# Forum Home Renovation General Odds & Sods  Bloody mice!

## Tools

Having trouble catching a couple of mice that have taken up residence in my house and are eating me out of house and home. First noticed them 3 weeks ago and told the boys at work that the mice think they are smarter than me which thus far has proved to be correct. I have increased my arsenal over the past weeks to 12 traps placed close to the wall in areas where they have been seen. I have baited them with cheese. peanut butter, tomato and fruit cake but they just won't touch anything that is on the trap. I have left bait adjacent to the trap to test that they are still around and they will eat that, just not the bait on the trap! I have now graduated to a cage trap and last night baited it with fruit cake. They ate the cake next to the trap but didn't enter the cage for the second piece. 
Does anyone have any suggestions on an irresistible bait that might them in to the trap? I don't want to use poison as they will probably die somewhere where I can't get them and stink the house out. 
Tools

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## OBBob

Hmm,  they can be a pain. Have you tried any alternative traps rather than different baits?

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## Smurf

My mice are safely housed in a cage and well fed with a nice mix of foods. They've got a tunnel, mouse house, wheel and all the usual mouse stuff. No problems with them, although they do make a fair bit of noise sometimes. Nothing drastic, just an assortment of squeaks and the wheel makes a racket with 3 mice at once running on it. 
As for catching them, you need one of those tunnel-like mouse traps which tip when the mouse enters, closing the door behind. No poisons involved, and both the trap and mouse are fully reusable. Like this (this is just the first one I found with a quick search, you can buy them in Australia too) : 
No harm is caused to the mouse, indeed I've used them to catch a mouse that wondered off during cage cleaning with no troubles. Just put the trap along a wall, come back later and retrieve the mouse.  6 TIP Trap Live Capture Mousetrap Mouse Trap Trapping Mice A Better Mouse Trap | eBay

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## Random Username

My cat wishes we had a mouse problem again...

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## Sir Stinkalot

> They ate the cake next to the trap but didn't enter the cage for the second piece.

  It sounds like they could be full ..... perhaps just an entrée on the outside of the trap and leave them wanting more!

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## Tools

Bob, yes I have 4 different types and now the cage. Most of the traps are new and none have ever caught anything before so there can't be any residual smells on them. 
Smurf, I have a cage to catch them alive but it is mesh rather than an enclosed tunnel. I can't get the mnongrels to go anywhere near any sort of trap to even have a chance of catching them. Do you think they would be more drawn to an enclosed trap like the ones you linked to? 
Random, Used to have cats and never had mice. The neighbour has a cat but the thing is so lazy the mice would be able to sleep cuddled up to him and he wouldn't bother to move. 
It is getting to the point where hand to hand combat might be the only solution, but given their endeavours thus far they would probably come out on top in that as well! 
Tools

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## Tools

> It sounds like they could be full ..... perhaps just an entrée on the outside of the trap and leave them wanting more!

  It was only a tiny piece smaller than a 5c piece. I have been trying to get them to feel comfortable with what they are eating so that they move closer to the traps. Bastards have cost me a fortune in cheese so far.... 
Tools

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## mudbrick

Nuts work well, like half an almond wedged into the spike on the bait plate. 
Maybe the trap as too clean and you need to leave it outside in the rain for a while or maybe you need to recess it into a piece of plywood so it disappears

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## Moondog55

Sorry tools but the correct thing to use is the good old fashioned shotgun loaded with salt 
a 303
 or 
SEMTEX :Fireworks:  :Hbomb:  :Hbomb:

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## intertd6

The old method of catching mice when they plague was a half filled bucket of water with a fixed small diameter chrome rail crossing the bucket, a bait in the middle of the rail, the rail was oiled or greased, some sort of a ramp up to the rim of the bucket was also needed, Im always fishing them out of the water bucket in the chook shed & that hasn't even got access, a rail or bait, they just jump up to see what's on the other side.
regards inter

