mice in the loft

[Haze]

HI All,
Well we can hear the wee critters usually at night but not exclusively. I did lay down some poison at the beginning of summer then it all went quiet. But it has started again recently. We do live in the country and expect some critters every now and then. But I wondered if anyone had any other practical advice?

I will be checking the loft for access points and perhaps concreting any holes. But I did wonder whether those "electronic gadgets" advertised on tv/tellyshops are effective or just a waste of dosh?

Cheers

[yawner]

Very effective in my experience. The ideal type to go for are the ones that transmit through walls & floorboards IYSWIM. Also humane traps are good - when you've driven the bugger 20 miles away you know they're not coming back.

[chavalier]

go and watch Ratatouille.

We had them in the attic one year when we were kids. We caught some with a mouse trap but the we found it best to let the cats up in the attic.

[sarahA]

Call the council is the most effective method. They'll lay down some high caliber (and very palatable) poison that'll kill 'em off within days. The stuff from the shops just doesn't cut it.

We've finally got rid of god knows how many mice that were plaguing us in the kitchen however after the council bloke came we discovered they'd been living in the loft and coming down for food (despite there being none). They went through a large bottle of poison (the blue pellet stuff) and still were running around.

I've heard good and bad things about the electronic gadgets. The council bloke said they weren't good but then again he'd only be called to houses where they didn't work afterall! I thought about getting one for the kitchen until my Dad pointed out that if you scare them out the kitchen then they could just venture into the rest of the house, which I didn't fancy.

Oh and the council theoretically shouldn't charge, as it's a pest problem. Well they didn't charge us anyway.

[sickpuppy]

Oh and the council theoretically shouldn't charge, as it's a pest problem. Well they didn't charge us anyway.

I think it depends on the council. Some charge for pest control.

[Haze]

We had the council come out to get rid of wasps during the summer.... guy sprayed in some powder through the air brick in the loft, then left..... £40 or thereabouts for 5 mins work..... I thought they'd take away the nest, but no..... guess we'll have wasps next year now.....

Sarah >> Calling the council is a good idea, as we are in our own home and not a council one I thought they might not consider coming out, we USUALLY try to tackle things ourselves but this time we tried and didn't resolve the problem totally.... We get there eventually, but with having a baby and another on the way I'd like the wee blighters (mice) erradicated....

Cheers
Andy

[sarahA]

I know the council will charge for wasps, well my parents were charged. They had one in their attic but after the council came the wasps were killed off.

I've had the council out twice for mice, here and also when I was at uni in wales, neither times I was charged. Easiest solution, ask when you phone up. But tbh, when you've had them running around the kitchen, across the work tops, leaving you disinfecting everything every time you come to cook, having to ensure all food is out the way, and in my case, really not comfortable being in the kitchen cooking, then as far as I was concerned I'd happily pay for the council to get rid of them. Being free was just a bonus!

[Ben]

AFAIK you shouldn't be charged by your council if they are your landlord - they should keep your house wind, water and pest free.

[sarahA]

wind free?

[Ben]

wind free?

Yea, wind free - as in draughts and such. Or am I missing something