Unwanted Guest - and I think it's a mouse!!

[Krista_H]

So FI & I are hearing chewing in our basement ceiling. We can't figure out where the heck this thing got in, but we just know we want him out. I know they can squish pretty small. Any ideas?? We want to stay away from tearing the ceiling down, but we have no idea what to do and we don't want it chewing through any wires.

[alkoch]

ohh not good. We had some kind of animal in our ceiling before too - we could hear the scratching. I would opt for poisoning- mouse traps creep me out. Good Luck!!!

[Krista_H]

Ya I'm not big on traps either....however even if I was, they won't fit cause we have very limited open spaces

[Jessica]

Hmm... you can't fit traps at all? Even a box trap so you can catch and release? That sucks. I would not opt for poisoning for a variety of reasons the main one being that I prefer to catch and release over kill, but a second reason being that if you don't have access to the inside of the ceiling, if you poison the mouse and it dies in your ceiling, your basement is going to smell wretched from the rotting dead mouse. I've never tried it but peppermint oil is supposed to be a natural repellent. I have a friend who did this and it worked for her. You can soak cotton balls in it and stick them in various parts of the ceiling or where ever you have access to the ceiling.

[JuneWeddingDreams]

Jessica is right. Poison leaves the ability for the mouse to crawl back up into your ceiling and die. I wouldn't recommend poison for that reason alone. I would try the tracks that get them to stick and then you can release them. Not a job I would want to do the releasing but something your FI can do

 

Good luck!

[shellk]

so now i know what your chewing noise was lol.have you got a hole you stick a trap in with some cheese on?

[SusieQ]

Hi babes

I stuck a note for you in the feb thread..... Go to your local hardware store and buy a little electrical device that send outs a signal through your house that keeps the little critters away.. It cost about $24 dollars and it really works.

[Girasole]

It could also be a squirrel. The electrical device is a great option.

[bholthof]

the problem with catch and release is that the bugger will probably come back. Mousetraps are very effective - put it in the attic or ceiling if you can. Although chances are its not gonna stay in the ceiling - hes gonna come out looking for food. Mousetraps are quick - but another effective, although less humane, (if mousetraps can be considered humane) is to fill a bucket half full of water and line the inside of it with peanut butter, about three inches down from the rim of the bucket. Place bucket somewhere where the mouse can get into it - the bugger will drown himself.

 

You could also get a cat. Most domestic cats won't know how to catch a mouse at first - but if you adopt one thats lived outdoors - your mouse problem will get taken care of. Although you do run the risk of an injured mouse getting away and dying in the ceiling. Or of the pet giving you presents of dead mice.

 

I would also caution against using poison - especially if you have other pets. Cause if the mouse dies somewhere they can get at it, the pet could also get poisoned.

 

Go to your local hardware store. THey will have suggestions for you.

[mrscheeze]

they have mouse traps now that you never actually have to see the mouse they spin and are completely self contained