I live in an old (1895) house with lots of openings and spaces in the walls and to the outside.

My refrigerator quit working and I called the local HVAC-etc (kinda like LGBTQ-etc ) guys to come and check it out. Big hole in the back of the wall. Wiring all chewed up by these little motherfuckers. So I'm off to Lowes tomorrow to pick out a replacement for my <4YO refrigerator.

I want rid of every one of these assholes right now. They're almost as bad a democrats*.

Anybody got any suggestions?
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*Hyperbole. They ain't nearly THAT bad..

when we had 3 cats, we never had mice. Not even one.

Nuke em' from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.

Seriously, the only way to keep them out is to remove their access points. Otherwise, you kill one, and five thousand show up for the funeral.

Cats are great, so is D-CON, so are traps, live and otherwise. But you just plain need to keep them from getting in, in the first place.

When you identify a place where they are getting in, use wood putty mixed in with steel wool. They can chew through the putty, but not the steel wool.

H&K-Guy

Havoc or similar in all their hidden spots under the house, in the attic, etc.

Never had a problem when I had cats & jack Russell's

Step one.

Remove food sources. Meaning police your foodstuffs and make sure things are in closed containers, look for boxes that have been nibbled, some sort of tupperware is in order.

Also, look out for candies, lozenges, even soaps and cosmetics, they will eat those.

How mice find their way inside is heat loss, police the exterior of your home, looking for holes at the mud sill, doors and windows, damaged trim.

Look at the backs of your kitchen cabinets, and behind stoves, dishwashers and other appliances. I like to use PL 400 and coarse steel wool to plug holes.

As far as getting rid of mice:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/To...-037161005/300934065

Yellow foam in the red can. Works awesome at sealing holes.
As others have said, maybe some steel wool in the hole then foam. I may consider shattered light bulbs and foam, but I’m a dick.

There is a electrocution device. As pictured it doesn’t work perfectly, but with a copper base, slightly bowled and containing salt water (6% or better) and some handlebars for the front paws wrapped around the black wire, but it’ll cook them. Cant be on a GFI, or an Arc Fault breaker. I’m sure I’ll regret posting this, as it caused a huge fucking debate last time. All I can say is make it, with the mods I describe, and see for yourself.

You need to stop them from getting in by sealing every hole, then secure all food sources.

The electronic rat trap by Victor works really well and is sold at Lowes and HD.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Victo...nic-Rat-Trap/3083207

Go to Walmart and get the mouse traps with the cheese trigger. You can make them more sensitive by shortening the wire to the yellow pad.

If you pull up on the wire, it will shorten its length to the pad which will cause the pad to incline at an angle. This way the mouse has to climb over the pad to get the peanut butter.

Try it first to see how sensitive the trap is as it comes out of the box. The last ones i bought had a shorter wire and was just right.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Vic...-Mouse-Trap/12166945

Some stores also have this model which is worthless:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Vic...-Mouse-Trap/23501982

It is too easy for the mouse to lick the peanut butter off without tripping the trigger.

I would look outside and plug any holes with foam. First mark all the holes that need filling and then get the can out and have at it. After using the can, you have to clean it good or it will plug up for later use and be worthless.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/GRE...Gaps-Cracks/17756646

A mouse leaves a scent path so another mouse will pick up the scent and follow the trail.

quote:

Originally posted by Beancooker:


There is a electrocution device. As pictured it doesn’t work perfectly, but with a copper base, slightly bowled and containing salt water (6% or better) and some handlebars for the front paws wrapped around the black wire, but it’ll cook them. Cant be on a GFI, or an Arc Fault breaker. I’m sure I’ll regret posting this, as it caused a huge fucking debate last time. All I can say is make it, with the mods I describe, and see for yourself.

Um, no, just no

Please refrain from giving shitty advice on the forum.

In this case, dangerous. And you shorted your neutral and safety ground for your entire freaking circuit, making this even dumber than it already was.

quote:

Originally posted by Beancooker:
Yellow foam in the red can. Works awesome at sealing holes.
As others have said, maybe some steel wool in the hole then foam. I may consider shattered light bulbs and foam, but I’m a dick.

There is a electrocution device. As pictured it doesn’t work perfectly, but with a copper base, slightly bowled and containing salt water (6% or better) and some handlebars for the front paws wrapped around the black wire, but it’ll cook them. Cant be on a GFI, or an Arc Fault breaker. I’m sure I’ll regret posting this, as it caused a huge fucking debate last time. All I can say is make it, with the mods I describe, and see for yourself.

How do you get rid of the stench of burning mouse flesh??? Just NO

quote:

Originally posted by 41:

quote:

Originally posted by Beancooker:
Yellow foam in the red can. Works awesome at sealing holes.
As others have said, maybe some steel wool in the hole then foam. I may consider shattered light bulbs and foam, but I’m a dick.

There is a electrocution device. As pictured it doesn’t work perfectly, but with a copper base, slightly bowled and containing salt water (6% or better) and some handlebars for the front paws wrapped around the black wire, but it’ll cook them. Cant be on a GFI, or an Arc Fault breaker. I’m sure I’ll regret posting this, as it caused a huge fucking debate last time. All I can say is make it, with the mods I describe, and see for yourself.

How do you get rid of the stench of burning mouse flesh??? Just NO

Pho?

I just used ABC pest control for roof rats. They sealed up ALL access points with sturdy wire mesh and set out about 15 snap traps in the attic. Got a total of 7 on the first go, emptied and rebaited for round 2 and didn’t get anything...got all of them in round 1, I guess.

Anyway, it’s been quiet and they were very knowledgable and professional. Cost $1,000 clams, but comes with a 1 year guarantee. Something of your magnitude just might need the pros. Good luck!!

Cats, cats, cats. Had a feral cat hang around long enough to have chillens. Got them friendly after the feral mom left. Had them all fixed. We have not seen a live mouse in years.

quote:

Originally posted by Beancooker:
Yellow foam in the red can. Works awesome at sealing holes.
As others have said, maybe some steel wool in the hole then foam. I may consider shattered light bulbs and foam, but I’m a dick.

There is a electrocution device. As pictured it doesn’t work perfectly, but with a copper base, slightly bowled and containing salt water (6% or better) and some handlebars for the front paws wrapped around the black wire, but it’ll cook them. Cant be on a GFI, or an Arc Fault breaker. I’m sure I’ll regret posting this, as it caused a huge fucking debate last time. All I can say is make it, with the mods I describe, and see for yourself.

Beancooker, don't post this again. It's not good advice, it's not safe.

No more.

^^^^^^
Sigh, I was looking at that thinking, it doesn’t look like a good idea, but seeing those @#$&*(s fried seems like it would be really satisfying. Oh well...

Back in the old day, a ship's scuttlecocks were knocked out and they let the ship settle into the bay for a week. Killed / drowned all the bugs and mice and rats. Then hammered the bungs back in, pumped her out, and refloated her.

I do not know your situation, but it could be effective in your case.

I've used poison. The poison food they eat. A little sprinkled borax on the floor for good measure, plus you can see their tracks in the morning. And then there was one. It does work. And then there were none.

Because we had a cat living here, we'd have to rotate between poison and cat food.

Decon works great to kill mice already in the house just be careful where you place it if you have pets. As others have said find and seal all holes were nice can gain entrance to your home, you'd be surprised at how small a hole a mouse can squeeze through. I had a problem with mice but once I found their entry point and sealed it with concrete I haven't seen a mouse in my house since.

The Rat Zapper works well and kills without a mess.

Any woodpiles near the house? Mice love them.

Edit. Sorry. By which I mean, get rid of the woodpiles.