We have sometimes had mice and I have caught them in snap-bang or have a heart traps. However, we seem to have one little guy who occasionally shows up about bedtime inside a wall near the bedroom, scratches a little while, and then seems to go away for a day or two or more. A bang on the wall sometimes scares him for good.
But how do you catch a wee one like this? We’re right above a downstairs bathroom, which is where a peanut butter baited have a heart trap has caught a mouse now and then, so I suspect he comes upstairs for a bit.
Ideas how to catch one that won’t come out where you can get him? I even thought of drilling a hole and popping in a piece or two of that poison you can still buy.
No signs of him in the house, either – no poops or chewed anything.
We had squirrels in the wall at an old fixer upper. Sounded the same as you describe. They were getting in at eaves we had yet to fix, trapped in the house after fixing. Put a have-a-heart trap in the attic, set with peanut butter and caught them, finally.
Obnoxious. Sorry you are dealing with that misery.
I would be looking for opening into walls – plumbing and electric are likely candidates. It is certainly possible a mouse could enter into one part of the house from a crawl spay, basement, garage and go from room to room via electric wiring holes in the studs. Rather than concerns about this mouse, I would look for openings that he might have used.
They’re nasty inventions, but glue traps in the attic have been successful at drawing rodents out. Placing them where the pheromones can be smelled (over un-covered insulation) can be effective.
stockGoddess wrote Could you borrow a cat? Mine would fix that problem overnight. He’s an adorable fluffy orange serial killer. Nothing smaller than him lasts the night.
Would some one of the people suggesting a cat explain to me how a cat is going to catch a mouse within a wall?
"Would some one of the people suggesting a cat explain to me how a cat is going to catch a mouse within a wall? "
First of all, do not consider squeezing the cat through a hole in the wall. The cat would become
annoyed and might join forces with the mice.
One thing I would suggest is rent a copy of the film “Mouse Hunt”. Not exactly what you would
call a great movie - but a fun diversion.
Mice in walls are not known for staying within walls. There are generally better sources of food
and entertainment outside of the walls. So, the cat would either catch the mouse or cause the
mouse to re-evaluate the selection of home since the locale would no longer be open to excursions
during off-hours.
Howie52
There is a section of “Mouse Hunt” which goes into some of the more inventive ways to produce
string - however, that may be another tail.
Would some one of the people suggesting a cat explain to me how a cat is going to catch a mouse within a wall?
There is no food inside the wall, therefore the mouse must come out from time to time, somewhere.
You do not have the patience or skill to sit for hours waiting to pounce, but a cat does. Pretty much that’s the only thing they’re productive at, except occasionally affection, and always food and pooping.
Yeah when we first got our cat I learned a lesson: the cat is smarter than I am about what is and isn’t under the stove. He isn’t lying.
Cat sat and stared at the stove for 30 minutes. I said “Look. There is nothing under there. I’ll prove it!” And I pulled out the bottom drawer…
Out ran a small grey field mouse.
I screamed. My husband screamed. Cat was a blur of orange and the mouse was rapidly dispatched to mouse heaven. So NOW if he’s staring at something I BELIEVE HIM.
Note this only happens about once every two years. Maybe a small gap around a pipe somewhere. Not often enough for concern. Usually in the fall when the first cold snap hits.
StockGoddess Cat sat and stared at the stove for 30 minutes. I said “Look. There is nothing under there. I’ll prove it!” And I pulled out the bottom drawer
The stare of the cat. Priceless.
She’s gone now, but we had one crouched in the garden. Not a muscle moving. Staring at the soil. After about 45 minutes, nailed a MOLE. Supposedly, moles don’t surface, but this one did. Poor little ugly thing didn’t stand a chance.
She also did gophers, but they were more regular occurrences. When she got the mole, she made doubly sure to show us her prize (at least what was left of it) and of her varmint dispatching skills.