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Post by juniper2 on Jul 6, 2009 12:49:57 GMT -5
Rats and mice need a place to live also! So do the cockroaches ants and termites! Cluttered, dirty, clean...they all need shelter...anywhere there is water, wood, insulation, paper...to build nests, warmth in the winter and air conditioning in the summer! They look for comfort as well. There is plenty of food outside for them to eat...they come indoors mainly for shelter and to hide from other predators. But will relish in the easy accessible food morsel that may be left on the counter, floor or bed. Housing just expects you to use poison and pesticides and declutter. They are concerned about how clutterers endanger others...possible fires, the creation of more hidden nest building in boxes, paper assists the multiplication of rats, mice, cockroaches, etc., which affect the entire neighborhood and can create a larger infestation. If your house is decluttered...they won't see the mice or roaches...they will be more hidden but easier to find and eliminate and Housing usually doesn't get on your case. Rats and mice chew right thru walls to get into the insulation to build their nests...and will enter the insulation in your stove as well. So if you use your oven...your house fills with the smell of mouse urine. I know...cause the last place I lived in I had just moved into a house and the first week I used the stove I was nauseated and never used it again for the next 2 years! New development in the area displaced all the field mice...I had just moved in and had an enormous amount of mice running through my house and possessions daily! Even over me as I slept! My house was clean but full of boxes and nest building areas. In California we have roof rats, as they are called and there is really no way to exterminate them...just live with it and hope that a scrub jay, crow, hawk, owl gets a fine meal. Unfortunately, many people use poisons and end up killing our very fine predators. I've seen many outdoor cats, birds, dead in neighborhorhoods as a direct result. I don't suggest pesticides or poison ever! Not only for the wilflife but for my own health as well. In New York, your penthouses have roaches, mice, rats due to the cool, moist basements which provide the environment they love to live in. They use a lot of poisons in those apartment buildings. In Florida and Vermont...same story. So one needs to just declutter inside and outside to reduce the population...don't water close to the foundation of the house, keep it dry. Don't let dirt gather all the way up to the siding. Plaster any cracks in the foundation. And locate any holes that may be in your walls where mice may enter and patch it up...place fine steel wool in hole before patching and wait until the mouse is not in the hole or your house will smell of dead mice if they die inside your walls. If you feed birds...only put out enough seed that can be eaten for the day. Don't feed your pets outside and if you do clean up immediately after they eat. Don't ever leave food outside. I have no mice right now...but then I do have a boa constrictor in an enclosure in the house plus 2 chow-chows who alerted me to a mouse that chewed right in the wall about 2 years ago...I patched it up when she wasn't inside and the mousetrap got her. I don't leave the sliding door open anymore...that's where it entered...chewed threw the rubber on the screen door. Also, noticed chewed the rubber underneath the door to enter. I placed metal there with fine steel wool. Makes them itch and they don't like it. Mice can squeeze through a 1/4 inch space. I have a lot of steel wool where there are cracks and crevices in my house. Also, when there was a major rat infestation in 1994 in Los Angeles, Atwater Village near Griffith Park...2 people died in my neighborhood from the Hanta Virus. I also got the virus...took 3 months to recover. It's from inhaling dust from rat/mice poop. My two mouser/ratter cats were bringing them into the house. My other 4 just watched. Owls were swooping down at night, birds were dying from poisons...it was a horrendous problem. Eventually, so many owls moved into the area as well as raccoons, coyote, etc., people stopped putting poison out and the rat problem got under control...Nature handled it. You definitely don't want to get the Hanta Virus...I was near death and had no money to go to the hospital. So be very careful when picking up rat/mice poop and don't inhale any of the dust...I use a mask if I see any rat/mice poop and put it on before i clean. So don't ever be upset that you have mice, rats, cockroaches, termites...etc. Has absolutely nothing to do with being filthy or clean...but definitely has to do with the increase of the population when being a clutterer. Thanks for reading this...my neighbor across the street is still dealing with mice and is a poison person...I haven't had any problems for 2 years...but now huge cockroaches are walking in my yard which I'd never seen before and I've been in the neighborhood for 8 years now. New halfplex neighbor doesn't pick up her 3 small dogs and 3 new pups feces and thinks that watering it down handles the problem. Guess she likes flys too! I'm afraid the mice will walk across the street soon. Ugh. My neighbors so far are impeccably clean, inside anyway, and moved into a totally remodeled house, they let me in this weekend! Talked with them but they think small poop is not a problem.  I'll be giving them a copy of our city law soon...no dog feces within 75 foot of a house. If they don't comply, I will need to contact Animal Control with a complaint about it. I hate doing that but I can't go thru another mouse infestation on top of it all...lots of work! Thanks again. I'm venting. |
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Post by iguanamamma on Jul 6, 2009 13:55:00 GMT -5
I had racoons come into my house I was ready to kill them all until I realized that one of the little ones was cradling a little stuffed bear that belonged to one of the grandkids in it's little arms. It was so touching I informed everyone that NOBODY would bother the racoons.Then there was the morning a gentle little paw touched my arm while I was sleeping. Unfortunately I screamed like a banshee and scared it off. My husband said that he wanted to run out of the room too.
