Please could you help me by sharing your knowledge.

by Bob-P- Wed 18 Oct 2017, 8:08 am

Hello everyone,

I found your forum through Google and I fully appreciate you may think my question should not be placed on this forum as it is linked to house mice not fancy / domesticated mice. But I thought as you guys love mice and have forgotten more than I know about them you could hopefully share your knowledge and give me some much needed help and advice on what you think is the best thing I should do.

I am a vegan and love all animals and often rescue injured birds so using in humane / kill traps and poison is not an option.

Basically I am presently sharing my house with house mice. My house is 3 stories and one mouse has been spotted on each level and droppings found on all three levels. I have never spotted more than one mouse at a time and don't find many droppings so I am pretty sure I don't have an infestation, probably (hopefully ) a small family of house mice.

I don't have a cat but I do have a clean house with no food available as it is stored in mouse proof cupboards and containers. I have blocked up holes with wire wool, but my house is very old and big so finding and blocking up all holes is a huge undertaking for me. Plus I know these little guys can squeeze through the tiniest of holes and cracks !!

Even though there is limited food available for them my house does obviously provide warmth and shelter for them as it is approaching winter time.

I read on the internet that mice don't like the smell of peppermint oil and it is even sold as a mouse repellent product. So I bought 500ml of peppermint oil and placed it liberally on cotton wool balls then placed them around all the areas I found droppings.
My house smelt like a Polo Mint factory (lol)!!

I also found their nest in my boiler cupboard and put a lot of peppermint oil in there too for good measure. Unfortunately it hasn't really worked and I did find some new droppings on the cotton wool balls so they are probably having a good old laugh at my expense (lol)!!!

As I said further up using in humane / kill traps and poison is not an option.

I saw a very kind man on YouTube use humane "Trip Traps" to catch the mice in his garage and then added each one to a mouse cage until he had about 4 mice than he released them all together in a near by wooded area.

I like this idea as if they are a family you are not separating them all up and not releasing just one by itself at a time all their own. Worse case you do split the family but they are not all on their lonesome out there.

However due to the size of my house I could have more than one family living in my house? I therefore might put two dominant males together by accident who might fight? Not Good.

My other concern is from looking online I understand that wild mice (non house mouse) may out compete them and the house mice could die in their new less than perfect environment.

Could you please share your thoughts on the below:

Is catching and releasing in the wild cruel as they will starve to death?

If it is o.k to catch and release am I best to catch a few and release together as mentioned above or is catching and releasing one at a time o.k do you think? Is it cruel?

Should I catch and keep them as pets? But I have no previous experience keeping mice and I would have to get them sexed and sterilized? This way they would all die of old age and not reproduce. Plus they would be well fed and live a confined but happy comfortable lives.

I really am lost and not sure what I should do here, please do help me if you can.

Thank you so much for reading my post and for any help you may be able to pass my way.

Take care.
Bob.

by Peachy Wed 18 Oct 2017, 10:07 am

Welcome to the forum! Mouse Wave

We do recommend releasing them. It's ideal if there's a barn or something nearby, but otherwise they'll make do. In groups would be better, but if your wild mice are like mine and too smart for the traps, that may be problematic. Laughing

House mice are the same species as our domesticated mice, but they're still wild mice and won't be happy in captivity. I think you'd probably find that there's more than just a few and it could quickly get out of control trying to keep them as pets. Additionally, a typical vet that treats pocket pets won't often treat wild animals. Another thing is that mice are so small that the surgery needed to sterilize them is complicated and risky.

When I discovered we had wild mice, I thought it was only one. I named him Jerry. He scared the holy moly out of me many days in a row... After a few months, I saw a mouse run around the corner and slip into a closet. After that we went through every room and closet to eliminate cozy spots or access to cozy spots. This part is a pain in the butt, but it helped restrict them to the kitchen for the most part. There ended up being at least five mice in that closet. I lifted a board thing that we used to level the floor (the closet is above a staircase) with a broom and they all started jumping around in circles, one by one going back to hide under the board. It was a little terrifying!

