Tuesday, May 26, 2009

And then there were 31 less, mice that is...


Bottom right shows shadow of a chook wanting to get her beak on that mouse...

Out here we have had a problem with mice for the last two months or so. Alot of people in the village are sharing stories about their homes being invaded by the critters. I can't stand them myself. Joshua used to have them as pets. That was fine as long as I could not smell them or had to feed them. I am more a dog person. :)

Yesterday while in town I went to the Hardware and decided to get the cheapest mouse traps that would work. So I ended up with 12 wooden ones for $.60 each. I got home and with Timothy (who is still home from school due to pins in his broken arm) helped me put them all over the shed floor. We got a heap yesterday and kept checking the traps, adding more peanut butter if need be.

We did it again one last time last night when I finished milking Lorray and left the shed be for the night. This morning I had 31 mice in total dead, ready for the chooks and ducks to eat. They had a feast and wanted more. This is gonna safe me some seeds as well which is an added bonus.

This has been the best option that we have used to far I must say. I had used Ratsak before but only found a few and didn't want them leaving the shed and then eaten by my animals or native birds etc.

I am about to go out again and see what the traps are up to and how many we get but one thing is for sure - when milking this morning, I don't see or hear anywhere near as many as I did yesterday running around the place. It is nearly quiet, just the way I like it.

Here is to the end of an invasion. Now how to keep them out of the garden and my roof area.....

Cheers Damaris
Update: Over the last week we have killed about 200 mice and still going. The numbers have come down alot but they are still there... Now it is getting colder hopefully we can get them all. They don't tend to breed during the colder months but the shed is warm and dry so here is hoping they don't all find it from the neighbourhood....

2 comments:

Ann at eightacresofeden said...

So glad to hear you are having some success with exterminating those mice! They have invaded our roof space,keeping us awake at night. Today we found a rather large carpet snake in the chook pen. He is right now curled up in a lidded rubbish bin on my patio to be relocated later, expertly captured by my son, not me! ... I know what my husband will suggest, put him in the roof to eat all those pesky mice! Would you like him?!!!!

Dalinz said...

A friend of mine has a carpet snake in his chook shed. He is having the time of his life. Their mouse count is down and wish therefore to have your little visitor anytime. Thanks for that Ann.

Cheers Damaris