Rodent invasion

[slowworm]

Has anyone else had more unwanted visitors than usual indoors over this summer? Not only have we had more than previous years but my Mum's house seems to have had a surprising number of field mice swapping the field for the lounge. I was wondering if the hot, dry summer has forced them to find food elsewhere? At least the humane traps have worked well and the mouse was enough for two portions...

 

[Broch]

For some reason we've had a number of pigmy shrews in the studio this summer. We don't usually get the mice (typically Yellow Neck, never House Mice) and voles until the temperature drops.

 

[Nice65]

Big brown rat was hanging off the bird feeder this afternoon and I saw a squashed one on the road too.

 

[Pattree]

Yep, we haven’t had mice for years and now they are here.
Couldn’t tell you what species. All I’ve seen is flitting little shadows. No carp in most of the house, just in a corner of a workroom where they’ve burrowed into a couple of pin cushions.

I’m guessing that the hot weather has caused a hungry gap. Also it is the first year that we haven’t fed birds through the summer.

 

[C_Claycomb]

Mum has had rats on the bird feeders for the first time ever. The cat killed one small one and I shot another, but we know there is a big one still. Not seen any change yet at my own house.

 

[Mesquite]

I just saw a mouse this morning in the attached shed. First time we've ever had one (that I know of) in the 25 years we've lived here

 

[oldtimer]

After two months abroad we returned last week to find evidence of mice, including in our bed. Over the last six days I've trapped 14 mice. Today was the first day 'none of the traps were spring. Our neighbour says they too have been infested. Oh, the joys of rural life!

 

[Woody girl]

Mice, Find their entrance hole. Fill with wire wool and then plaster over it, or use something like mastic to cover the hole. I've even used duc tape as a temporary covering.
So far, (toch wood) I seem to be on top of my rat problem, but winter will tell if they get in the loft. I know when the rat man came, he never fixed that problem. Im cutting back a tree that might give them a ladder into the guttering tomorrow, and discovered there is a product called ratsan ( or something like that) which you can use to block holes, and prevent them getting into the house. I've got to find someone willing to climb into my loft and crawl into the low space to do that for me.

 

[Lean'n'mean]

Yep, we've had a lot of field mice, voles, & shrews in the house this year. They were probably looking for somewhere cooler to hang out as well as food, there wasn't a lot to eat outside. We just let them come & go as they please, so does the cat apparently.
One thing there has been a lot of this year are what the French call 'Lerots'.... garden dormice. There are everywhere in the outbuildings. They make grey squirrels look shy.

 

[HorseGuy]

We had a family of several rats living in the wall of one of our stables. We kept chickens there out of reach of foxes. The rats must have been attracted to the chickens food I think.

We didn't have much luck with rat traps. Managed to catch one but the rest didn't seem interested as there was too much chicken food elsewhere. In the end we got a couple of those plug in sonar things and that did the trick. From the moment we plugged them in we haven't seen a single rat since. They work really well and don't seem to bother the chickens or horses either.

 

[Broch]

In the end we got a couple of those plug in sonar things and that did the trick. From the moment we plugged them in we haven't seen a single rat since. They work really well and don't seem to bother the chickens or horses either.

Really? I've never had any luck at all with the ones I've bought. Can you tell us the make/model please, I would be eager to find some that work

 

[HorseGuy]

Really? I've never had any luck at all with the ones I've bought. Can you tell us the make/model please, I would be eager to find some that work

My girlfriend ordered them. I'll ask her tonight when I get home.

 

[HorseGuy]

Really? I've never had any luck at all with the ones I've bought. Can you tell us the make/model please, I would be eager to find some that work

My girlfriend has checked and it says Repel Lab on them.

 

[slowworm]

Yep, we've had a lot of field mice, voles, & shrews in the house this year. They were probably looking for somewhere cooler to hang out as well as food, there wasn't a lot to eat outside.

Yes, they could be looking for shade and coolness, rather than just food. We've had a huge number of shrews, I think both pigmy and normal, and I can't think there's a vast amount of creepy crawlies for them in our house.

I don't mind the odd visitor, but after two mice ran around a chair in the lounge and then both stood up and to have a fist fight with each other we've had to try and reduce the numbers.

I've tried blocking entrances but I can't find anything left to block.