Mice !!!

[Snicker Bar]

The Teenies ( two flyers) have been enjoying their freedom at night. I first only allowed maybe an hour or so of freedom with their cage doors open in our extra large bathroom (figured safest, easiest to clean etc.) I had thought , the little poos and food debri was only from the two flyer Teenies. I was also relieved to see signs of Henry’s Block consumption every AM when cleaning off the feeding station; once again, assuming the babies were finally eating healthy choices!
So this morning, I went to close their cage up, and clean the chocolate sprinkles and food leftovers, only to find not one, but THREE mice scattering from the cage! The cat was not fast enough.... these, and who knows how many more squatters have discovered a Flyer drive through buffet! I’m currently stopping up every nook, cranny and crevice I can possibly fine.
Just asking, do others have this problem?? What do you do?? The cats would gladly hunt in the bathroom- but eat the Teenies too. Do mice carry diseases they could catch?? I guess the plan tonight is to see if my hole/crack stuffings work. If not, close them up a night or two and try traps ( not cats, I can’t even kill a mouse . Copperheads , yes)
How do others deal with vermin visitors??

[stosh2010]

I live in Costa Rica and for Ratties I use a hav-a-heart trap --then relocate to a great field--a mile away.
For mice --I use a 5 gallon bucket with cardboard covering only half of the top. Secure the edges of the cardboard-to the rim of the bucket-- with lots of tape.Then a ramp -of wood--leading up to the cardboard ( secured with duct tape to the bucket so it doesn't move. On the cardboard "shelf" I use a toilet paper tube ( or a 5 inch piece of a paper towel roll that rests half on the cardboard and half projecting out into "the void" I put a peanut or 2 at the far end (inside the tube). I take another peanut and rub the surface of the ramp to make it smell tasty. When the mousie climbs the ramp, and enters the tube... his weight will dump both him and the tube into the bottom of the bucket. I always put a layer of grass or shredded newspaper to soften the fall. It has helped me catch several small unwanted friends. Then they go to "MOUSEVILLE". the field where all get released.


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[Baxied]

Yes, they quickly learn where the buffet is! Luckily, mine have all been taking advantage of an outside cage but they typically enter the crawl space and subsequently the garage in winter. I set hav-a-hart traps for the "robust" ones and a great little green humane trap that I found on Amazon for the teeny tiny mice who then get taken away to my awesome drop spot with acres of woods bordering soccer fields with lots of garbage cans. :grin2. Mine Now know what's up with the traps and can take the bait from the hav-a-harts without setting them off. :facepalm

I'm going to try Stosh's brilliant trap this weekend!

[Snicker Bar]

How ingenious!! In fact, sounds like a fun project for the 10 year old ; love it! We have the little metal humane kind (trap door thing inside) but my youngest will seriously enjoy this bucket + tube experiment! Never heard of such but sounds fun, thanks ! Will let you know how our trapping goes. Have plenty of land to relocate the critters ( away from the cats ).

Just glad we don’t have rats ( yet!)

[stosh2010]

How ingenious!! In fact, sounds like a fun project for the 10 year old ; love it! We have the little metal humane kind (trap door thing inside) but my youngest will seriously enjoy this bucket + tube experiment! Never heard of such but sounds fun, thanks ! Will let you know how our trapping goes. Have plenty of land to relocate the critters ( away from the cats ).

Just glad we don’t have rats ( yet!)

Here are some helpful photos...I just made a new one in the last 15 minutes....( for these pics.) It's really easy and works well. I have had mice jump out, but that is a powerful MOUSIE !!


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[Snicker Bar]

Wow!! Thanks for the pics!! We homeschool ; and you just provided a perfect teaching tool for tomorrow! Kind of an Arts and Crafts/Animal Sciecnce/Physics sort of activity, all in one! We have several super deep buckets , perfect for this...
We will be sure to let you grade our homework; will send pics of my 4th grader’s (and 11th grader likely to get in on this mission) version of this experiment 🙂

[stosh2010]

Wow!! Thanks for the pics!! We homeschool ;
That is sooo cool...Do you have to submit a syllabus to the local "authority" ??


