MICE

[Serenity]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#My cousin is freaking out because she just realized she has mice in her house...she doesn't want to kill them and I was wondering if anyone knows of a way to trap them and throw them out??#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[mdfa]

Serenity,#ed_op#br#ed_cl#
#ed_op#br#ed_cl#
not sure if that is doable. There ARE "humane" traps that mice walk
into and they close the door. I made my husband use them when we
realized mice were in the garage (hate killing anything). The truth
was, they still died. Probably from fright or stress...  Get a cat?#ed_op#br#ed_cl#

[Serenity]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Thanks Margaret, I will let her know about the traps, she does have a cat only it's still at her ex boyfriends place....I'll suggest she get it soon. By the way, your art is amazing and congrats on the award.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Judy F]

The only problem with humane trapping and release of mice is that they
come back, very quickly, from as far away as 5 miles!!!  The ones
that don't make it 'home' have probably been killed on their way.#ed_op#br#ed_cl#
We are having a serious infestation of both field mice (big eyes, white
bellies) and house mice (grey fur all over, little beady eyes) this
fall.  Fall is when juvenile mice set out on their own and stumble
on the 'heaven' of you house/barn/garage - warm, lots of nesting
material, free food.  I've tried the humane traps but without
success.  I now use a snap trap, baited and placed parallel to a
wall.  Their death is instantaneous.  I hate it, but the
hazard of mice in the house (hanta fever anyone?) makes it a necessity.#ed_op#br#ed_cl#
I have a book, "Man and Animal in the Zoo" by Heini Hediger, one of the
earliest proponents of getting zoo animals out of cages and into large,
naturalized compounds, and he is very explicit about the hazards of
mice and the diseases they carry.  They lay a urine trail
everywhere they go with little poopy sign posts along the way. 
Once I read this (and had the experience of a room mate with pet rats),
I gave up on the humane traps and went with the snappers.#ed_op#br#ed_cl#
I don't consider glue traps humane.#ed_op#br#ed_cl#

[Ruth]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#We also kill them. My SO isn't grossed out by removing them from your traditional snap trap, so he does it. Before I met him I used to use a plastic trap, it was white and kind of looked like a miniature toilet, they are reusable, and much easier to get the bodies out of than the traditional type of mousetrap.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Installing a cat definitely helps.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[mdfa]

Thanks, Serenity, I'm with Judy though. As much as I hate to do it, the
snap traps are probably the most humane and fastest ways of getting rid
of the little guys. They do carry disease so you don't want them in
your house.#ed_op#br#ed_cl#
#ed_op#br#ed_cl#
BTW, I went to your site and read your story. It brought tears to my eyes - you are so very lucky to have your friend Ruggy!#ed_op#br#ed_cl#
#ed_op#br#ed_cl#
Margaret.#ed_op#br#ed_cl#

[BTDT]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Yes .. traps are the best way to go from both sides.  And you'll find now that its getting really cold out that you'll be killing fewer and fewer too.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#My personal fav is the V traps  Easy to use and they don't bite you.  A little bit of peanut butter on the clicker and you are away.  It is a very fast and not messy to deal with.  #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#You can also put steel wool or SOS pads down and around pipe holes in your kitchen and bathroom cupboards.  This stops them from coming through also.  I've also had people tell me to put moth balls where you find your mice but I'd rather traps than mothball smell. Bleeeeck.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Serenity]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Thanks everyone, I guess my only two options are to tell her to get some traps, and I will suggest the ones mentioned, and to tell her to get her cat back QUICK. If it were me I would be buyin hamster cages an helpin the darn things, lol. Too soft hearted I guess, and an animal lover.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[MacnRio]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#I agree with the cat or snap traps!#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#A friend of mine couldnt bring herself to kill them, so she got the sticky paper traps.... Once she caught the mouse she realized just how BAD of an idea those are.  The mouse squealed and squealed, and you can't get em off.... So they die a slow death.... She got rid of the paper then, badddd idea!  It caught the mouse quick, but then what the HECK do you do with this alive, very stuck mouse?  Rather let the trap kill it then me have to kill it!#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Ruth]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Yep, the paper is horrible. I've never used it, even cats aren't that cruel compared that.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Pretty_Pony72]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Oh MnR your cats are a little too helpfull with the mice catching. And bird cathing, and they just love to show them off to you don't they! Anway, I'd say a cat is the best idea. Then the cat is fed, no remains left and they catch em pretty quick!#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[graciespook]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Unfortunately the snap traps are the best way to go. We used the paper too--once. #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#We had cats and they kept them at bay. #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Ruth]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Did you get rid of those cats then Gracie?#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[graciespook]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#No..lol...eventually...I'm going to spay them and toss them outside in the spring..they've been interested, and try to run out the door, so I think the transition will be easier than I thought. #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#