Anybody else having an extra mousey winter this year?

[ripcord]

Is anybody else having a lot more mouse activity than normal this year? We've had a pretty warm winter for the most part here in the PNW, but we had a cold snap lately and it seems like every space on our place is having a lot more mouse activity than normal. I left some packets of soda crackers in my car the other day and the next morning they were chewed up. I put traps in all our cars and caught 5 mice this past week! (Don't tell my wife.) I got a couple out in the RV's, too.

I normally have bait out for rodents under the out buildings, but I neglected to buy more bait in the last 6 months.

In addition to the mice, we've had mole-pocalyps this winter with hundreds of mole hills popping up everywhere, but not a one caught in my mole traps.

 

[skyactiv]

Get a Rat Terrier.

 

[2005jettatdi]

Our house was heavily invaded by mice as the weather cooled. Tin cats and bait took care of them after some damage.

 

[Dave Hess]

Jack Russell Terriers are great mouse catchers.

Some can very aggressive.

 

[kschachn]

We live on 30+ acres of woods and wetlands and the mice are relentless.

Our Great Dane mix is phenomenal at catching mice. If she gets one in the house she leaves it on the rug for us to find

 

[MasterSolenoid]

My next-door neighbor feeds them (bird feeders)
and houses them (cluttered backyard).

My new hobby is killing them (the mice) with snap-traps and bait-stations.

I like the model 902 bait station from JT Eaton. $11.00 each.
https://a.co/d/in0fxQO

And for the bait
https://a.co/d/hALAxKg

 

[ripcord]

My next-door neighbor feeds them (bird feeders)
and houses them (cluttered backyard).

My new hobby is killing them (the mice) with snap-traps and bait-stations.

I like the model 902 bait station from JT Eaton. $11.00 each.

https://a.co/d/in0fxQO

And for the bait
https://a.co/d/hALAxKg

Our nanny-state legislature made it so that Amazon won't ship rodentcide to our state. I have to go to Tractor Supply or a feed store and fill out a big old form to get it. I've used the JT Eaton stuff to great effect as well as the "Just One Bite" brand. The rodents eat up about two little pails a year if I'm good about refilling all year long.

For bait stations, I use 30" sections of perforated drain pipe and string the bait on wire so it's attached in the middle of the pipe. It keeps the big critters away from it but the mice and rats can get right at it.

 

[redbone3]

This year has been the year of no mice for me. I think the arrival of an Owl family is responsible.

 

[eljefino]

Owls are awesome. Mouse poison kills owls. I'd go with traps or cats.

 

[fantastic]

Yep, Had a nest of firewall insulation under the Volvo engine beauty cover when I was checking oil. Luckily it wasn't any worse! Nasty creatures!

 

[k1xv]

The colder the weather, the more the mice want to shelter in a warm house.

 

[riff1006]

We've had them here in the back yard, mostly up in our grills, what with the grease cups and what not. Also in the shed and greenhouse. We've found a way to get rid of them dirt cheap and it works. 50/50 mix of Great Value Corn Muffin Mix with honey and baking soda. Set it out and they can't stay away from it, nor survive it. This is the first year we've seen them, none at all last year, which was our 1st year in South Texas.

 

[wlk]

We keep rodent bait out year round as we live on a wooded area with a creek running behind us. Get rats and mice on a regular basis and yes they started early and have been feeding heavily.

 

[ripcord]

We've had them here in the back yard, mostly up in our grills, what with the grease cups and what not. Also in the shed and greenhouse. We've found a way to get rid of them dirt cheap and it works. 50/50 mix of Great Value Corn Muffin Mix with honey and baking soda. Set it out and they can't stay away from it, nor survive it. This is the first year we've seen them, none at all last year, which was our 1st year in South Texas.

Thanks for reminding me of this! I saw a youtube video describing it but had forgotten about it.

 

[PWMDMD]

My cat tortures them for a few days before killing them. She will walk by nonchalantly as if nothing is going on with one in her mouth as it squeals and then release it so she can chase it. Two of three days of hearing random squeals all over the house and her running around in every room and she will eventually present it dead at the bottom of the stairs in the morning. Yes, I have tried to catch them to relocate them but the dumb things are quick...only she can catch them!

 

[Kira]

So, you engage cats to rid yourself of mice then criticize the way in which they do it...nice guy.

 

[MasterSolenoid]

The rodents eat up about two little pails a year if I'm good about refilling all year long.

I have nine bait-stations around the house and perimeter of yard.
If I see a lot of bait being eaten from any one station, I will then set snap-traps.

 

[road_rascal]

We always get a few in our cabin up north. I have about 8-10 bait stations around the cabin, garage and barn with glue traps inside. We have about 7.5 acres of woods so having mice is inevitable.

 

[KCJeep]

I've been in my current house 6 1/2 years. No issues or sign of mice at all until this year, now I've got traps, poison etc. all over and I'm still having problems. So YES this year something seems up.

We did get rid of our cat earlier last year, but it never did anything about mice anyway. The wife thinks maybe they could smell the cat? I dunno.

 

[wlk]

I've been in my current house 6 1/2 years. No issues or sign of mice at all until this year, now I've got traps, poison etc. all over and I'm still having problems. So YES this year something seems up.

We did get rid of our cat earlier last year, but it never did anything about mice anyway. The wife thinks maybe they could smell the cat? I dunno.

Had my first mouse in the house 2 years ago, there are outside feral cats and 1 cat inside. Mouse was stealing cat food, didn't help. Cat is beyond her prime, 15yo then, 17yo now, but she used to be an inside outside cat and was ruthless. Guess we all fade.