...
and you just provided a perfect teaching tool for tomorrow! Kind of an Arts and Crafts/Animal Sciecnce/Physics sort of activity, all in one! We have several super deep buckets , perfect for this...
We will be sure to let you grade our homework; will send pics of my 4th grader’s (and 11th grader likely to get in on this mission) version of this experiment 🙂

I await--your SUPER results...
P.S. I caugtht ANOTHER Rattie--last night.--in my hav-a- heart trap...OFF to MOUSEVILLE this morning.

[stosh2010]

Well my Rattie is FREE---- hopefully happy & safe....

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[stosh2010]

The bucket & tube trap will only work with small mice. Ours are really small . They have to fit inside the cardboard tube.. When you place the cardboard on top of the bucket...trace the curve with a marker for easy cutting.It should rest on top--so bigger is better..and you can trim it down till it rests perfectly. Use cardboard from a thick box. Grocery stores have plenty to choose from. Appliance stores have the best--( HOME DEPOT, ETC.). The paper towel tube allows you to make a longer tube--preferable. Make the 2 creases the full length of the tube so it sits flat . Try different "baits" if the peanuts don't attract them. if they are eating something in your house---use that as a temptation.
When you catch one--immediately cover it with a larger piece of cardboard. When frightened--those mice can REALLY JUMP...

[TubeDriver]

My little Deer Mice can jump about 18” or more!

[Snicker Bar]

What a catch!! I just hope our visitors are much smaller...
The kids are TOO excited. They have studied the plans; got buckets, tubes , tape lol. But NOT until their regular work is done! My husband is not as enthusiastic as they, about the relocation plans. But I’ve told him that’s a requirement for an “A”. Plus, it can go towards a credit for Science and P.E. (long walk FAR from the house in our woods=Nature Study, exercise🙂)
Just to clarify; yes, in some states they are VERY strict about Homeschool rules... My sister in NY had to provide her curriculum, progress reports, tests etc . to her local school board. Here ( in MS) things are very lenient.... But we do our best to follow our local school district’s guidelines for grade appropriate studies. Just saying, we LOVE this lifestyle. Not for everyone, but works for us! The flexibility (between husband- cow farmer , myself part time at vet office) allows us to add so much more than the boring basics. And thanks to Snickers , this new season of life with squirrels (now 5?!) has pricked my youngest (10) with an eagerness to study wildlife and rehabbing ( moreso than domestic animals - my oldest is lead to that path) And thanks to this Board, youngest dd and I have learned so much; about everything ranging from squirrel epilepsy management to acorn toxins.... No books around here about these things! Many thanks again to the folks who have taken the time to help so many...And today, we can study Engineering 101 ( the Mouse Bucket)!😂

[TubeDriver]

Let us know how it turns out. Mice are VERY cool little beings but since your kids will be around these wild mice, make sure that they use gloves, wash their hands with soap after the move have been relocated. They are carriers for Lepto, Hunta and other zoonotic diseases. Urine is how a lot of the diseases they carry are transmitted and I guarantee they will pee/poop in the bucket after they are caught!



What a catch!! I just hope our visitors are much smaller...
The kids are TOO excited. They have studied the plans; got buckets, tubes , tape lol. But NOT until their regular work is done! My husband is not as enthusiastic as they, about the relocation plans. But I’ve told him that’s a requirement for an “A”. Plus, it can go towards a credit for Science and P.E. (long walk FAR from the house in our woods=Nature Study, exercise🙂)
Just to clarify; yes, in some states they are VERY strict about Homeschool rules... My sister in NY had to provide her curriculum, progress reports, tests etc . to her local school board. Here ( in MS) things are very lenient.... But we do our best to follow our local school district’s guidelines for grade appropriate studies. Just saying, we LOVE this lifestyle. Not for everyone, but works for us! The flexibility (between husband- cow farmer , myself part time at vet office) allows us to add so much more than the boring basics. And thanks to Snickers , this new season of life with squirrels (now 5?!) has pricked my youngest (10) with an eagerness to study wildlife and rehabbing ( moreso than domestic animals - my oldest is lead to that path) And thanks to this Board, youngest dd and I have learned so much; about everything ranging from squirrel epilepsy management to acorn toxins.... No books around here about these things! Many thanks again to the folks who have taken the time to help so many...And today, we can study Engineering 101 ( the Mouse Bucket)!😂

