I think we had a MOUSE

[Melaine]

I'm thoroughly traumatized. This morning I came out early to the kitchen, sat at the table and started doing computer work and I started hearing a rustling in the pantry. I heard it persistently for the next 20+ minutes but I was too chicken to open the cabinets.

I made DH came out and he found an open bag of chips (WHY? WHY?), closed it quickly and the noise was coming from the bag. He took it to the dumpster without looking and he is in denial, claiming it was some kind of bug!

Ya'll I know it was not a bug.

So if we had a MOUSE, which is my best theory, what do I DO? If you have one is there likely to be more? I have never experienced this.

[SnuggleBuggles]

When we moved, I was so grossed out where I found proof of mice. I’d known we occasionally had them in the basement and sun room. But they were obviously in the kitchen (behind the fridge- shudder!) and a few other places. They’re not uncommon where I live. When you get cold winters, they come inside. And they can fit through tiny openings. Hire an exterminator to come. They’ll help identify the most like points of entry. Set out a few traps (we get the humane kind and release them back outside).
I’m not a fan of sharing my home with anything I didn’t invite in so I understand!


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[mmsmom]

Don’t freak out... I have dealt with mice on several occasions. The easiest thing to do is call an exterminator who will handle everything for you and usually offer a guarantee so if they come back you are covered. We have mice coverage with our quarterly pest control service.

If you want to DIY then you have to do 2 things... find where they are getting in and seal up access, then trap any that are in house. There are humane ways to do this but you need to make sure access is blocked otherwise they will just come back in if you release them outside. If you have mice there will be droppings.

[lil_acorn]

Have you found mouse droppings? Look along the walls and the countertops along the walls. You need an exterminator to figure ou where they are coming in and set traps and then seal it off. One time we had a mouse that had babies in our basement! Ugh. Good luck.

[gatorsmom]

Don’t freak out...

If you want to DIY then you have to do 2 things... find where they are getting in and seal up access, then trap any that are in house. There are humane ways to do this but you need to make sure access is blocked otherwise they will just come back in if you release them outside. If you have mice there will be droppings.

This is all good advice and exactly what I was going to say. Consider any hole as wide as a pencil, big enough for them to get into. The best stuff to plug those holes are steel wool so they can’t chew through it. Also, we had excellent luck with the spray foam that hardens. Spray it into all tiny holes you find.

As for catching the mice (because it’s likely you have more than one), place sticky board traps along the floor trim where you heard that mouse. Sticky traps are so much easier to use, imo, than the snap-traps. If you catch a mouse, you can pick up the trap by the corner and not touch the mouse. Of course, if touching the mouse doesn’t gross you out like it does me, snap traps are super cheap. Make sure to warn the kids NOT to touch the sticky trap. They will ruin anything that touches them, they are SO sticky.

It’s unlikely you just have one mouse. So if you catch one, make sure to reset your traps. When they get in and find a food source, they generally tell their friends right away.

Unfortunately I’ve had plenty of experience with mice too so I sympathize.

[wendibird22]

Well, I don't have a mouse but I do have squirrels. Yup. In.my.house. We trapped a baby squirrel in DD1s bedroom at 5am a day last week. We know there's another baby in our basement. Saw it this morning. We were able to trap the first one right away. We have humane traps, loaded it with PB, it walked in and the door closed behind it. DH took it a few miles away and released it. We aren't having as much luck with #2. We have 2 small mouse size traps and one squirrel trap in the basement but I think the space is so big that the squirrel doesn't smell the PB in the trap.

You can definitely hire a company to place traps and remove them. But honestly the DIY isn't hard.

[PZMommy]

Well, I don't have a mouse but I do have squirrels. Yup. In.my.house. We trapped a baby squirrel in DD1s bedroom at 5am a day last week. We know there's another baby in our basement. Saw it this morning. We were able to trap the first one right away. We have humane traps, loaded it with PB, it walked in and the door closed behind it. DH took it a few miles away and released it. We aren't having as much luck with #2. We have 2 small mouse size traps and one squirrel trap in the basement but I think the space is so big that the squirrel doesn't smell the PB in the trap.

You can definitely hire a company to place traps and remove them. But honestly the DIY isn't hard.

OMG!!! About 2 years ago, we had a squirrel fall through the grate in our chimney. He fell down into the fireplace and came running out into our living room. Picture that Chevy Chase Christmas movie. It was like a scene from there. I was screaming and my husband and I were trying to chase it out. I'm still traumatized by squirrels. In your case, I'd be moving out until sometime and got the squirrels and assured me no more were getting in.

[doberbrat]

We get them every few years. The trick is to act quickly before they multiply. Set traps I prefer snap over glue but I also do not deal with them. That's dh's job

Use a variety of baits if you can because apparently, they can be picky. And, in direct contrast to that statement, I keep a bar of fells naptha soap in the basement on the back of the sink at the wall. Apparently the mice love it. So I keep an eye it. If I see chew marks, I know to act quickly.


Once they're gone, spray the interior & exterior with mint which helps repel them. Wont get rid of them but may convince them to try somewhere else for their winter home.

[Howtobelovely]

How upsetting! If you use a trap, please don't get the sticky kind as they are inhumane. The mouse, rat, etc just dies a slow death.

[pharmjenn]

How upsetting! If you use a trap, please don't get the sticky kind as they are inhumane. The mouse, rat, etc just dies a slow death.

A few years ago, I had a small mouse at work. In a hospital pharmacy. It was night shift and security and I chased it around for a bit and then he left sticky traps (the only kind they had available) It caught the mouse, and this young security officer came back, and was intent on gently removing the mouse from the trap so that it could be released alive outside. We had scissors to clip the fur and everything.
I think the mouse survived.