sf <icu2@pipeline dot com> wrote:
>I use regular "kill 'em dead" traps on mice and bait them
>with (drum roll) Jarlesberg... I've tried cheddar etc, and
>even peanut butter, but I seem to have gourmet mice when
>they decide to hang out at my house.

Y'know what?

I just realized.

The mouse didn't show up until after I'd bought
my first Stilton in months.

--Blair
"I should charge a cover."

In article >,
Blair P. Houghton > wrote:

> sf <icu2@pipeline dot com> wrote:
> >I use regular "kill 'em dead" traps on mice and bait them
> >with (drum roll) Jarlesberg... I've tried cheddar etc, and
> >even peanut butter, but I seem to have gourmet mice when
> >they decide to hang out at my house.
>
> Y'know what?
>
> I just realized.
>
> The mouse didn't show up until after I'd bought
> my first Stilton in months.
>
> --Blair
> "I should charge a cover."

Try bacon rind...
That always worked on the mice up at the mountain cabin. :-)

K.

--
^ ^ Cat's Haven Hobby Farm ^ ^ ^ ^
>,,< >,,< >,,<

Katra > wrote:
>Try bacon rind...
>That always worked on the mice up at the mountain cabin. :-)

Nope. I'm sticking with Stilton.

HE CAME BACK!

Or his little sister did.

Shoulda known.

I heard and saw one on the kitchen counter tonight.

Set the traps out with a fingernail of stilton in each,
and about an hour later--clack! Rattlerattle...

He's so owned.

I dropped him out past the back fence again, this time with
a flashlight so I could see him split for the culvert.

Tomorrow I'm definitely getting a proper coverplate for the broken
cleanout on the outside of the kitchen wall. I'm pretty sure that's
their ingress.

--Blair
"Anyone rented Mouse Hunt lately?"

In article >,
Blair P. Houghton > wrote:

> Katra > wrote:
> >Try bacon rind...
> >That always worked on the mice up at the mountain cabin. :-)
>
> Nope. I'm sticking with Stilton.
>
> HE CAME BACK!
>
> Or his little sister did.
>
> Shoulda known.
>
> I heard and saw one on the kitchen counter tonight.
>
> Set the traps out with a fingernail of stilton in each,
> and about an hour later--clack! Rattlerattle...
>
> He's so owned.
>
> I dropped him out past the back fence again, this time with
> a flashlight so I could see him split for the culvert.
>
> Tomorrow I'm definitely getting a proper coverplate for the broken
> cleanout on the outside of the kitchen wall. I'm pretty sure that's
> their ingress.
>
> --Blair
> "Anyone rented Mouse Hunt lately?"

I'm actually impressed that you are live trapping... ;-)

I tried that with the rats in the chicken yard and it got way out of
hand as rats are so smart, they seem to learn about the others getting
trapped so stopped going into the box traps.

I had to resort to careful poisoning. :-(

The carcass count stopped at 48...... <sigh>

I'm just glad that they never got into the house, even tho' I have
several hunter/killer cats. Rats ate eggs and killed and ate young
pigeons.

Nasty creatures <shudder>

Watch out tho', mice can carry Hanta virus.

K.

--
^ ^ Cat's Haven Hobby Farm ^ ^ ^ ^
>,,< >,,< >,,<

Katra > wrote:
>I'm actually impressed that you are live trapping... ;-)

Well, that was the plan, as I've only had one other
mouse in the house and that was 2 or 3 years ago.

But my karma bartering may end. I looked over the back
fence, and there are an easy dozen mouse-sized holes in
the dirt beside the culvert.

I doubt the mice I've caught this time were the same
mouse*, so if the cover plate doesn't stop the invasion
I'll have to start leaving out poison baits.

>Watch out tho', mice can carry Hanta virus.

Exactly my worry if the numbers start getting into
the range of statistical significance.

--Blair
"This ain't no Waldorf Moustoria."

* - and it's up to 3 now; the last one was an ugly scene,
as he'd been caught in the trap overnight and either
the Stilton had disagreed with him or he'd gotten
claustrophobic (a claustrophobic mouse? there's a
trick...) or maybe they really do just go wherever and
whenever, because the trap was dripping mouse gunk of
all sorts.

In article >,
Blair P. Houghton > wrote:

> Katra > wrote:
> >I'm actually impressed that you are live trapping... ;-)
>
> Well, that was the plan, as I've only had one other
> mouse in the house and that was 2 or 3 years ago.
>
> But my karma bartering may end. I looked over the back
> fence, and there are an easy dozen mouse-sized holes in
> the dirt beside the culvert.