We found mice living in a recliner, mice living in shoe baskets... We got rid of the recliner and put the shoes in a storage box with a lid. One mouse lived on the top shelf of my closet in a gift bag with a tree skirt I was making. What a smartie pants! To get up there he had to have scaled a suitcase, clung on to some clothes, and then? Pardon

I don't know, but we put the suitcase in the trunk and made sure clothes didn't hang low enough for a mouse to reach. Also put Christmas stuff in a storage box.

We swept up poop, made note of seemingly popular spots, and checked them regularly. This meant we happened across mice more often than we hoped, but chasing them away prevented them from making more nests. Then instead of screaming when a mouse popped out of a shoe we were trying to put on our foot, we only had to scream when a mouse popped out of the stove after we finished cooking. lol Eventually they disappeared. It's been months since we've seen any signs of wild mice. *knock on wood*

Good luck, I hope they won't give you too much of a hard time! Laughing

by Bob-P- Wed 18 Oct 2017, 12:52 pm

Dear Peachy

I can't thank you enough for your wonderful and extremely helpful reply!!
I have copy and pasted it and I will read it a few times and do what you say.
It sounds like Jerry and friends gave you a bit of trouble !!!
They are great little athletes!
I watched one climb up a curtain and run along the window frame then vanish? I got small stepladders and looked and low and behold there was tiny hole !!
Amazing.
Mice are wonderful little creatures aren't they.

Thank you so much again Peachy you're a star!
Take care.
Bob Smile

by Peachy Wed 18 Oct 2017, 6:05 pm

Haha! Yes, mice are something. Laughing

They can climb power cords too. I discovered that was how Jerry had been getting on my counter, climbing the toaster's cord.

I'm glad to help. We like all sorts of mice here, so please keep us updated. Smile

by Rodents rock! Wed 18 Oct 2017, 7:09 pm

Hi Bob,
Good luck catching the mouse/mice. I hope you are able to catch it/them and release them into the wild. I had heard about the peppermint thing too, but I heard about putting it around the perimeter outside your house to keep them from even wanting to come in. Maybe when you are free of mice, you could try that for future. Keep us posted! Very Happy

Hi Peachy-
Wow, you sure have had your share of house mice!! Hopefully you won't have any more problems with them.

by Bob-P- Thu 19 Oct 2017, 4:42 am

Hi Peachy
I didn't know they could climb power cords but nothing surprises me. Thanks again and I will keep you updated.
Take care.
Bob. Smile

P.S - I also posted my question on a vegan forum and on http://www.fancymicebreeders.com but your forum has been the most helpful, thank you so much again.

Hi Rodent Rocks
Thanks for your reply, yes I hope I can catch them too but from what Peachy has said it may prove difficult! Yes there was a lot about peppermint oil on the net it may work but didn't seem to bother my house mice !!!
Yes I will definitely consider putting around the perimeter once they have moved out good idea, Thank you.

I will keep you posted on how I get on.
Take care.
Bob Smile

by Rodents rock! Thu 19 Oct 2017, 8:35 pm

Hi Bob,
I've been researching humane ways to catch house mice and found a couple of things that may be worth a try.

Place dry oatmeal and peanut butter in a small plastic wastebasket. Stack bricks or books along one side so that the mouse can climb up and jump into the basket. Once inside, the mouse won't be able to climb back out.

Also saw a really cool idea on YouTube. It's titled:
How to Make a Simple Soda Bottle Humane Mouse Trap (That Works) by Chris Notap.

Hope these are helpful.

by Bob-P- Fri 20 Oct 2017, 5:40 am

Hi Rodents rock, Smile

Thank you very much for taking the time to look into clever ways to catch them, I will check out the YouTube video and also your idea about the waste basket and peanut butter sounds very easy to set up and try !!!
Thank you so much again I really do appreciate it.
I will keep you posted.
Take care.
Bob Smile

by essentiallysue Sat 21 Oct 2017, 1:45 pm

When I lived in Germany with the American military, we lived off-base on a German farm. When we moved in, I saw a few dead mice in the attic, realizing the landlord had exterminated the mice before our arrival. As we lived there a couple years, new mice began to occupy the attic. I saw baby ones coming out a hole. I caught them one by one by hand and put them in a large mouse cage. In order to get the mamas and papas, I took a cat container with a side lid and put food inside it with the lid open. I attached a rope to the lid. In the evening, the mice would come into the kitchen looking for food. At night, I waited as each one crawled into the container, then I let down the lid by the rope. Soon, I had them all put in the large mouse cage. I fed and took care of them all until our unit was moving. So, I took the cage out to one of the fields and let them all go. I am sure the apartment got more mice but none in my time there had to be exterminated.

