The mouse in my bedroom is STILL THERE...

[grannylib]

the little bugger managed to eat most of the peanut butter off of two traps without setting them off (and yeah, it's a normal-sized mouse, not a teeny little shrew...)
I put some poison out too finally...

Any tips on best way to get rid of it? I am not normally opposed to mice on principle; we live in the country and they WILL get into the house, but I would really prefer that they not run across my pillow, particularly when I AM USING IT!

[seemunkee]

1. That mouse crossed the line

I've used the live traps with good success. They have to crawl in to get the bait.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. Cats. Best mousetraps ever.

And you don't even have to get rid of the little mousy body. Well, maybe some bits.

[grannylib]

5. Layla Babycat had it in the kitchen the night before it took refuge in the

bedroom, but she prefers to keep letting them go so she can have the fun of catching them again. She's normally a pretty good little mouser, even without her front claws.
I did bring her in when I spotted the little bastard in my windowsill, and she chased it all over for quite a while but it kept eluding her. Damn near had it with the vacuum one time, but just missed.

I may have to try the live traps as suggested above...or give Layla another shot at it!
She looks SO comical when she does catch one, she just trots around proudly with it dangling from her little mouth...but she is always reluctant to give it up to me. She likes being in control!

[Arkansas Granny]

3. My favorite method is to let my cat handle it. She has brought me

several dead mice that she has caught outside, but I haven't seen a mouse or sign of one in the house for years.

[azmouse]

4. .

[Taverner]

6. Awww you should name it!

[grannylib]

7. Hmmm...how about Fay? Or InFa? which do you like better?

[BreweryYardRat]

8. Consider finding someone who has a big tarantula.

Borrow it. They'll eat mice, and they can sometimes go where a cat can't.

Do keep the cat from eating the spider, though.

[grannylib]

13. Oh my heavens...if there is anything that terrifies me in this world, it's

anything with eight legs that is not seafood drenched in butter....

Thanks for the suggestion though!

(shudder)

It took me YEARS before I could even SAY the word "spider" and I NEVER sweep my floors - I always vacuum, just in case there are any hiding in the corners that might run up my broom handle and get me.

[BreweryYardRat]

19. Oops.

Well, it was half in jest.

Sorry.

[grannylib]

21. *lol* no worries!

[Roon]

9. I share a duplex with my Grandparents.

and on their side they have a mouse they have been trying to catch for months. It escapes the traps, doesn't fall for the poison. My Grandfather says it will probably die of old age. LOL

[grannylib]

14. *lol* well maybe if it gets old and arthritic, it won't be able to run up

onto my pillow!

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

10. De-Con.

Works like a charm.

[arwalden]

11. Poisoned Mice Die In Walls & STINK FOR WEEKS!!

I also discovered that mice can easily lick every bit of peanut butter off of the trip-lever on a standard wooden/spring-loaded mousetrap... so here's what I did.

1) I got some floral wire (or a twist-tie) and I wired a small 1/2" square of cloth to the bait pad. Next I loaded up the cloth with peanut butter so that it was a nice neat ball of peanut butter and fabric.

When the little mice got down to the fabric, they would end up trying to pull on it (to take it home?) or he would get their teeth caught in it (maybe?)... but would ALWAYS set off the trap.

2) Get a whole peanut (unsalted, in the shell) and take a sharp toothpick and poke a hole through the middle. Thread through the hole some floral wire (or a twist-tie). Secure the ENTIRE peanut... shell and all... to the bait pad.

No mouse will pass up a chance at trying to carry away the peanut to a safer place to enjoy it. *SNAP!* --- Or even if they decide to stay and enjoy the peanut inside the shell... they have to nibble a little harder to get to the reward and... *SNAP!*

Good luck!!

[grannylib]

15. Hey...now there's a thought...I have never had the poisoned ones stink

since they tend to dessicate pretty quickly, but I like the sneakiness of your strategy for setting the traps!
I will have to try that!

Thanks, Dear!

[RagingInMiami]

12. Are you sure you set the trap right

I had some mouse problems last year after the hurricanes knocked down all the trees in my neighborhood, forcing them indoors. At first, when I placed traps, they would eat the peanut butter, but not set it off.

I then realized I had not been setting it right. When I did, the traps became extremely sensitive, where even a feather could set it off.

[grannylib]

16. Yes, but I think Arwalden is right...they can probably lick off the peanut

butter without springing it. So I am going to try his method and see what happens.
Wish me luck!

[AlienGirl]

17. Know anyone with a ferret?

A handful of used ferret litter will chase mice out of anywhere. Even just having the ferret walk through a place can scare the rodents off!

Tucker

[grannylib]

18. Hmmm...I don't think so...but someone at work may know someone who

has one - I'll ask! Thanks for the suggestion!

[Tikki]

20. Very fine gauge steel wool.....the kind without...

detergent in it, of course. Break off small bits of steel wool and rub cheese whiz or
peanut butter all over and poke a great big blob in the middle and then
roll this into small balls or cylinder shapes and place throughout the house...paying
special attention to areas of entry.

With any luck the little critter will eat through the steel wool vigorously to get
to the yummy center....and the steel wool will then shred the mouse insides
as it digests. He will crawl inside the wall, yes, and die but it should be
less smelly.

Good luck


Tikki

[applegrove]

22. A cat of mine started bringing in critters from the outside. And not

hurting them in any obvious way. The bird I could catch myself.. in fact it let me pick him up. But the mouse.. no way I could catch that little sucker. I wondered around for a day.. had the thing locked in the bathroom. Wondered what sort of disease I would get. Tried again and again. And finally I had to say.. if the cat caught the little bugger the first time and didn't hurt it.. perhaps she will again. Sure enough.. a few minutes after I let her in the bathroom..she had the mouse in her mouth. I grabbed the cat. Opened her jaws. And got the mouse. My cat was hissing like there was no tomorrow. Growling like crazy. And that little mouse was fine. No broken skin. So I could set it free outside. And we were all happy. Except for the cat who walked around growling for the next day.

Plus I hear when you use a humane trap.. you have to rip the equivalent of a giant industrial strength band-aid of the little guy's fur & legs (and you could break something).. and it screams and screams. That doesn't sound like I could do it.

So far no mice where I am now.

[grannylib]

23. I have a hard time getting them away from the cat too; she loves to trot

around with them in her mouth, then let them go so she can have the fun of catching them again.
But we got the little bastard this morning and it's gone, YAY!

[applegrove]

24. Oh - one thing for not letting your cats outside. You don't have to deal

with their instincts in that regard.