Best way to get rid of an uninvited visitor?
Discussion
A couple of hours ago my mum asked me to go into her living room and try to identify a quiet noise that was starting to freak her out, and I managed to trace it to a bookcase by the patio door. Pulled the curtains back and saw a bag of birdseed for the feeder in the garden had a hole in it and spilled seeds around it.
It didn't take a genius to work out that when I emptied the bookcase and lifted it up I'd probably find a seed eating visitor under it so with mum taking deep breaths in the kitchen I enlisted my sister and gave her the choice: lift the bookcase so I can trap whatever is under it in a tupperware tub thing, or when I lift the bookcase, pounce and trap whatever is in the tub.
She elected to do the trapping, so I lifted the bookcase and sure enough a cheeky little sod of a mouse had made a nice little home in there and stockpiled a collection of birdseed (mum has now been thoroughly banned from keeping birdseed by the patio door).
Anyway, the plan didn't go to...plan. As I lifted, instead of pouncing forward and slapping the tub over the intruder, my sister froze as a startled mouse looked up at me in horror - and then she screamed like f
k and ran off leaving me holding the bookcase while the mouse fked off just as fast in the opposite direction.
So I moved the sofa and to much shrieking from the wimmin, it shot out and hid under the other sofa. It became apparent that I was going to have to do this without any help, and with him just disappearing under whatever bit of furniture was nearest I thought "fk this" and went and got my replica Kill Bill samurai sword (awesome bit of kit, it's even got the demon head stamped into the blade). The plan was to use the sword to poke under the furniture and get him into the open where he could be either humanely trapped or killed to death if he didn't play ball.
Well despite the shrieking and trembling the wimmin told me in no uncertain terms that I wasn't to hurt or kill the mouse so after a chase scene worthy of a Carry On film, I managed to manoeuvre him towards the patio door and while he hid in the curtains I built a barricade around him using books and picture frames. (A scene also worthy of said Carry On film). I got him out in the end by opening the patio door and chasing him out - and as he went he did it with such a huge leap it was obvious that my little barricade would have been absolutely no obstacle had he wished to leg it deeper into the house.
Quite a ludicrous scene if I'm honest, but after a painfully ridiculous chase the mouse was eventually successfully evicted in an unharmed state, the seeds cleaned up and it's all good now. But I'm curious as to how y'all would have dealt with it, bearing in mind that we have no cat, no traps or rat poison in the house and he was NOT hanging around to be caught.
(I am aware that this is going to attract a raft of 'nuke it from orbit' and 'kill it with fire' responses, but I will sift through for sensible answers).
It didn't take a genius to work out that when I emptied the bookcase and lifted it up I'd probably find a seed eating visitor under it so with mum taking deep breaths in the kitchen I enlisted my sister and gave her the choice: lift the bookcase so I can trap whatever is under it in a tupperware tub thing, or when I lift the bookcase, pounce and trap whatever is in the tub.
She elected to do the trapping, so I lifted the bookcase and sure enough a cheeky little sod of a mouse had made a nice little home in there and stockpiled a collection of birdseed (mum has now been thoroughly banned from keeping birdseed by the patio door).
Anyway, the plan didn't go to...plan. As I lifted, instead of pouncing forward and slapping the tub over the intruder, my sister froze as a startled mouse looked up at me in horror - and then she screamed like f
k and ran off leaving me holding the bookcase while the mouse fked off just as fast in the opposite direction. So I moved the sofa and to much shrieking from the wimmin, it shot out and hid under the other sofa. It became apparent that I was going to have to do this without any help, and with him just disappearing under whatever bit of furniture was nearest I thought "f
k this" and went and got my replica Kill Bill samurai sword (awesome bit of kit, it's even got the demon head stamped into the blade). The plan was to use the sword to poke under the furniture and get him into the open where he could be either humanely trapped or killed to death if he didn't play ball.Well despite the shrieking and trembling the wimmin told me in no uncertain terms that I wasn't to hurt or kill the mouse so after a chase scene worthy of a Carry On film, I managed to manoeuvre him towards the patio door and while he hid in the curtains I built a barricade around him using books and picture frames. (A scene also worthy of said Carry On film). I got him out in the end by opening the patio door and chasing him out - and as he went he did it with such a huge leap it was obvious that my little barricade would have been absolutely no obstacle had he wished to leg it deeper into the house.
Quite a ludicrous scene if I'm honest, but after a painfully ridiculous chase the mouse was eventually successfully evicted in an unharmed state, the seeds cleaned up and it's all good now. But I'm curious as to how y'all would have dealt with it, bearing in mind that we have no cat, no traps or rat poison in the house and he was NOT hanging around to be caught.