[stosh2010]

What a catch!! I just hope our visitors are much smaller...
The kids are TOO excited. They have studied the plans; got buckets, tubes , tape lol. But NOT until their regular work is done! My husband is not as enthusiastic as they, about the relocation plans. But I’ve told him that’s a requirement for an “A”. Plus, it can go towards a credit for Science and P.E. (long walk FAR from the house in our woods=Nature Study, exercise��)


FAR is a relative term---
some mice returned in under 6 hours from almost 750 meters...YIKES...
Homing Pidgeons got nuttin' on your little mice......

Read Below:
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Nineteen deer mice and one pinyon mouse (a P. truei, which did not return) were examined and tagged. At first, we simply released these animals approximately 50 m from the house, but when we realized that they were returning, we released them at increasing distances (50 m to 1,500 m) from the house; the distances were measured by pace counts by at least two investigators.

Three deer mice had been captured multiple times in our test grid (as far as 250 m from the house) before they were first captured in the house. Once captured in the house, however, they were not captured in traps of the grid (i.e., outside the house). The mean distance traversed by the five deer mice that returned to the house was at least 394 m; one mouse returned after being released 500 m and 1,000 m, then 750 m, and 1,200 m from the house at consecutive daily trapping sessions of 3 days. Sometime within the subsequent 6 weeks, this mouse returned to the house from the 1,000-m release point and then from 750 m and 1,200 m away on consecutive days within our 3-day trapping period. Each of the mice returning to the house did so within 24 hours of release, two as few as 6 hours after release from 500 m and 750 m away. Nine mice were captured once; six of eight mice captured twice were captured at least once more; one was captured 10 times, one 7 times, one 6 times, one 4 times, and two 3 times. Equal numbers of male and female, adult and juvenile mice were captured in the house, but only adult mice (5 of 5) returned to the house. Returning deer mice maintained or gained weight between captures and grew in length at approximately the same rate as deer mice captured in the test grid.
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That's why I go quite far from the house.

[Snicker Bar]

Lepto?? That’s bad stuff! Wow. Had no idea; we got to get these out of our bathroom... toothbrushes, towels, not good . I put all these up when the Teenies are out, but the mice may come even after cage is closed :( who knows. We were considering, possibly moving their large cage out into the multi squirrel room. But it’s getting cold here now, at night. We have heat lamps ( cords protected) but would the littles be able to adjust ? We were thinking of overhauling the wire; making sure absolutely no places they could get out (until Spring, slow release time... if we must 😞? Do we really have to ?)
This is the large porch room:296945

It’s approx 8’ wise, 14’long 10’ high. I try to make it “feel” like the woods...but blankets and such are needed for Doodles to navigate smoothly. We cut new large branches, pieces of log etc. and rearrange things to help prevent boredom. The room also comes with The Hunny Bun, for companionship lol.

If the occasional mouse comes in here, I don’t panic too much. But rarely see one anymore since we plugged all holes and cracks.
Would this be overwhelming to them? To have an upgrade to a large room? Or do Flyers prefer to be Inside ?

[Snicker Bar]

Here’s the rest of room296946

[Snicker Bar]

Just read that study to the youngest... they will have to take a LONG walk after reading that... how crazy and amazing that is, such tiny but smart little critters.

[stosh2010]

It’s approx 8’ wise, 14’long 10’ high. I try to make it “feel” like the woods... We cut new large branches, pieces of log etc. and rearrange things to help prevent boredom.

What we do in our PLAY-ROOMS is have several trunks and large branches(with out any leaves) as a basic super structure. They are wired securely together. Then every other day--or as needed ---we bring in new branches with leaves and zip tie them to the existing branches. Then we sweep out the dead leaves each nite. When the leaves are gone we exchange them for new branches --but the basic "frame work" stays the same. That way if we need to we can wash down all the main members with vinegar water easily. Don't use zips on the main frame because some squirrels ( eg.J.D. Marx) loves to chew on them and it could result in a dangerous collapse.

