Mice Problems costing alot

11 years ago

I have been growing tomatos on 1400Ha a year i grow tomatos for 2 seasons then rotate to conola or wheat crop.
I have been getting mice damage to my under ground drip tape due to mice.
I use Lorsban and Strike Out for bug's but it doesnt do anything for the mice.
This problem is now costing me 100K+ a year now to replace eaten drip tape, so was wondering if anyone knew of a fix to help me with my mice problem but is also safe to be out of the ground for the cerial to be safe and the next season tomatos to be safe for human consumption.
Also would prefer if it was a liquid form unlike mouse-out that is pelete form i would rather spread the liquid thru my pump and drip tape to the end of wheat season before i start to dry out for harvest.

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Comments (10)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
11 years ago
am i understanding that you have 3400 acres.. and you are asking farming advice here ?? .. is there a farm forum???? .. and dont get me wrong.. i am not suggesting you can NOT ask here ...

what does your local farm bureau suggest??? [or whatever it is called in AU??]

and i am surprised your tape seller doesnt have suggestions ... [i am sure he would love to sell you more expensive tape.. lol] ...

all i do know is.. in severe heat and drought... the rodents do do a lot of damage trying to get water ... to my above ground tape ... but i can control such with a few traps ... i am stymied with the concept of dealing with it on your size of farm ...

wow.. brain storm?? .. i wonder what would happen.. if you provided an area with water by sprinkler.. so that they would have access to such .. w/o chewing thru your tape... and if they were attracted to that area ..... could you then deal with them in a more localized area ???? [its the shear size of the acreage.. that really defeats most attempts to control them.. isnt it]

i wish you luck

ken
Suzi AKA DesertDance So CA Zone 9b
11 years ago
Moth balls can deter mice, but you'd need a lot of them! There is something called a rodenator that blasts through the tunnels of gophers and blows them sky high, but doubtful it would work for mice.
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rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
11 years ago
Tomatoboy, you are getting some terrible suggestions, lol. But ken did make a good point......THIS is not the place to find solutions to this problem. You're going to have to bite the bullet and find some professional help.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
11 years ago
what???

you didnt like my idea.. of giving them water.. so they quite chewing the expensive drip tape..

i though it was a stroke of genius.. and now you are telling me.. it was .. just a stroke.. lol ...

just joking around..

ken
tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱
11 years ago
Actually Ken, I thought your idea was genius...at first. Then I thought about the plagues of mice Australia gets and thought, nope. Don't want to feed and water them or you'll get what's at the link. Professional help is best although I am partial to barn owls...

tj

Here is a link that might be useful: Eeek!
tomatoboy123
Original Author
11 years ago
Sorry about posting in wrong forum just need help, and getting about 4000+ bite holes per 100 Ha, and i cant use a sprikler system because then we cant put a header into the crop to havest becuase it will sink
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
11 years ago
I would hope that you would be able to find the kind of assistance in this matter, from a source better able to solve problems for the large grower.

What a disaster!
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
11 years ago
what natural predator has disappeared ???

i dont think you need apologize.. we are willing to talk about it.. i think the hesitation is the scope of your farm.. and the problem.. is way outside our usual fare ...

what if you rotated your crop to something they dont like.. though i doubt there is anything they will NOT adapt to ....

and i doubt letting it lie fallow for a year.. and tilling it once a month is profitable .... [disturbing their life cycle ....]..

lets see.. the population has exploded ... because the situation is conducive to an extremely large population ... and for some reason.. the natural predators have fallen ... and you need to interject yourself into that equation ... to make the population fall ...

i am stumped ...

BTW.. are you the only one in the area with this problem..

ken
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
11 years ago
Ken....they are damaging the drip lines (for water), not the plants. It's a common problem with drip irrigation.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
11 years ago
rhiz..

i run 3/4 of a mile of drip lines .. I KNOW WHAT HIS PROBLEM IS ..

its maddening.. in august.. to be walking my hosta beds .. in shorts.. and have a fine jet of 55 degree water.. shoot up my shorts.. to say the least.. its exhilarating ... lol ...

a few fine mist geysers are not a pressure problem.. and i have found.. if i fix all immediately.. new holes are bitten the next night ..... but if i leave one or two ... minor ones.. no new bites are made ....

and enough bites.. and i lose pressure on the line.. and the bed does not water properly ... throughout ...

i once had a nightmare scenario in one small area ... hole after hole.. after hole.. i ended up trapping 2 chipmonks ... i figured there were hundreds of them.. but apparently.. the hyperactive little SOB's just liked messing with me ...

OP.. have you considered learning the pan pipes.. and trying the whole pied piper thing??? ... who knows.. might work.. the only question is.. where would you lead them ...

ken

Mice Problems costing alot

Comments (10)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

Suzi AKA DesertDance So CA Zone 9b

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tomatoboy123
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rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

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Mice Problems costing alot

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