Mice or rats in house

[mackmama]

I just heard what sounds like (many) mice or rats in the walls. I called Terminix and they can't come until Monday. Is it safe for us to stay in the house until then??


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk (http://tapatalk.com/m?id=1)

[georgiegirl]

Yikes! If it's scratching noises in the attic. Could be bats. We had them in out attic (and mice too) and had a wildlife specialist out to take care if the problem. We called him Batman

[mackmama]

I believe it's definitely rodents.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk (http://tapatalk.com/m?id=1)

[Twoboos]

It's probably mice. They can be SO loud - I used say we had deer in the walls, they were so loud! ;)

Get some of these traps from Lowe's or HD, bait with PB and wait. I call them "The Jaws of Death." Ortho Home Defense Max. I have a bunch set at all times and more waiting to go. I even have some set in our grill right now!! Nothing worse than starting the grill for dinner and lighting a mouse nest on fire.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_19893-446-0320310_0__?storeNumber=1197&Ntt=mouse+traps&selectedLocalStoreBeanArray=%5Bcom.lowes.commerce. storelocator.beans.LocatorStoreBean%4023ce23ce%5D&pl=1&productId=3199741&ipTrail=71.234.11.184&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Dmouse%2Btraps

You also need to find where they are getting in, which is easier said than done. But we found a hole in our basement wall, around the exterior faucet. I went into the basement one day and didn't turn on the light and could see daylight coming in! Put some spray foam in there and we've been good since. (Knock on wood!)

Good Luck - they are gross!!

[Kindra178]

Definitely set some traps. From a health perspective, I think you will be fine until Monday. Echoing TwoBoos, the trick to keeping mice out is finding the holes where they got in. Your exterminator may or may not want to do that. Around here, the big companies just want to set traps and spray, but they don't have training or interest to really solve the problem.

[mackmama]

I will let the exterminator handle the traps and holes (totally and completely freaks me out) - but I just wanted to know if we are *safe* to stay in the house until Monday.

Thanks, this new-to-us home is having one thing after another go wrong, and I am so sick of it. I feel like an anxious mess, and I'm really freaked about pests.

[Kindra178]

I will let the exterminator handle the traps and holes (totally and completely freaks me out) - but I just wanted to know if we are *safe* to stay in the house until Monday.

Thanks, this new-to-us home is having one thing after another go wrong, and I am so sick of it. I feel like an anxious mess, and I'm really freaked about pests.

I am completely 100% with you. I have a neighbor who has tons of mice every year. She is so nonplussed by them. She said she's at the point where if she's watching tv and a mouse will come out from under her couch, run around and retreat back under the couch, she does nothing but schedule an exterminator appointment the next day. However, if she sees a spider, she loses it.

[mackmama]

I am completely 100% with you. I have a neighbor who has tons of mice every year. She is so nonplussed by them. She said she's at the point where if she's watching tv and a mouse will come out from under her couch, run around and retreat back under the couch, she does nothing but schedule an exterminator appointment the next day. However, if she sees a spider, she loses it.

Thanks for understanding ;) Condo living has been sounding really nice lately.

[pinkmomagain]

Unfortunately we get mice on and off all the time. You're safe. I agree with those orthomax traps. Those are the ones we use.

[mackmama]

Unfortunately we get mice on and off all the time. You're safe. I agree with those orthomax traps. Those are the ones we use.

Ok thank you. Makes me want to throw up. I literally feel sick.

[BunnyBee]

We had squirrels in the attic. I'm calling them squirrels. I told DH to call them squirrels. Pest guy too. We use a local, mid-size pest control company, and they came out, evicted the squirrels, and put up wire mesh, etc. around anywhere they could be entering. It was a flat fee for the perimeter securing, and they guarantee it for however many years.

Good luck evicting the unwanted visitors. I think you're fine to wait until Monday. I'd be scared to try anything myself for fear of getting one dying in the walls. DH's office had one decomposing near a heating vent last winter. Smelled horrible!!!