We always use our garden hose to thoroughly rinse the new, leafy branches to remove dirt, cocoons, mites and bird poop.... Better safe-----[/SIZE]-

[stosh2010]

What we do in our PLAY-ROOMS is have several trunks and large branches(with out any leaves) as a basic super structure.
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Then every other day--or as needed ---we bring in new branches with leaves and zip tie them to the existing branches.

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We always use our garden hose to thoroughly rinse the new, leafy branches to remove dirt, cocoons, mites and bird poop.... Better safe-----[/COLOR]-
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The washing of the branches --to us-is VERY Important.



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[Snicker Bar]

Wash the branches ? Great Guns, we haven’t done that at all😬 I must have skimmed over (forgot??) that point in beginner basics 🙁 I hope the girls are ok?!? We will definitely overhaul and wash/hose this place out; (50:50 vinegar water is what we use to house clean if that’s right ?) The frame idea has kind of happened already by chance- They’ve got a few favorite pancakin limbs I’ve left alone.. So these I guess could be permanently mounted for thorough cleaning as in pic. The greys can play in the bathroom while the nocturnal littles are sleeping during day and will get out the hose. I SO envy that set up, and beautiful assortment of branches we could never have here in rural MS!
Just never thought of “washing” the tree parts?!? I would look them over and such for obvious rot, worms, poison ivy... Gosh, feel awful now and hope the girls aren’t worse off than with the mice. Guess I have the little vermin to thank, for a health benefit for the girls!!
As for the mice, the trapping plan has now become a rescue mission. Apparently my hole/crack etc stuffing was VERY effective. I could hear the little critters frantically gnawing wee hours this AM when I peeked in (and was immediately head planted by Zippin and Pippin, enjoying one last night before trapping event) They are now trapped behind panels covering the underside of the bathtub; I guess I have sealed them in. There is one removable piece ( to do plumbing) that I have opened to place a tiny dish of water and a couple Boo balls ( my husband would KILL me if read this lol) so they won’t starve or go cannibalistic before safely caught and released FAR, FAR away ! I plan to look for one of these Hav a Hart things during lunch break, to put under the tub ( bucket too tall). And then the Mouse Bucket out in open room (with the Littles safe in their cage tonight ) So will see what happens....
And the thought of moving them to community room was dropped immediately when I saw the thermometer this Am... 24 degrees?? Here in the South before Christmas? Very unseasonably cold here . They’re staying in. If folks can’t deal with the occasional crumb of poo I miss with the broom, or VERY faint odor ( I faithfully clean this bath!) they can shower upstairs in my young adult, OCD son’s squeaky clean, ( no, sterile!) organized to the extreme, shower and toilet .... This one belongs to me and the Teenies. And the mice. For now.

[Snicker Bar]

It works!! One down, two more ( at297012 least hop only two) to go...

[Snicker Bar]

297013

The Mouse Bucket (Kid version)

[stosh2010]

The Mouse Bucket (Kid version)

Looks Like your KIDS did a Great Job on their bucket-trap.....

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What did you use for the bait ??


189

[Snicker Bar]

Two more today. Just some kibbles of boo balls , Cheerio, peanut butter to stick to. Husband is getting increasingly distressed about the fact we can HEAR them now at night, trying to gnaw way through wood ( around the bathtub) and out into open.
We really need to just remove all the wood and get under there, and seal off every reachable opening we can see/get to. Just not much room between the tub/floor.

Does living with squirrels just require acceptance of life with mice too 😞??

He just ordered a new building to put out near shop, going to add heat, air, cages and such for ICU pets that need to be closely monitored here after hours and weekends. I sense he is also scheming a back up plan though , if this mouse stuff gets out of control; to possible modify part of the building to make a playroom such as yours for the Flyers ( and possibly me lol.)

The Flyers are NOT disabled ( like my thee Greys).... truly they should be released this spring. But my heart has not been guarded very well; getting too attached. Words of truth can bend me though ; if I need some power of persuasion either direction ( it's ok for them to stay, or must release 🙁) . The other three were no doubt non releases.