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Post by flylady on Jul 7, 2009 2:39:07 GMT -5
Thanks for all your lovely replies  I went to the supermarket last night and they didn't sell the old type of mouse trap, so I had to buy a funny looking circle mouse trap  , very strange. It went off last night but no mouse this morning! I do feel alot better reading that mice like to visit even the cleanest of houses. I hopefully can get rid of them. I love this board, everyone is so helpful and positive! |
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Post by juniper2 on Jul 7, 2009 14:59:42 GMT -5
If you purchased a d-con circular mouse trap...one lady online saw the mouse enter and go out the other side...apparently they don't work. I've tried many traps. The snap ones are the ones I have had the most success with, where you need to place a small piece of cheese in it. Mice are pretty smart...they sometimes manage to grab the cheese before the mousetrap goes off...the clue is to place a very, very small amount of stinky cheese so they must place their head totally into the trap to get to the cheese. I've tried other things like peanut butter...never worked for me. Cheese always worked. It's can be gruesome though. Sometimes when the trap snaps it doesn't break the neck of the mouse but part of the head. One time the trap got the thigh of the mouse and he was turning blue and it was in so much pain. I placed the mouse in a plastic bag and banged it's head against the edge of a table or against the wall to break its neck. Death happens instantly that way. Some people just snap their heads with their hands...I can't do that. That's how people who buy rats to feed to their boa constrictors do it. I have a boa but buy frozen rats and just dethaw for feeding. It ached my heart to see that mouse in such pain! So if you have a hardware store I'm sure they would have the normal snap trap...plus they are cheap. I have at least 6 of 'em. Just in case. Good luck.  |
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Post by southerngirl on Jul 7, 2009 15:38:50 GMT -5
Unfortunately they are fairly common in this area. I've found the snap traps work well although they are pretty yucky to deal with. I've heard the Rat Zapper works well but have never tried one myself.
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Post by slothzilla on Jul 7, 2009 18:20:29 GMT -5
So if you use your oven...your house fills with the smell of mouse urine. I know...cause the last place I lived in I had just moved into a house and the first week I used the stove I was nauseated and never used it again for the next 2 years! ... Over 20 years ago my (now ex) wife an I were renting an old somewhat rundown apartment, and from time to time we'd get brown field mice even though we kept the place fairly neat. One day she was cooking some steaks, and the apartment filled with a terrible stench - upon investigation, we found that a mouse had died in the broiler pan, and what we were smelling was burnt mouse fur. I ate two steaks that evening, because she didn't want hers! Unfortunately where I live now I get big black rats instead of just the brown field mice (which are cute in comparison). These suckers are smart, and very hard to kill (glue traps don't work at all on them and I've never caught one at all with a "catch-'em-alive" humane trap). I've had a little success with the old-fashioned traps, but more often than not, they'd get the cheese and escape the trap (next time I will keep juniper2's tips in mind!) I think that they first came in due to the weather, and for easy access to dog food. I've since been keeping it in a rubbermaid container which they can't get to. I've always been very careful about not leaving food out, but they seem to be attracted to clutter as much as food (easier for them to hide, and to get around if there is stuff everywhere obscuring their paths). Recently I cleaned up fairly thoroughly and was astounded to find so many rat droppings in my lower kitchen cabinets, which I never use. There's never been any food in them at all in the 8 years I've lived here, but it looks like the rats have spent a lot time in them. I had a big heavy entertainment center in one corner of my living room, and there had been a lot of rat activity behind there too, especially on top of my stereo receiver (what the heck were they doing there?...again, no food was ever anywhere around it). At the beginning of the year I