Problems catching mystery beast in our ceiling

[Rolfe 2]

Hi guys,

 

Need some more advice on my mouse in the house issue I have please.

 

Went to the attic tonight and found that one of my traps had fired and the other one has gone completely. Both of these were tied to fencing staples with string so easy to chew through.

 

Also I lifted a board up and there are quite a few bits of mouse there. Some halves other just bits. A few weeks ago I checked the traps, one had caught a mouse and I had to go out straight away so left it until I came home. when I did the mouse was gone. It was defiantely very dead and didn't get up and walk away on it's own.

 

Did a mouse chew through the string to take the trap away or do we have something else up there stealing traps and trapped mice then eating them?

 

thanks,

 

 

/Mad

 

 

maybe a rat mate........poss even a squirrel..........both will take mice..........even mice will take mice

 

Rolfe

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

Mad; Ye Not saying ye Still have a f*ckin infestation up there, are ye??? I mean. you first mentioned this at the end of MAY, mate! This is getting well out of hand. And ye still catching ones or twos of (Wood?) mice. And now something horrible is dragging even those away and biting them to bits? F*ck that!

 

I honestly think it's about time ye called in a professional, mate. If I was there, I'd first want to identify what was giving those mice the treatment. Then I'd go after the lot with the quickest knockdown stuff I could use. Then get the damn place sealed up against further incursion.

 

I don't remember what we've discussed previously, but this just isn't at all right. Put bluntly; All the time ye have rodent activity up there, ye in danger of going up in flames. And all the time they're streaming in, ye'll have that activity.

 

Maybe one of the english based pro's on here is in your neck of the woods? I can assure ye; He won't cost as much as a rewire - or ye lives.

[Madcowz 0]

Thanks for the advice D.S.

 

We had cleared the problem up a good few months ago with trapping. Got 12 over a period of 3 weeks and then it went quiet until a few days ago.

 

Our landlord originally said it was our problem as it was in our lease that we had to deal with vermin. I phoned them today and said that the mice were woodmice and coming in from outside so no longer our problem. They are going to send a builder round to try and block up any external holes we have.

 

Is this a waste of time? Should I get a pro in to find the holes? No offence to builders but they are not exactly experts in pest control.

 

Meanwhile, I will lay down even more traps for the mice and a couple of fenns for the monster that lurks above us. Is it worth buying some off the shelf poison or persist with the trapping?

 

I am sure that I can knock this on the head once the ingress has stopped.

 

 

/Mad

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

Nothing wrong at all with a decent builder, mads. In fact I always point out to the client what needs doing and walk away. A builder carries out the work. But I do take ye well spotted point, of course; Would a builder know what to do without specific instructions? In my experiance ~ cellophane rat in hells chance!

 

This is the thing, see. We can all sit here handing ye tips or even entire training manuals of stuff. But none of us has a clue what the situation is on the ground. I got burned once before, trying to work out a problem by asking the 'client' loads of questions on line. Perceptions differ. Thus so do answers to specific questions. One needs to Be There.

 

Anyway, to briefly return to the 'text book' ..... Methods of attack need to be suited to the enemy. Eg. If I got up there and found mice and rats? I'd use a certain bait in a certain formulation and presentation. If I found it to be mice and squirrels? Then all that goes straight out the window and I'd legally have to adopt a whole different approach. This is why I can't sit here - no pro' would - and casually say, " Yeah. Chuck down what ever they have at B&Q, mate! "

 

In a nut shell then; We can tell ye how to kill woodies, rats and squirrels. But we'd really want to know what ye have there. Then, having erradicated them, the others need proofing out, or around and around we go. And proofing is where the pro really comes into his own. Only such a person would really know what they're looking for and at. Then Bob the Builder can come along with his tools and materials and fix what the pester's pointed out.

 

Proofing realy is the all important bit, mate. Otherwise it's a bucket under a leak situation

[Madcowz 0]

No offence was meant towards builders. A good honest, highly skilled trade that earns more than my 10 years in IT and most of them drive better cars than my falling apart H reg Clio. Damn them, should have been a plumber!

 

 

Anyway,

 

I have 5 traps down and so far have caught 3 mice in 3 nights. One per night.

 

I put a live catch trap up in the attic that I found in the garden (it has two compartments, one has two entrances. Then another entrance at an angle into the second compartment. This also has a sliding metal door for human access) and the bait tray has been moved but nothing caught which makes me think:

 

a) it was mice that got through the mesh and there is nothing else up there.

it was mice that got through the mesh and the other thing didn't go for the bait as it wasn't there for long enough and was too new.

 

Will continue with the trapping to see what else happens. while we wait for someone to pest proof the house.

 

Appreciate all your info and input. Really learning a lot here which I like. Advice like this is worth it's weight in gold.

 

thanks,

 

 

/Mad