[TubeDriver]

No real correlation between mice and squirrels. Although they look alike, their lifestyles are very different. Squirrels are solitary (there are exceptions), daylight beings that are mainly vegetarian.

Mice are nocturnal, omnivore, pack animals.

If you have openings to the outside and food, mice will capitalize on the opportunity.

[stosh2010]

No real correlation between mice and squirrels

If you have openings to the outside and food, mice will capitalize on the opportunity.

Like TD said they will use any opening to get access to food and warmth. I recommend using door sweeps on the bottom of exterior doors. I saw a mouse ( a small one) run towards the foyer door that opens to our garage. Without slowing down---he flattened out and slipped under the closed door ( and into the garage) I was stunned. The bottom of that door was about a pencil thickness above the floor and that mouse just disappeared under it like it was a magic act. A sweep will slide along the floor and keep lots of "small things " outside.
We have spiders and scorpions and they still find a way into our living area. I gave up worrying about them. We just catch and release everything...rodents, insects, snakes...It's a circus here.

[Snicker Bar]

Ok, maybe door sweeps will be a solution , but there are probably more openings than we can find. He’s been a good sport ,most of the time about lifestyle changes with this crew. But since these have been full time indoor squirrels, (as opposed to the greys ) the tolerance is getting lower due to the pee/poo/etc that covers the bathroom counters, window sills etc. I get up and clean every AM; but sometimes not soon enough 🙁 He probably would blow the big top if things reached CIrcus level lol.

He’s still encouraging me to move their cage out to the community room, and provide extranheat sources. The occasional mouse outside doesn’t worry him as much. It’s not like NY here ( mom said was 14 degrees in Upstate yesterday) but I still worry it would be kind of a shock strained to them ,
We have dipped down into 30’s at night , even 24 night before .

[Floppysquirrel04]

wouldn't that trap only catch 1 mouse at a time though? this one is similar but catches more at a time.
1 bucket
1 skewer
peanut butter
tape
ramp(something simple like a stick or yardstick)

cut/ drill a hole in the lid and bottom of the bottle, the spread peanut butter in the middle "ring" of the bottle. thread the skewer through the holes of the bottle. tape the ends of the skewer to the mouth of the bucket. put the ramp up against the bucket so the mice can get to the top of the bucket.
the mice will climb up the ramp, driven by the intense smell of peanut butter. they will find that they will have to either jump onto of climb onto the bottle. when they try, the bottle, because of the new weight of the mouse, will flip over, dropping the mice in the bucket. its simple science. hope this works :)

[Snicker Bar]

At this point will try all varieties available to keep myself and the Teenies from being moved outside! It’s too cold for them in my opinion- but I’m probably overzealous with trying to keep all our outside animals warm ( husband predicts I’ll soon have hats and coats for the chickens...)

Yes, the one we made is for one at a time ( I assume?) We also purchased two humane ( live) traps that I’ve been putting under the tub ( behind the panels) where the bucket fit ( too tall).

We are currently negotiating a compromise; perhaps not leave them free style all night in bathroom... Close them ( and their buffet) up at night so we can leave the bathroom door open; allowing the cats to make their presence known. Hopefully that would stop the mice from coming out into open ( still can’t find the crack/hole they’re using!) But going to reinspect , since learning they can even FLATTEN to pencil width, good grief how crazy is that :/

[Snicker Bar]

At this point will try all varieties available to keep myself and the Teenies from being moved outside! It’s too cold for them in my opinion- but I’m probably overzealous with trying to keep all our outside animals warm ( husband predicts I’ll soon have hats and coats for the chickens...)

Yes, the one we made is for one at a time ( I assume?) We also purchased two humane ( live) traps that I’ve been putting under the tub ( behind the panels) where the bucket fit ( too tall).

We are currently negotiating a compromise; perhaps not leave them free style all night in bathroom... Close them ( and their buffet) up at night so we can leave the bathroom door open; allowing the cats to make their presence known. Hopefully that would stop the mice from coming out into open ( still can’t find the crack/hole they’re using!) But going to reinspect , since learning they can even FLATTEN to pencil width, good grief how crazy is that :/

Thanks for the plans will be another fun “craft “ for kids lol!