found a dead rat in my spare bedroom, which was"clutter-central" for a looooong time. Hardly ever had any food in there, but boy was there a lot of clutter to hide in... I haven't spent much time in that room in the past few years due to the mess it became. Now that its somewhat clean and organized, I plan to spend more time in there. Thankfully, I think that my place is rat-free at the moment, but who knows for sure. I wish I had a better plan to keep them away, but as far as I can tell the best strategies are: *keep food in places hard for them to get too, and in tupperware if its not refrigerated. *be careful not to let clutter get too bad on the floor, especially around the edges of the rooms and in the corners (These areas are where I found the most droppings, and apparently were paths for them...they rarely will go to the center of a room, but keep around the edges). * rearrange furniture to disrupt any hidden pathways for them. I have a lot of furniture against the walls, where its easy for them to hide...I still have the big entertainment center, but I moved it out of the corner, so that there is more open space on its sides, and now the corner they had been in the most is far more open. *try not let to let any room get inaccessible due to clutter...they are not all that scared by human activity, but if you have a room which you don't spend much time in, chances are they will nest there. *get a cat! I have a dog, but my girlfriend who lived in the same complex I do had cats, and she never had any rats in the 11 years that I knew her. (she always kept her place pretty clean too though). Her next door neighbor, who is "domestically-challenged" (but not nearly as bad as I usually am), would get rats from time to time. |
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Post by messyang on Jul 7, 2009 19:36:29 GMT -5
Don't feel badly. I guess I am sinning because I have roaches, and I have had them for quite a few years, and I am disgusted by myself. I am ashamed to let the exterminator in for fear he/she will see how many I have and call CPS. I have tried everything. I know I am a good person, and I am sure you are too. I have no idea how to get rid of mice, or roaches, but here is a big hug from Florida....
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Post by southerngirl on Jul 8, 2009 8:06:56 GMT -5
Slothzilla's tips are great. I live in an older (1940's vintage) apartment complex and we get the yucky big black rats here too. I especially would second:
* keep pet food in a sealed and mouse-proof, rat-proof container (I use a big Rubbermaid bin to store dog food and treats)
* keep food in plastic/glass containers (i.e. potato chips, crackers, etc.)
I discovered a rat problem last year when I left a big bag of dog food in my dining room overnight. Came downstairs and it was opened. I thought at first my boy dog had chewed it open (I have two dogs and the boy is a chewer). But when I looked at it I could tell it wasn't his usual chewing. Examined my apartment and discovered they were coming in behind the oven. Had to get help from a male friend to move the oven and seal the hole. (Friend works in building industry so was able to do this professionally.) Set traps (the old fashioned kind) to catch rats. They worked but to an animal lover, it was pretty horrifying. (Although safety for me and my two dogs was my top priority.)
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Post by slothzilla on Jul 8, 2009 9:18:19 GMT -5
Slothzilla's tips are great. I live in an older (1940's vintage) apartment complex and we get the yucky big black rats here too.... Me too! My apartments were built in 1947. I wish I could figure out exactly where the rats are coming in, and seal it up. They seem to come in from the kitchen, but I haven't found any holes. They've been in the the attic of the building too, so they may be coming in that way (there's a lot of tall trees around the building). I never had rats before I lived here, they really freaked me out at first. I've seen a couple up close and it wasn't pleasant! |
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Post by southerngirl on Jul 8, 2009 12:04:29 GMT -5
Slothzilla, it sounds like we live at the same type of place (who knows, maybe even the same neighborhood, that would be a weird coincidence!). These places were built in 1946 or 1947.
I think the rats are in the attic here too as I hear noises overhead at night. It is very unsettling.
