Mice in the house / Part 2

S Clark · « **Reply #20 on:** 5 Jul 2017, 03:18 pm »

Living in the country a few miles from Sweetwater (home of the Rattlesnake Roundup) we keep outside cats to keep out rodents which keeps away snakes. They work great. Problem is, two cats turn into 6, and 6 can turn into 20 very quickly. Coyotes tend to keep the cat population somewhat in check. Occasionally have to trap a few to take to a friends barn. It's about time to trap... 4 large kittens and 4 adults.

JakeJ · « **Reply #21 on:** 5 Jul 2017, 03:28 pm »

Haven't seen the bug in question yet. Supposedly no chiggers in the western US.

Bemopti123 · « **Reply #22 on:** 5 Jul 2017, 03:30 pm »

Quote from: JakeJ on 5 Jul 2017, 02:57 pm

Thank, Bob. We don't have mice (a couple of the cats are outstanding mousers) but we do have some bug that gives a nasty, itchy bite and it's not fleas or 'skeeters. I'm thinking it is spiders of some sort due to a waning red spot after the itch is gone.

Bedbugs....if the spot is more mound like and sometimes there is a yellow head. If it takes days to subside....bedbugs. Depending on the family member that was the victim of feeding...different people have different reaction unlike mosquito bites that swell and subside within couple of hours.

thunderbrick · « **Reply #23 on:** 5 Jul 2017, 03:31 pm »

Bob, did you get your ultrasonic devices from a guy in a white van? I hear they have the best products.

We live in the country and had mice for years. A combination of plenty of traps, and BRONZE wool, not steel (rusts), did the trick. Despite having a cockatiel that throws seeds all over the damned house, we've not seen a mouse for quite some time.

Letitroll98 · « **Reply #24 on:** 5 Jul 2017, 03:38 pm »

Quote from: JakeJ on 5 Jul 2017, 02:57 pm

Thank, Bob. We don't have mice (a couple of the cats are outstanding mousers) but we do have some bug that gives a nasty, itchy bite and it's not fleas or 'skeeters. I'm thinking it is spiders of some sort due to a waning red spot after the itch is gone.

Bedbugs.

Bob in St. Louis · « **Reply #25 on:** 5 Jul 2017, 03:43 pm »

Quote from: thunderbrick on 5 Jul 2017, 03:31 pm

Bob, did you get your ultrasonic devices from a guy in a white van? I hear they have the best products.

Yea, he's got great deals on audio equipment too!

JakeJ · « **Reply #26 on:** 5 Jul 2017, 03:47 pm »

Quote from: Bemopti123 on 5 Jul 2017, 03:30 pm

Bedbugs....if the spot is more mound like and sometimes there is a yellow head. If it takes days to subside....bedbugs. Depending on the family member that was the victim of feeding...different people have different reaction unlike mosquito bites that swell and subside within couple of hours.

Quote from: Letitroll98 on 5 Jul 2017, 03:38 pm

Bedbugs.

Hmm...just moved here so that may be the issue. There is usually some visible evidence on and around the mattress, bedding, and frame correct?

My bites are the size of a dime and so is the resulting red spot. The pictures I look at online show tiny a little bigger than the head of a pin. Also do not get bit everyday, just occasionally.

Bob in St. Louis · « **Reply #27 on:** 5 Jul 2017, 03:49 pm »

Just saw a few minute segment on the news about bedbugs (which makes me an internet expert) but they seem to hide in the cozy parts of the bed/furniture. Life the mattresses, cushion, and flip things over to look "under its skirt".

Bemopti123 · « **Reply #28 on:** 5 Jul 2017, 08:03 pm »

Quote from: JakeJ on 5 Jul 2017, 03:47 pm

Hmm...just moved here so that may be the issue. There is usually some visible evidence on and around the mattress, bedding, and frame correct?

My bites are the size of a dime and so is the resulting red spot. The pictures I look at online show tiny a little bigger than the head of a pin. Also do not get bit everyday, just occasionally.

Change all your sheet to white ones. After a while you will notice yellow spots of discoloration....this is evidence of bedbug infestation. I once stayed 1 night at a formerly Motel 6, which became just a regular motel just about to cross to Louisiana, near the Texas border. I was woken up by my mom after she said that she was bitten several times and lo and behold, both of my children were bitten...my daughter badly and her reaction was really insane same as my mom's bites. We saw at least 3 of these bedbugs crawling. They hide very well and wait until the victim falls asleep.

Learning lesson...never ever stay at the cheapest motel because you might NEVER know what will be haunting you, feeding on you at night.

Bob in St. Louis · « **Reply #29 on:** 5 Jul 2017, 08:07 pm »

This guy is REALLY enthusiastic about bed bugs.

