RATS!!!

JX4

Post   » Thu Apr 25, 2019 2:42 pm


The cat doesn't need to actually catch rats and mice, BTW. Just the scent of the cat all through the house is a deterrent. Rats and mice just don't want to take any chances and go elsewhere.

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Renonvsparky

Post   » Thu Apr 25, 2019 4:20 pm


Progressive pest control is the best way to go. Rather than spreading poison and traps that pose risk to us and our other pets, using natural means is more effective and safe. On our military base, we used recorded bird of prey calls to keep pidgeons from roosting in the building awnings and pooping everywhere. It was also effective in keeping the racoons away. We used a shotgun with non projectile rounds to keep birds out of the flight path of the jets. The noise it makes scares them off without having to kill them or having them sucked into an aircraft engine.

A cat to naturally deter rats and mice is common sense. As with everything else, you just have to be smart about it and make sure you mitigate the risk.

Classicalcavy

Post   » Fri Apr 26, 2019 7:03 am


We had a bit of a mouse problem late last year and early this year. Our exterminator used glue traps because he didn't want to use poison bait as we have the guineas and a dog. I found the last one in the empty waste basket I use when I clean cages. He had fallen in while trying to get in the Guinea cage (I think) and Rudy must have scared him and he fell in the waste basket. He couldn't get any traction to get out so I just took him outside and set him free. According to my exterminator, they were field mice not house mice. Two died of natural causes and I haven't seen anymore. I was really worried about it harming Rudy but I really hate the thought of doing harm to an animal that is just trying to survive.

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Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Fri Apr 26, 2019 7:18 am


I hate those glue traps. Not that any kill-trap is all that humane, really, but the glue traps seem even more so because I've seen mice halfway stuck, and one with just its head stuck. :( I usually use these--and the maintenance guy where I work uses them, too--and they have been very effective and seem to kill relatively quickly:



I know we did have one mouse (at work) that backed into it, and that got pretty ugly, but otherwise they seem to do the job. I have used the catch-and-release type, too.

Classicalcavy

Post   » Fri Apr 26, 2019 7:52 am


I'm with you about the glue traps, sef1268. They are not humane at all. I am thankful that our mice were to smart for them. He threw one across the kitchen. Even though I wanted him gone (preferably, back to the wild) I had to admire him just a bit. As far as I know, we had three. I found one dead on the kitchen floor and another in the laundry room. The third one was set free. Thanks for the info on the trap.

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Renonvsparky

Post   » Fri Apr 26, 2019 6:30 pm


I don't have a problem with exterminating pests but there are humane ways to do it and if it comes down to having to kill the mice to get rid of them, I always choose the humane way. I've had mice in other houses I've lived in and they've caused extensive damage to property and belongings. Some of the things they chewed up are irreplaceable. They also carry infectious diseases. Their urine and feces can be toxic too. My granddaughter is on imunosupressants because of a liver transplant so we cannot have mice in our house. Still, there's no need to be inhumane in getting rid of them.

Classicalcavy

Post   » Sat Apr 27, 2019 12:17 pm


I really hate the idea of harming any animal, even a house mouse. They are just trying to survive but they do carry disease and can do a lot of damage. I have no idea what killed two of the mice and I am glad I got to release the third mouse. On the other hand, I can't afford to have them tearing up the house and spreading disease. It's a rough spot for me to be in and I am thankful there haven't been any more mice.

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Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Sat Apr 27, 2019 12:57 pm


We moved into an old farm house a few years ago (a rental) that turned out to have a major mouse problem that the landlord had failed to mention. I hadn't really been around mice prior to that, and at first tried very hard to catch them in "live" traps and release them elsewhere. I didn't want to kill them as long as I could handle it humanely. However, it quickly became apparent that I was fighting a losing battle, as they were obviously breeding and the mice were soon all over the place. Feces were everywhere, things were getting chewed on and they were getting more and more brazen. Last straw for me was one afternoon when I was taking a nap on the living room sofa and awoke suddenly to a mouse sauntering across my chest. This was war. I bought maybe a dozen of the covered "humane kill" traps that same day, and caught that many or more in the span of just a couple of days. :(

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Renonvsparky

Post   » Sat Apr 27, 2019 9:40 pm


It's never pleasant having to kill any animal, but there are times when you just have to. I'm not willing to risk my family's health to save mice. When it comes down to having to, I do everything I can to do it humanely. I've used glue traps in the past, but I didn't like the fact that the mouse gets stuck to it and wears himself out stuggling to get off of it; only to get stuck worse and die a painful death from exhaustion and/or hunger. A spring trap is instant 99% of the time. Decon pellets are supposed to be humane too. Cats as a deterrent to prevent having to deal with them in the first place is the most ideal way to go.

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RavenShade
Thanks for the Memories

Post   » Mon Apr 29, 2019 11:08 pm


Also, be careful with any kind of poison if you have other pets. I won't use any because our cats have caught the occasional mouse and I wouldn't want to kill my cat, too. Thankfully with the cats we rarely see even bugs.

RomeAndSmores1

Post   » Fri May 10, 2019 12:07 pm


We did end up catching them. There was three, but we used tomcat mice traps. Their last memory was fond of peanut butter before they died. (It happened like at the speed of a blink and they didn’t suffer.)

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Renonvsparky

Post   » Fri May 10, 2019 6:43 pm


I consider spring traps to be humane because the death is instantaneous and painless.

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