I had relatives on farms as a kid and I had seen typical farm mice/field mice. This is also my first experience with rats -- and I do not like it. :-(
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Post by juniper2 on Jul 8, 2009 14:50:03 GMT -5
Well, I got news for both of you southerngirl and slothzilla [oh..I mean go-zilla ]. I've actually seen rats and mice scoot right by me when i open the front door or any door in the house for that matter! We are just not as fast as the rats and mice. An open door or window is an open invitation to rats and mice...they climb walls also and are very acrobatic!  I've also seen them chew right thru any kind of plastic! So I use metal canisters or cans...those popcorn tins they sell during holidays work great and have nice scenery on 'em as well. You can sit them one on top of the other if you need several and I find they make a crappy corner look interesting and artistic! Happy rat/mouse hunting. |
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Post by fireweed on Jul 8, 2009 15:04:20 GMT -5
Don't worry about mice. Lots of us deal with them. Just buy some traps and listen for the snap!
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Post by juniper2 on Jul 8, 2009 15:13:06 GMT -5
Unfortunately, the Housing Authority tells residents that mice (and bugs) come because you don't keep your apartment clean enough. That's their only assumption. That's why when I see one, I freak out and automatically think it's my fault. Because it doesn't matter about the facts, to Housing, it's your fault and will always be your fault. One tiny crumb can lead to hundreds of ants. They don't know what they're talking about. Anybody can get rodents and bugs. When I purchased my home the former owner had an enormous problem with ants and he was pretty clean. He had all those ant stakes that kill ants surrounding the house! Where did he expect the ants to go-they're not dumb...poison outside...go inside! I moved in...pulled up all the poisoned stakes, and immediately placed a very small plastic lid of sugar far away from the house in the backyard (Something my mother showed me.) The ants took about 1 week to locate the sugar and found another place to set up shop! Haven't had ants in 6 years! I do see them in the backyard and sometimes along the foundation...but they never come inside so it's never a problem and I only had to put sugar out that one time. Funny, they still hang out where I had placed the sugar 6 years ago-guess they pass it on for generations that a sugar meal once appeared there and may appear again! |
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Post by slothzilla on Jul 8, 2009 17:48:30 GMT -5
Slothzilla, it sounds like we live at the same type of place (who knows, maybe even the same neighborhood, that would be a weird coincidence!). These places were built in 1946 or 1947. I think the rats are in the attic here too as I hear noises overhead at night. It is very unsettling. I had relatives on farms as a kid and I had seen typical farm mice/field mice. This is also my first experience with rats -- and I do not like it. :-( Okay, this is getting kind of weird. I am beginning to even wonder if we might live in the same complex. I live in Decatur, close to Emory. I love living in the apartments I'm in, I seriously think that they're the best deal in the Atlanta area. The rats and roaches are a small price to pay for a roomy townhouse apartment in a good, safe area intown, with lots of grass and trees, and relatively low rent. There was a rat living in the attic of my building back in February and March. I live in an end unit, and only the end units have ceiling panels in the bedroom closets, which are the only way to get into the attic (hmmm, I guess I could store stuff up there, but I haven't...I've never been up there). Anyhow, the rat was pretty loud, especially late at night, and neighbors complained about it. So the maintenance man had to come into my apartment to get to the attic to set a trap. At the time, I had too much stuff in the way for him to do that, so I got a note from the apt. management asking me to clean up a bit. I'm pretty sure that's why I had an apartment inspection before they renewed my lease this year (the place was pretty messy when the maintenance man first saw it). They inspected me the first time they renewed my lease, but haven't since. If you pass your one year inspection, they automatically renew your lease every year unless there is a problem. I hope you are making a lot of progress with your cleaning and organizing, and that the rats are leaving you alone! |
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Post by slothzilla on Jul 8, 2009 17:52:43 GMT -5
Well, I got news for both of you southerngirl and slothzilla [oh..I mean go-zilla ]. I've actually seen rats and mice scoot right by me when i open the front door or any door in the house for that matter! We are just not as fast as the rats and mice. An open door or window is an open invitation to rats and mice...they climb walls also and are very acrobatic! I've also seen them chew right thru any kind of plastic! So I use metal canisters or cans...those popcorn tins they sell during holidays work great and have nice scenery on 'em as well. You can sit them one on top of the other if you need several and I find they make a crappy corner look interesting and artistic! Happy rat/mouse hunting. Yikes, they've actually scooted past you into your home? Those little critters have a lot of nerve! I like your idea about the popcorn tins, I may stock up on a few of those next time I see some for sale. And I also like your tip about ants...every spring ants come into my place, and I have varying degrees of success in getting rid of them. I will try putting some sugar in the backyard to draw them away next spring. Thanks for the tips! |
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