the opening somewhat loosely, then foam over it. They won't chew through it.

Also, if you plant peppermint around the perimeter of a building, you'll prevent most of the infestation... they hate the stuff! Cotton balls soaked in peppermint oil tucked in corners around foor storage areas, etc, also work.

Summerthyme

They make spray foam with stuff imbedded in it specifically for rodent control.

 

[raven]

These work extremely well - the only thing I know of that is safe inside the chicken coop.

Only problem - after I catch them in the trap, I feel it is my duty to give them impromtu swimming lessons.

So I place the trap - mice enclosed within - into a bucket of water, and leave them for a few minutes.

The problem is that it turns out, they are not good swimmers, trapped inside that metal box. I have not had one mouse yet that passed that swimming class!

You can do something similar for snakes in the chicken coop.
Get a smallish minnow trap, the kind with the cone entry on both ends.
Put a couple eggs in the trap and put it along a snake run.

Catch a snake. The trap protects you from any bites. Drop it in a bucket to kill the snake.
There are several You Tubes on it.
If you are handy, you can make one out of 1/4 hardware cloth but making the cones on the end is a hassle.
Almost as cheap to just buy the minnow trap.

 

[Cag3db1rd]

Early one 00:-dark-30 morning, when only mice, cat-burglar’s, and logistics guy’s are calling it a day and the next morning, a wayward mouse made it into the abode.

As I leaned against the kitchen countertop the mousy little intruder saw an opportunistic moment to use my flannel shirt as an expedient ladder to the floor, with a bee-line under the fridge. SOAB!

Now I had to covertly clean the countertops without upsetting my germaphobe wife who I concur with, but didn’t want to trigger.

A couple days went by until my wife did the girly mouse scream! It triggered my reactive G-32 mindset… but wait. Intuition intervened. I bet it was a mouse! BINGO! Or (((PINGO))).

My wife wanted to poison inside and out. No I said, we have wildlife that include mice and rabbit on the menu to Hawks, owls, feral cats. Then there are our 18 month old and 4-year old neighbors that forage for fun. Besides. There is nothing as satisfying as being alerted by the snapping trap that just broke the offending mouse-or rats neck. Then retrieving the secured trap, staring past the dark sheen of those beady eyes to say, “didn’t I tell you this wouldn’t end well for you.”

If they sold little-mice blindfolds and last cigarettes with the trap, I’d still op for almond butter over peanut butter for a last meal. I mean come on man…. You know that thing… Hummus…. No… No… I meant humane!

My vote for traps.

Peanut butter I have. The good stuff without sugar, too.

You can put out shallow saucers of fresh cola or other carbonated beverages, to do the same thing.

The mice are attracted to the sweet taste, and they drink it.

The carbonation works inside of them, but they cannot fart it out.

Bye, bye mousey...

Doesn't it go flat?

I wonder how they like Pop Rocks...

 

[winston]

don't know if it's been mentioned (haven't red all the posts) but the bucket of water trick seems the safest, and very effective. try Duck-Duck-Go search

 

[Salal Sue]

Seconding my own post for cats, not traps. We started our littermate brothers out as eight week old kittens.They were one year old last month. Our former horrible rodent problem cost a lot financially for poison, glue traps, plug in ultrasound devices, and specialized traps...we even had to tear out the iinsulation in the basement ceiling to remove a village of rodent condos.THEN THE SMELL! GAG! Air fresheners do not help much.

Cats are multipurpose; companions, entertainment, stress relief...a lap full of purring cat is a natural relaxer. Now, having cleared the house the cats have declared nocturnal war on rodents who thought our large outdoor patio a perfect playground. My husband, who does dead mouse patio patrol, recently threw SEVEN DEAD MICE over the fence.

Then there is versatility. One of the cats should have been named “Spidercat” as he stalks and eats spiders as well as rodents. Ask a trap to do that! His brother stalks and eats moths. They are naturally little cannibals as they have free choice “dry cat food” (quoting the advertisement and hence my cannibal label) and once a day a can of wet food.Guess there is nothing like fresh mice with a side of fresh moth wing and spider legs! Yes, there is an entertainment factor!

 

[Cag3db1rd]

my two old cats just can't do it anymore. They lay around and age some more. My pit bull, however, is a mousing machine - when she is outside, but that isn't a constant. Just about any terrier should be a good mouser because that is what terriers were originally bred for.

 

[Millwright]

Glue boards, bucket traps, electronic (zapper) traps, snap traps....get the full arsenal.

Any of them seem to be avoided after a little while.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

Cary just got his Jeep out of the shop, because mice ate the speedometer wire into. Now, he has put mouse poison underneath the hood of both vehicles. I'm scared that some will eventually fall to the ground, and our dog will get it. What else can we do to keep the mice away? He says that he's got it situated to where none will fall out, but I'm still concerned.