How to Inspect a Bed for Bed Bugs
https://youtu.be/yGYbkjKnoag

DaveC113 · « **Reply #30 on:** 6 Jul 2017, 03:27 am »

I was just at the hardware store and Great Stuff expandable foam now has a foam meant for sealing out pests. I picked up a can...

rollo · « **Reply #31 on:** 6 Jul 2017, 03:27 pm »

Get some Cats. No more mice. Mice proofing is a waste of money and hard to get complete. Cats baby cats. Beld bugs ? Call Rosco.

charles

Brettio · « **Reply #32 on:** 6 Jul 2017, 04:02 pm »

Mice and cats....two pests in my opinion.

Armaegis · « **Reply #33 on:** 6 Jul 2017, 08:55 pm »

Ugh bed bugs... if you suspect you have them, call a professional. I've dealt with bedbugs a couple times now and it is almost impossible to get rid of them on your own.

On the expandable foam... I'd still stuff the cracks with bronze wool first (I never thought about steel rusting, but that's a good point). Some of those foams are soft enough to chew through. Although I imagine steel wool impreganated within foam won't have to worry about rusting.

DaveC113 · « **Reply #34 on:** 6 Jul 2017, 09:20 pm »

Quote from: Armaegis on 6 Jul 2017, 08:55 pm

Ugh bed bugs... if you suspect you have them, call a professional. I've dealt with bedbugs a couple times now and it is almost impossible to get rid of them on your own.

On the expandable foam... I'd still stuff the cracks with bronze wool first (I never thought about steel rusting, but that's a good point). Some of those foams are soft enough to chew through. Although I imagine steel wool impreganated within foam won't have to worry about rusting.

A mix of foam and steel wool works great but it's messy. Using the foam right out of the can seems much nicer and easier... it says it blocks insects and mice and it's also double the price of normal foam so I'll give it a shot as-is and hope it works.

Larkston Zinaspic · « **Reply #35 on:** 7 Jul 2017, 12:56 am »

Quote from: thunderbrick on 5 Jul 2017, 03:31 pm

We live in the country and had mice for years. A combination of plenty of traps, and BRONZE wool, not steel (rusts), did the trick. Despite having a cockatiel that throws seeds all over the damned house, we've not seen a mouse for quite some time.

Xcluder fill fabric and Stuf-fit copper mesh are decent products used by pest control companies.

With all those seeds in the house, be on the lookout for Indian Meal Moths next.

Just kidding. But not really.

Archguy · « **Reply #36 on:** 18 Jul 2017, 03:32 am »

Ugh. My new house is in the middle of acres of woods, and we have mice, spiders, copperheads, what have you. Definitely agree never never use poison on mice (or much else). Snap traps are very humane (instant death) but as mentioned, points of entry have to be managed. I have a hundred I think.

Had to give up seedy bread, which I love. The mice love it even more (seeds that is).

And yes, you'd think the copperheads & mice would cancel each other out, but I tend to dispatch copperheads as they are a serious threat to my four-legged canine girl.

stlrman · « **Reply #37 on:** 12 Oct 2017, 01:34 pm »

Well ,the mice have won again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Killed a few more months ago, then didn't see any actions for three weeks , and I thought we had won the battle.
Then we see one or two.
I have 15 traps in three rooms!! They seem to know to stay away!! Is this possible ?? So I leave a plastic bag on the couch with cookies in another plastic bag,I'm leaving the house in an hour , and the little f 'ers got at it! I used to be able to catch in the traps, not anymore!!
I am at a loss.
One f'er ran past my fing pillow when I was sleeping. That was super fowl and scary!
I am very close to calling in a professional company.
Can a pro company really put an end to this shit??

Bob in St. Louis · « **Reply #38 on:** 12 Oct 2017, 01:46 pm »

Living out in the sticks, we've had a problem with mice over the years. I've used a plethora of poisons, 'snap' traps and glue traps, but that gets messy, especially when they die in the walls.
But on August 18 of 2016, I bought four of the ultrasonic repellents, and I've not captured or killed a mouse, nor have I seen any evidence of mice in the house since.

The first batch I bought are currently unavailable, but I did buy another four (for a total of eight), and the second set I bought were >> THESE <<. So I've got eight in a 1800 square foot house, upstairs and downstairs both (3600 square feet "protected").

DaveC113 · « **Reply #39 on:** 12 Oct 2017, 02:21 pm »

I saw one a few months ago, found a hole, plugged it and added an ultrasonic repellent to my garage, as they get in there, then the house. Haven't seen one since...

But yes, at this point call a pro if you've done what you can do, they can solve the problem.