Meese!

So what are they attracted to that you have? Anything? Or are they just outside and you see them? Close up any holes and not worry?

Has it been a rainier than usual year? Populations tend to go up then.

Are they really mice or they those cute little woodrats that look a like like mice, but aren't?

After taking a laissez-faire attitude that I came to regret, I adopted a zero tolerance policy for rodents around the house - inside and out. The thing is, they reproduce prolifically. A few becomes a swarm in a short period of time.

Making sure all possible holes are tightly plugged is a good start. Including in the garage. Mice and rats can get through very small openings, don't assume anything where there's a gap. There is gap sealing foam you can buy to seal holes.

Poison can be effective but using it presents a danger to cats, birds, and other animals. Well set and baited traps are also effective but require hands-on intervention. We use traps, have about a dozen scattered around, away from possible contact with our dog . All are set and maintained by a pest control service who come monthly EXCEPT when I call them when an odor suggests their presence is needed more immediately. Yes, I'm a wuss, but we're rodent free.

PLEASE don't use poison. As I've said before, I watched a juvenile hawk that I'd watch fledge out of a nearby nest die a horrible death in a neighbor's driveway; it was obvious s/he had eaten poison or prey that had been poisoned.

Mice and rats, when sickened by poison, leaves their 'home' site t0 die. Cats and other 'hunters' also sicken and often die after eating these poisoned rodents. (From personal experience of neighbor who lived 1/4 mile away and put out poison when his sheep barn became infested with mice and rats.)

Keeping cats and/or dogs in your yard does wonders for keeping the rodent population in check. The rodents will find that your yard is an unfriendly place to have a home and will make their home outside your yard.

A mouse with a long nose and face like that of a mole (he's a vole) is active all winter. They like to make their den in the ground next to basement walls. If the basement wall faces heated space on the inside, its even more desirable. voles are the critters who tunnels under the snow to reach fallen seed from bird feeders, They also tunnel in the top layer of sod feeding on shoots and grass roots. If a hawk or owl spots the tunneling activity, they can make short work of the mouse. Maybe that's why voles like to tunnel during the darker parts of a day.

I was thinking of some kind of deterrent spray around the base of the house -- something like coyote urine. (Did I just make that one up?)

We've used mouse bait in our attic a couple of times since moving here. Effective. Haven't had odors.

We're a little short of rain here. (Well, not today, since my mind-of-its-own irrigation system ran two cycles, back to back last night.) There's a perfectly nice creek beside our property; let these varmints go live THERE!

If you have an attached garage, do not leave the door open any longer than you have to, as they will come in to the garage and eventually into your home. I just use a good old wooden mouse trap. I am not afraid to set them or empty them.

Sue

I wish a coyote would volunteer to come eat the mice! (Cut out the other part.)

I'm thinking now if there is a way to keep the mice from entering the house, climbing up through the walls, ending up in the attic...where we will have to leave bait to kill them.

I can loan you some of my barn cats. They will take care of your mice or anything else that moves outside real fast. We have lived on this farm for almost 19 years & have never seen a mouse or rat that was not dead. Good luck.

I keep wanting to get a bobcat. They're so pretty. And they'd eat my moles. Situation solved! I could loan him to you if I get one

;)

chisue I've never tried coyote urine. but mountain lion doesn't work.....and....we have those ....and... coyotes. :0) They have ones that make noise. I've heard people swear those work.

Like Elmer said, we plugged holes around the foundation with colored hot mud and put screens over exhaust vents/fresh air vents. They still got in the flooring. When I was downstairs I could hear them in the ceiling. Then discovered if we walked the cat around the exterior of the house on his leash......he showed a great amount of interest in spots we'd missed.

No more mice inside and the cat takes care of any outdoors.

There are bobcats, coyotes, etc. in our area, but I haven't seen/heard any since our self-important alderman (!) went around shooting the coyotes in the pre-dawn hours a couple of years ago. (BLAM! BLAM!) Maybe I could get word to them that he's moved across town?

When we moved here almost 16 years ago there was more vacant land. We had more wildlife -- more deer, coyotes, ducks, snapping turtles, raccoons, skunks, even an owl from time to time.

In the past, I have had several people suggest Peppermint oil for repelling mice.

Especially people who use the Essential oils.

Here's a link -- but I'm sure there is more info out there on it. Peppermint oil

I'd be happy to give you the rattlesnake that's living under the steps at our vacation home in upstate PA. The only mouse we've seen this year was the dead one laying next to the steps - I guess he was saving it for a midnight snack.

A rattlesnake in Pa. I thought there were none in Pa

The timber rattler is found in Pa. and is protected, I think.

Never ever use poison. Three adorable baby ospreys were killed this year when the mother ate poison. She was sick but recovered to raise the only chick left out of the four eggs. Horrible to watch on the live cam.

adellabedella said, " those cute little wood rats that look a like like mice".... EEK! Hadda go look at these. Considering they are RATS, still are a little "cute"... a stretch!

Another HELL NO vote for poison! No doubt it does work but claims a lot of innocent victims along the way. It's just as attractive to a dog as a mouse/rat. The intended targets are briefly mobile poison bombs scurrying around for pets and animals who naturally help keep that population under control.

Chisue, when you say you'll use bait, you understand that is poison, right? The mice/rats eat it then begin a desperate search for water, sending them outside to be eaten, usually by birds of prey.

Hmm...maybe the oil? I've heard that spiders don't like citrus, but knew nothing about peppermint oil.

Sigh. I guess I'll have to call an exterminator about any treatment. Neither DH nor I can crawl around the exterior of our house looking for 'ways in'.

sjerin -- We find dead mice IN the attic after baiting. I didn't think they could get out -- just crawl UP and in between walls. I guess mousetraps would be better. Multiple traps.

Thanks, all!