[mackmama]

Again - condo living - it's looking really, really nice. One of those fancy condos that I just saw on some realtor TV show where a "concierge" is available 24/7 to handle all needs. :)

[SnuggleBuggles]

You'll be fine. We had that happen and it took us a few days to figure out what we were hearing. I never saw anything and the exterminator said out different traps and such plus sealed up possible entry points.

Very very gently...have you ever thought about your feelings about germs, food safety, pests...? I've read a lot of your posts and it just sounds exhausting and I feel like there could be a way to not feel as overwhelmed by it all.

[ChristinaLucia]

Yikes. Sorry to hear that.

To whoever said about the bats I would just add I recently got scratched by a bat and had to have all the rabies shots which was stressful and over $7k. If it could in anyway be a bat I would be out of there!

[JElaineB]

If you hear scratching in the walls it is very likely mice. Yes, it is safe to stay in the house until Monday.

[doberbrat]

From a physical health standpoint, if its mice/rats, its probably safe. From a mental health perspective, any family or good friends you could stay with over the weekend so you can sleep at night??? Could you borrow a cat from a friend/neighbor??

Honestly, I wouldnt be able to sleep w/o having at least set traps. I think these are the ones that dh uses for in the house vs basement http://www.lowes.com/pd_333958-30313-23320_4294772308__?productId=3328136&Ns=p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNs%3Dp_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&facetInfo=

nothing to see/touch.

[Twoboos]

Sorry I didn't respond to your original question! I think you're fine in the house, although sleeping can be a challenge. I've resorted to earplugs in the past. And I totally get feeling sick about it!! I did for a looong time and finally came to terms that we essentially live in the woods and this is war!! IMO getting traps out to kill them is better than sitting and waiting and listening to them. Even if you can handle baiting them (plopping some PB in the little well) your DH can place them and take care of any hits.

Here is another trap, you can't see the mouse once it goes in. We've had success with these too. But I prefer The Jaws of Death.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_16800-446-0320110_0__?productId=3461760&Ntt=mouse+traps&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Dmouse%2Btraps&facetInfo=

Good luck!

[alexsmommy]

I will let the exterminator handle the traps and holes (totally and completely freaks me out) - but I just wanted to know if we are *safe* to stay in the house until Monday.

Thanks, this new-to-us home is having one thing after another go wrong, and I am so sick of it. I feel like an anxious mess, and I'm really freaked about pests.

Echoing what Kindra said, when you schedule it, make sure they say they will look for and remediate any holes. We had one company come and just set traps. It never occurred to me that they wouldn't also figure out how they were getting in. More money for them if you are unaware of this need because they will just come back every fall. Luckily we'd been through major mice issues in our previous house and I knew what was needed. Fired that company immediately and specifically asked the next company if they also remediate entry holes. She laughed and said that this is why they were TWO weeks out for scheduling because so many people had had bad companies not remediate the issue and were now coming to them. They came out and climbed EVERYWHERE in our house (places we've never gone, brave people, its a 100+ y/o home) and took care of any entry points they could see. Mice need tiny entrance places so you have to really know what to look for. Oh, and if you have an infestation, it should be two separate appointments. One to place poison, but you don't want to close up their way in and our or all of them will die in your walls and your house will reek for a while. Then they should come back and rebait/poison and seal up the holes.
I HATE mice. HATE. Ugh. But you are safe to stay. Just make sure all of your food is in mouse proof containers. If you have a pantry you might want to get some of those big plastic tubs and just keep things in there until this is all done. Having survived an infestation, I was stunned at what those things would go after and eat through.

[westwoodmom04]

If you live in a suburban area there is only so much you can do, mice can get in the house through any hole the size of a dime. We just put traps/poison in our basement every fall and that takes care of the issue. It is a very common problem, and like the dead squirrel, it's just nature, pretty hard to avoid it entirely.

We lived in one of the swankiest parts of Boston for a good amount of time, and rats were a common sight on the street. Now, rats really freak me out but they are all over the older east coast cities.