by Bob-P- Sun 22 Oct 2017, 4:51 am

Dear essentiallysue
That was a wonderful story and you are a wonderful person. When I read things like this it rekindles my hope in humanity.
Take care.
Bob Smile

by essentiallysue Sun 22 Oct 2017, 7:42 am

Bob, if you liked that story, wait till you read this one. I had three older mice in one cage, and three in another. These were all girls. Eventually in one cage, two of them passed away, and because my older one could not live alone, I went and bought two more female mice. The store did not do diligence on separating their males from females, and unfortunately two of my new mice turned out to be pregnant. I fed them well, and each of them had 10 babies. The old mouse came to life helping taking care of all those babies. They were all healthy. When I checked at all the pet stores in our area, I found mice were sold as snake food and were not placed in separate cages. I knew the males would fight and those circumstances were not what I wanted for my babies. I went to a vet and had them sexed and it turned out I had 11 male mice.
You get the picture, the girls could be divided up into a few cages, but the boys needed a cage each. We bought cages at Walmart for $6 and drilled holes in the lids..... as you can see, I am feeding and caring for 27 mice and one hamster (I forgot to mention). (I was able to place one boy in a good home). Feeding them twice a day, and cleaning 18 wheels each day is a challenge, but they are worth it and have a right to live. I am 80 years old now, but not feebleminded. I just love animals.

by Rodents rock! Sun 22 Oct 2017, 11:27 am

essentiallysue wrote:Bob, if you liked that story, wait till you read this one. I had three older mice in one cage, and three in another. These were all girls. Eventually in one cage, two of them passed away, and because my older one could not live alone, I went and bought two more female mice. The store did not do diligence on separating their males from females, and unfortunately two of my new mice turned out to be pregnant. I fed them well, and each of them had 10 babies. The old mouse came to life helping taking care of all those babies. They were all healthy. When I checked at all the pet stores in our area, I found mice were sold as snake food and were not placed in separate cages. I knew the males would fight and those circumstances were not what I wanted for my babies. I went to a vet and had them sexed and it turned out I had 11 male mice.
You get the picture, the girls could be divided up into a few cages, but the boys needed a cage each. We bought cages at Walmart for $6 and drilled holes in the lids..... as you can see, I am feeding and caring for 27 mice and one hamster (I forgot to mention). (I was able to place one boy in a good home). Feeding them twice a day, and cleaning 18 wheels each day is a challenge, but they are worth it and have a right to live. I am 80 years old now, but not feebleminded. I just love animals.

That is a great story essentiallysue. That sure was a lot to take on! Do you currently have all these mice or was this a while back?

by essentiallysue Sun 22 Oct 2017, 12:49 pm

I currently have them all! I was going to be able to place a couple in new homes, and then Florida got the hurricane and a lot of people lost power so I am glad I didn't give them away. We didn't lose power here so everyone was cool and comfortable.

by Bob-P- Sun 22 Oct 2017, 1:06 pm

So you are 80 years young and sharp as a button!
Another great story. That is some undertaking you truly are committed to your cute little friends!
We are all made from same stuff aren't we, mice have feelings, they love their babies and each other, they feel pain and happiness.
People seem to forget because they are so small.
I love all animals too. I don't even kill wasps just use a glass to send them on their merry way. Bumble bees can be picked up though they don't mind a tickle but I don't try my luck with wasps (lol)!!!.

You are a inspiration and I send a lot of love to you and your wonderful little friends.

Take care over there.
Bob Smile

by Rodents rock! Sun 22 Oct 2017, 3:42 pm

Sue, that is so awesome!!! I admire you!!! You are a wonderfully caring lady!

Bob, I have a bumblebee story from when I was in elementary school. At school I had found a bumblebee outside during recess that was either very docile or maybe injured. I got a little Dixie cup and got some grass and a dandelion in the bottom and added the bumblebee. I took him home to take care of him, but when my father saw what I had, he screamed at me and threw the bumblebee outside. I remember crying and being so hurt and sad over that. I'm 52 years old now and I still remember that bumblebee Very Happy

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