(I am aware that this is going to attract a raft of 'nuke it from orbit' and 'kill it with fire' responses, but I will sift through for sensible answers).
I had a mouse in the house quite recently. The cat wasn't interested (fat prick) so it was left to me. Directed him into the laundry, which is small but still has many things for him to hide under. I just blocked off everything I could and persevered moving and chasing, eventually catching him.
I guess the key point is that if he bites you it's not going to hurt, so be prepared for the mental shock of being bitten knowing he's unlikely to be even able to draw blood. Once you have him, hold him by his tail and relocate. Though I have heard it can be more humane to kill rather than relocate, as they often have difficulty with new areas. I couldn't kill the fella though.
The same goes for female mice.
EFSpeelin
I guess the key point is that if he bites you it's not going to hurt, so be prepared for the mental shock of being bitten knowing he's unlikely to be even able to draw blood. Once you have him, hold him by his tail and relocate. Though I have heard it can be more humane to kill rather than relocate, as they often have difficulty with new areas. I couldn't kill the fella though.
The same goes for female mice.
EFSpeelin
Edited by Google [bot] on Friday 28th January 06:37
Don, your post made me smile.
My wife catches the mice in gardening gloves and puts them back in the field - mind you they are tiny field mouses and are rather cute (sp) - cat just brings them in, has no interest in killng them.
But as you say they are fast things - very good on here......Pistonheads - speed matters!
My wife catches the mice in gardening gloves and puts them back in the field - mind you they are tiny field mouses and are rather cute (sp) - cat just brings them in, has no interest in killng them.
But as you say they are fast things - very good on here......Pistonheads - speed matters!
Word of caution: do not try cornering a mouse if your trousers aren't up to the job. Some years ago, Old Man Pints engaged in a similar feat of manliness while dressed in long PJ bottoms. The mouse made a dash up his leg, and my dad very quickly dropped the broom he'd been using to poke at the mouse in order to stop the little bugger getting all the way to the family jewels. The dance of the wombats followed, in an attempt to dislodge his new admirer from its front row seat, much to the merriment and amusement of Old Lady Pints.
Managed to successfully evict one of the little blighters using 2 of those live capture traps a couple of weeks back. It was under a kitched cupboard - put a trap either side of the cupboard by the skirting board and it ambled into one for some peanut butter and Nutella.
Bloody cats bringing in mice and letting them go!
Bloody cats bringing in mice and letting them go!
Doniger said:
In that event, regardless of wimmins pleas, he will be deaded.
Yep. I've had nothing in the loft for a year, then a little bd turned up. Got him second day with a different trap as he happily ate the bait off the first one with it not going off. Also gaught 3 in the garage in the last week having not had anything since Nov. They're breeding I tells ya.
Fabric 2.2 said:
Shoot it with bullets.
ETA: In all seriousness, try and borrow a cat from somebody. They're exceedingly efficient at removing mice.
+1 to this and similar responsesETA: In all seriousness, try and borrow a cat from somebody. They're exceedingly efficient at removing mice.
Do you have any kind of cat sanctuary near you? Turn up and ask them if you can borrow their best mouser for a couple of weeks, and give a donation in return. Ex-farm cats are usually good.
The sanctuary gets some money, you get rid of your mouse, and the cat gets a nice home for a couple of weeks. It may even end up staying
I bought a humane trap years ago for a cheeky little bugger that'd invaded and was eating all the rabbit food.
I saw him a few times and he'd taunt me as he ran into various gaps and crevases behind the kitchen units. I'm sure I saw him flick me the bird once!!
I set it up repeatedly in likely spots and repeatedly I'd inspect it and the food was gone but no mouse.
I eventually found where I thought he was getting in and filled the void with expanding foam in the hope he was outside at the time.
Never saw him again.
I saw him a few times and he'd taunt me as he ran into various gaps and crevases behind the kitchen units. I'm sure I saw him flick me the bird once!!
I set it up repeatedly in likely spots and repeatedly I'd inspect it and the food was gone but no mouse.
I eventually found where I thought he was getting in and filled the void with expanding foam in the hope he was outside at the time.
Never saw him again.
Well for a start, it REALLY annoys me when wimmins go on like this, so I would have told them to STFU, in no uncertain terms and helped me.
Then to be honest, I would have hit the little fker on the head with a stick.
Or I would have left it for a few hours and gone to the shops to buy some kill/humane traps depending on my mood.
Or I would have sent in the troops.
Then to be honest, I would have hit the little f
ker on the head with a stick.Or I would have left it for a few hours and gone to the shops to buy some kill/humane traps depending on my mood.
Or I would have sent in the troops.
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