I tried live traps with the original rat infestation in the hen yard.
Really I did... It got out of hand swiftly so I had no choice
but to start poisoning. They ate eggs, killed young pigeons
and crapped profusely in the feed dishes, and attracted rattlesnakes...

Rodents are oh so prolific.

You usually only visually see about 10% of your infestation.
I was forced to poison finally. You just have to be OH so careful!

Bar baits BTW are safer as they cannot drag them away if they
are fixed in place properly with a catch pan to control crumb dispersal.

>
> I doubt the mice I've caught this time were the same
> mouse*, so if the cover plate doesn't stop the invasion
> I'll have to start leaving out poison baits.

If your infestation gets bad enough, it's the only way. I hated to
do it, but as I said in an earlier post, when I first started using
dicoumarol baits, (not sure if that is spelled right), the body count
slowed down at over 40. What I like about that poison is that the animal
bleeds to death, and that is really not a bad way to die. They get weak
and thirsty, which usually drives them out into the open in search of
water. Most died near the water pans so I could gather them and dispose
of them properly. Only a few died where I could not see them, just smell
them.

That is the drawback of poison, but they dry out after about a week,
but it is rather unpleasant. :-P

"one bite" brand works pretty well, and there are other similar brands
as well.

>
> >Watch out tho', mice can carry Hanta virus.
>
> Exactly my worry if the numbers start getting into
> the range of statistical significance.

It's looking that way. <sigh>
Your other alternative is to either import some really good mousers,
(cats) or some good bullsnakes. Ferrets are good too, as long as you
don't have any other rodent pets or pet birds. Ferrets will go out of
their way to kill birds, or so I've heard. I've never owned one.

>
> --Blair
> "This ain't no Waldorf Moustoria."
>
> * - and it's up to 3 now; the last one was an ugly scene,
> as he'd been caught in the trap overnight and either
> the Stilton had disagreed with him or he'd gotten
> claustrophobic (a claustrophobic mouse? there's a
> trick...) or maybe they really do just go wherever and
> whenever, because the trap was dripping mouse gunk of
> all sorts.


Ew. ;-P

K.

--
>,,<Cat's Haven Hobby >,,<
http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...user id=katra

I don't know where you live, but it seems like you could use
a neighborhood coyote or fox on permanent mouse patrol
OUTSIDE the hen house. <S>

`````````

On Wed, 31 Dec 2003 03:30:51 -0600, Katra
> wrote:

>
> I tried live traps with the original rat infestation in the hen yard.
> Really I did... It got out of hand swiftly so I had no choice
> but to start poisoning. They ate eggs, killed young pigeons
> and crapped profusely in the feed dishes, and attracted rattlesnakes...
>
> Rodents are oh so prolific.
>
> You usually only visually see about 10% of your infestation.
> I was forced to poison finally. You just have to be OH so careful!




Practice safe eating - always use condiments

In article >, Blair P.
Houghton > wrote:

> Nope. I'm sticking with Stilton.
>
> HE CAME BACK!
>
> Or his little sister did.
>
> Shoulda known.

Ayup. No such thing as "a mouse." "-)

> I heard and saw one on the kitchen counter tonight.
>
> Set the traps out with a fingernail of stilton in each,
> and about an hour later--clack! Rattlerattle...
>
> He's so owned.
>
> I dropped him out past the back fence again, this time with
> a flashlight so I could see him split for the culvert.

Score one for Mousey's diversionary tactics. :-)

> Tomorrow I'm definitely getting a proper coverplate for the broken
> cleanout on the outside of the kitchen wall. I'm pretty sure that's
> their ingress.
>
> --Blair
> "Anyone rented Mouse Hunt lately?"

Blair, I hope you'll keep this tail, er, tale, going. It's very
entertaining.
--
-Barb
12-28-03: Tourtiere picture added to my site: <www.jamlady.eboard.com>
Also a picture of my Baba Authorized struhadlo for making halushky
"If you're ever in a jam, here I am."

On Sun, 28 Dec 2003 23:43:51 GMT, Blair P. Houghton >
wrote:

> sf <icu2@pipeline dot com> wrote:
> >I use regular "kill 'em dead" traps on mice and bait them
> >with (drum roll) Jarlesberg... I've tried cheddar etc, and
> >even peanut butter, but I seem to have gourmet mice when
> >they decide to hang out at my house.
>
> Y'know what?
>
> I just realized.
>
> The mouse didn't show up until after I'd bought
> my first Stilton in months.
>

LOL! Well, there you go... it's all your fault.


Practice safe eating - always use condiments