Dealing with dead mice - risk of disease?

[Globalti]

I’ve heard ferrets will enjoy chasing the rodents out; killing them and if you put a long line on them can be retrieved if they get stuck.

If it mice do you have any small holes or climbing locations they use to get in the attics?
If so get yourself some wire wool and plug these gaps. We’re talking pen lid size.

If it’s rats I’d get yourself to Screwfix and install some rat barrier non return valves in all the access points for sewerage and gutter drainage to stop them getting in if you have any holes in the pipelines.

Also contact the waterboard and ask them to bait the main sewers as you have rats and your neighbours have rats.

If you are trapping make sure you try and dispose of the animal without touching the trap too much as your smell puts them off trying the bait. Also move them round regularly so it’s “new” and keeps the rodents interested else they will ignore it after a bit.

It's not our house so we can't do that and we are on a septic tank here. I'm only touching the traps while wearing vinyl gloves. Last night's bait was a sweet fat sultana impaled well on the spike. Today I stuffed aluminium foil into three big holes under a door sill but I bet they can get in through the air bricks and numerous other places.

 

[bikingdad90]

It's not our house so we can't do that and we are on a septic tank here. I'm only touching the traps while wearing vinyl gloves. Last night's bait was a sweet fat sultana impaled well on the spike.

Could the landlord do this for you? The valves are really fantastic as they effectively stop the rat moving further down the pipeline. What usually happens is they burrow down into a break or come from the mains and then run along the pipe to where there is a break or gap which leads into the house and hey presto they get into the loft and enjoy destroying the insulation and making runs/nests.

 

[Drago]

I knoe a kayaker who contracred Weils disease. He recoms more likely from rummaging arpund in a mouse infested boat shed than form the water.

 

[Kingfisher101]

I'd try for a caravan locally personally, sorry you are having to suffer this, it sounds awful. I'm really surprised your wife has stayed in the house, all the women I know would be long gone.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

I guess having a cat makes us lucky as mice shouldn't enter the house if they smell her. I don't want to put her in the attic because there's poison up there and she might eat a poisoned mouse. I bet she would love it though. Trouble is, cats won't just despatch a mouse like a terrier would a rat, they play with them.

Good point on the poison front.

 

[Kingfisher101]

I knoe a kayaker who contracred Weils disease. He recoms more likely from rummaging arpund in a mouse infested boat shed than form the water.

Its from rats though, I dont think you can get Weils from mice. Its really nasty as well, you can be really ill.

 

[Wobblers]

Its from rats though, I dont think you can get Weils from mice. Its really nasty as well, you can be really ill.

Mice certainly do carry Weil's Disease: it's present in damp droppings. It's best to wear gloves and cover any wounds.

@Globalti, you have my sympathy - mice are pesky little feckers. You most likely have more than one mouse unfortunately. I'd get more traps! I've found the ones in Poundland to be surprisingly effective. At three for (surprise!) a pound, they're outstanding value for money. You seem to be doing everything right when it comes to protection. A N95 mask might be useful for going up into the attic - assuming that you can get one, that is...

Good luck!

 

[annedonnelly]

Get a humane trap & then release the live mouse a far enough distance so that it doesn't come back. I think it needs to be about a mile away. Probably best not to release next to someone else's house.

I transported quite a few a few years ago. The ones that live here now stay in the compost bin & the garage. They are wood mice and are incredibly cute, especially the baby ones.

 

[Globalti]

Mice are not cute and I'm certainly not going to walk a mile to drop one when the woods and log store here are infested with them. It was definitely a large adult mouse and not a rat that died noisily last night. The village community Watsapp is full of commiserating messages as everybody has got mice. One guy has a bucket of water with a bridge baited with peanut butter, which rotates dropping the mouse in to drown. Says it works well.

Mrs GTi isn't bothered by the mice and honestly it is she who has driven this move to Scotland. I know she misses our lovely warm house in Lancashire but it had to be sold as we had to make the move, it's Corona that has buggered everything up, same as for everybody else.

 

[vickster]

Is there really nowhere better to rent even if costs a bit more or is a bit further away?

 

[Globalti]

No they are all small stone holiday cottages, full of damp and mice. Here is no worse or better but it's extremely quiet and close to our plot. Anywhere half-decent is booked right up to Christmas and beyond. A house rent is too committing and would mean two moves of furniture.

 

[oldworld]

My ex brother in law lived on the 8th floor of a council block. A mouse appeared running across their lounge so he went to hit it with a slipper but his wife, a real animal lover, told him not to hurt it.
He managed to catch it and then threw it out of the window!
His wife didn't speak to him for ages.

 

[Juan Kog]

First sorry about your problem. If you’re using old style spring traps , I was advised to put two side by side , it works . Apologies for advice if you’re doing this already .

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

I spose you want me to deal with the snakes as well?

Multi tasker Eh? Mice, Rats and Snakes!! What if I've got a squirrel infestation?

The ones that live here now stay in the compost bin & the garage. They are wood mice and are incredibly cute, especially the baby ones.

Yep wood mice are very cute. House mice less so.

 

[Drago]

Its from rats though, I dont think you can get Weils from mice. Its really nasty as well, you can be really ill.

You can very much contract it from mice.