As much as I adore mice and watching their little whiskers twitch as they explore things, I can’t have them destroying my home. If you find yourself in the same situation at times, then the following 7 tips on getting rid of mice could prove useful. It tried to cover all bases, even the not-so-friendly ones.
I know this is probably a mean option that most people try to avoid, but it is a way to get rid of mice, so I put it on the list. I don’t like having to trap mice to get rid of them, since this usually involves maiming them in one way or another. I think mouse poison can also be lumped into this tip, since it causes just as much pain as a physical mouse trap.
The only downfall to these is that they also affect guinea pigs, rabbits, and other small mammals. If you have any such animals as pets indoors, they might not take to kindly to your ultrasonic mouse deterrents.
If you notice mice in a particular area, then there must be something attracting them to that spot. See if you can find what the attraction is and get rid of it. For instance, I had mice constantly in the shed. I noticed a small sack of bird seed that had fallen down behind a box and there were tons of mouse turds all around it. Mystery solved. I got rid of the bag of feed and the mice decided to find a new hangout as well.
Destroying a mouse nest when you find it will sometimes cause the mouse to find a new location. You might have to do this a few times before the mouse gets the hint that you’d like her to move elsewhere. I found a nest once with a mama and her babies in it. I moved her to an aquarium until the babies were mobile and then moved the little family to the woods far away from my house. I can only hope she was able to raise her little family successfully in her new location. It’s better than the alternative that many people go for.
Eliminating all the ways a mouse can get into your home is going to keep you from having to find a way to exterminate these furry intruders. As long as they can’t get into your home, they have no reason to hang around.
Mint is a great natural repellant against a lot of pests, mice included. Spearmint and peppermint can be planted around your home or crushed and sprinkled in places where mice seem to enjoy visiting. Catnip gives off a minty smell as well, plus you might attract some neighborhood cats that will help you with mouse patrol. If you don’t have fresh mint, you can add some mint oil to baking soda and sprinkle the mixture where the mice have been making themselves known.
Not only will a cat or dog be good for patrolling mice, but you’ll also have a new companion to hang out with. Our cats do a great job at keeping the mice population down. I have yet to see a mouse in the house since the cats have been hanging around. My mom’s small dog actually catches the mice at her house, instead of the cats. I guess those little dogs are good at more than just barking at the mailman!
I’m sure not everyone agrees with each of these 7 tips on getting rid of mice. There’s bound to be at least one that will work on even the most stubborn mouse. What methods have you used to get rid of mice in the past?
Top Photo Credit: Dragan*