Mice in Van (again)

[British Red]

Cholecalciferol? Worth noting it's highly toxic to dogs and other animals. Not a fan of poisons.

A very useful tool cholicalciferol because it's non bio accumulative so massively reduces secondary poisoning risk. However not only is it toxic to other animals (most poisons are) but there's no antidote. It really needs high quality staked bait stations. When BASF first brought it out as Selontra I had to take another qualification to use it.

 

[British Red]

Exactly that yes, selontra. I have never used it for field mice, they tend to jump on traps readily enough I've had no need, central Cardiff is 9/10 house mouse little gits anyway. It is absolutely excellent for troublesome rat jobs, and used properly reduces a lot of the secondary poisoning risks with sgars.

If you do use it it's worth knowing that it's now available in a paste formulation. I find the wax blocks of Selontra deter rapid uptake which us important.

Harmonix Rodent Paste - 5kg

Harmonix® Rodent Paste is an innovative rodenticide bait that offers several unique advantages for professional users. The product contains the active substance cholecalciferol which has a different mode of action to the predominantly used anticoagulant rodenticides. Our range of bait rods can...

www.1env.com

 

[Ystranc]

We get mice and voles in our studio this time every year. We store wool, fabric, leather, art materials and a whole lot more there; we can't afford for it to be destroyed. Despite my best efforts of sealing the building up it's still a planked, insulated, barn - they're going to get in. So, sadly, I have to put traps down. I think, about 80% of the catch is yellow-necked mice and field voles.

I've tried the ultrasonic deterrents with zero effect.

I would not dream of using any poisons because a) it's a horrible way to die and b) I cannot guarantee it won't get passed on to predators.

The other issue with poison is for the brief period of time it takes the dead mouse to desiccate it will stink…poisoned mice hiding away in walls or under floorboards stinking the place up…not nice.

 

[demented dale]

Not for the first time, mice have invaded my campervan. This time they made a cosy nest in a cupboard by ripping up tissues. They also chewed the end off a small plastic container and damaged a seat cushion. They seem to love plastic zip bags and chew their way inside to investigate what's there.
They make an inordinate mess as well as crapping everywhere and it took me most of the morning to empty, clean and replace kit in the cupboards.
I caught one mouse in an old-fashioned trap using peanut butter as bait, but I'd rather not have mice in the van in the first place.
Apart from the obvious of not having any edibles in the van, does anyone have any ideas as to how to deter them from coming into the van in the first place?

do a bush craft catch and cook.

 

[Pattree]

I’ve heard that some councils have trialed a similar device to deter teenagers from gathering in trouble hot spots.

They did try it at our local Spar. Young people gathered there and apparently intimidated some shoppers. As Spike Milligan said. (Eccles voice) ” Everyone got to be somewhere.”

The logic was that only young ears could hear it and be irritated by it - it wouldn’t annoy older people who couldn’t hear it.

So the kids recorded it and an adopted it as their ring/alert tone when using their phones illegally in class.

Doesn’t work on mice or students.

 

[just_john]

If you do use it it's worth knowing that it's now available in a paste formulation. I find the wax blocks of Selontra deter rapid uptake which us important.

Harmonix Rodent Paste - 5kg

Harmonix® Rodent Paste is an innovative rodenticide bait that offers several unique advantages for professional users. The product contains the active substance cholecalciferol which has a different mode of action to the predominantly used anticoagulant rodenticides. Our range of bait rods can...

www.1env.com

Harmonix was very disappointing for me above ground, literally zero bait take on multiple occasions. Burrow baiting I found it excellent, burrows not reopened after just one baiting.

 

[British Red]

Harmonix was very disappointing for me above ground, literally zero bait take on multiple occasions. Burrow baiting I found it excellent, burrows not reopened after just one baiting.

Interesting. I found Selontra uptake poor unless I smeared it with peanut butter!

 

[Nice65]

We’ve had mice in our van and advice to block up holes doesn’t mean anything. Its impossible with a vehicle to even see an entrance.

We baited a trap over several nights, caught 3 mice, carried on for a couple more nights with no more caught.

Just next to the van by the wall is where they run, our Jack Russell says so. Under a weighted down bucket is a Goodnature captive bolt trap that has killed a couple. I’ve used the chocolate paste it came with and refilled the dispenser with peanut butter. Only thing is, there are slugs getting in and triggering it.

 

[Broch]

If we tried trapping outside the building I'd be rebaiting the trap every hour and all I'd be doing is attracting more into the area. We don't get house mice (sympathies to those that do) so I'm not prepared to trap the wild ones outside. By trapping the ones that come in we prevent the nest building; it works but, sadly, I have to be persistent over winter.

 

[oldtimer]

A follow up to all the helpful advice.

I bought an ultrasonic device. I think I must have deaf mice. There was another raid and I caught one in the little nipper trap. I thien took Mary's advice and bought some mint essential oil. I thought it was expensive but has oroved to be worth every penny. No mice damage since, the van smells nice and a few soaked pads in the studio attic kept them away from there too.

Moral of this mouse tale; heed the advice of the BCuk hive mind. I could have saved the cost of the sonic device and the batteries. Wonder if the sonic device is keeping the hedgehogs away?

PS The cost of the sonic device was equal to a year' subscription to BCuk!

 

[TLM]

A very useful tool cholicalciferol because it's non bio accumulative so massively reduces secondary poisoning risk. However not only is it toxic to other animals (most poisons are) but there's no antidote.

Did not notice this before, yes overdose of vitamin D is unhealthy. In humans vitamin K2 acts against the harmful effects and vitamin A has been tested in humans and chickens and it is kind of antidote.

But it looks like vitamin D effects differ wildly between species.

If and when working Mme Toddy's recipe is superior to any poisons.

 

[just_john]

A follow up to all the helpful advice.

I bought an ultrasonic device. I think I must have deaf mice. There was another raid and I caught one in the little nipper trap. I thien took Mary's advice and bought some mint essential oil. I thought it was expensive but has oroved to be worth every penny. No mice damage since, the van smells nice and a few soaked pads in the studio attic kept them away from there too.

Moral of this mouse tale; heed the advice of the BCuk hive mind. I could have saved the cost of the sonic device and the batteries. Wonder if the sonic device is keeping the hedgehogs away?

PS The cost of the sonic device was equal to a year' subscription to BCuk!

I get asked weekly about ultrasonic repellants weekly My reply is, if they worked, I'd be trying to sell you one.

 

[Mesquite]

You could always use this as a solution...

 

[oldtimer]

You could always use this as a solution...

I could then get a mongoose to catch the snake...........

 

[Pattree]

I’ll call your mongoose and raise you a wild dog.

I had mice in my van. Just pulling back a couple of metres from the hedge seemed to work. I used to park with my bonnet in the greenery. They now have to break cover to reach it. Also I’ve seen rooks searching under the van.

 

[oldtimer]

That's a good tip. I put the dead mouse bodies on a wall near the van where they are in full view of the rookery across the road. They're not there long.

 

[walker]

Fit a cat flap in the door and get your self a cat, works wonders in our house

 

[MikeLA]

Try aluminium mesh from hardware stores, thin enough to be cut with normal scissors. Very thin and light, I use it on the air bricks to stop them coming through. A good glue will suffice.

 

[Broch]

Fit a cat flap in the door and get your self a cat, works wonders in our house

I've had friends say that their cat brings in more live mice than it kills indoors

 

[Toddy]

Mine did. A wee present, and looked so totally miffed to be told to take that out !
She did it, but she wasn't pleased about it. I think she brought it in to play with