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## OBBob

> The old method of catching mice when they plague was a half filled bucket of water with a fixed small diameter chrome rail crossing the bucket, a bait in the middle of the rail, the rail was oiled or greased, some sort of a ramp up to the rim of the bucket was also needed, Im always fishing them out of the water bucket in the chook shed & that hasn't even got access, a rail or bait, they just jump up to see what's on the other side.
> regards inter

  We've done this outside with success previously. Used penut butter. Example from Google below.        
Maybe you need to rig up infrared CCTV first and collect some data before deciding on your next move.   :Biggrin:

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## Bros

> The old method of catching mice when they plague was a half filled bucket of water with a fixed small diameter chrome rail crossing the bucket, a bait in the middle of the rail, the rail was oiled or greased, some sort of a ramp up to the rim of the bucket was also needed, Im always fishing them out of the water bucket in the chook shed & that hasn't even got access, a rail or bait, they just jump up to see what's on the other side.
> regards inter

  I did similar but used a long neck beer bottle but the moue plague was so bad when I used to go down in the morning there were so many in the bucket the last ones could jump out.
The odd part was the plague of mice vanished almost overnight.

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## Bros

> Does anyone have any suggestions on an irresistible bait that might them in to the trap? I don't want to use poison as they will probably die somewhere where I can't get them and stink the house out. 
> Tools

  Toasted bacon rind

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## goldie1

Pumpkin seeds works well

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## joynz

Whatever you use as bait, perhaps try and remove all other food sources except what is in the trap.

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## Marc

Contrac Blox | Rat Bait | Bromadiolone Blocks | BUY ONLINE

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## ErrolFlynn

You wouldn't happen to keep chickens on your block.  My neighbour had some that encouraged me to try.  We got a whole range of different breeds. Some looked like game, pretty little silkies, the full works.  Had more eggs that we knew what to do with.  Then eventually we had more rats and mice than we knew what to do with.  There is an association there. We never had rats or mice before we had chickens. 
We tried the humane method - cages; catch and release somewhere safe.  Didn't work.  You can't keep up.  
The most rotten thing I noticed was seeing one inside the house.  Was watching TV one night and my eye caught some movement along the top of the curtain rail.  A mouse was running along the top of the curtain then disappeared somewhere at the other end.  No idea where it came from at first, nor where it went.  But I checked the next day with a torch in my hand.  There was a tiny gap between some timber window frame and the brick wall of the lounge room next to the curtains.  The gap must have been less than 10mm, and at the other end was a similarly tiny hole.  These holes were the sort of thing you might initially think were too small for anything to get through other than spiders, but that was the only entry and exit.  
Ended up selling the house; not because of the wildlife.  I got another job interstate.  I left one of the traps for the new owner, but if I were them I'd call the exterminator.

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## Renopa

Melt some chocolate over the prongs on the trap...it's about the only way to get it to stay there!!  Make sure all other food they've been eating is picked up because if they are being really fussy, they are not too hungry!   
Cheese is a myth, lots of other things they like more.   
;-)

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## Smurf

> Do you think they would be more drawn to an enclosed trap like the ones you linked to?

  Mice like to run along walls, they generally aren't keen on being in the middle of the room as it's too exposed. They also like small openings, tunnels, pipes etc. 
So you set the tunnel-like trap parallel to a wall. Mouse comes along, goes inside, door closes behind it.  
As for food, mice aren't actually too keen on cheese despite the popular misconception. Mine won't touch the stuff, they much prefer grains, vegetables and even pieces of fruit to cheese. Strangely, they also love eating these although they only get one occasionally since they're not really intended for mice. Homebrand Treat Oven Baked Biscuits 1kg - buy homebrand treat oven baked biscuits 1kg online at woolworths.com.au

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## PlatypusGardens

I've had good results with making "tunnels" from plywood, just wide enough to slide the traps in there so they can't get to the food from the side.  
I even caught two mice in two traps in the same tunnel once.
So either the one caught in the second trap climbed over his dead mate to get to the trap, or somehow got past the first trap...?  
Peanutbutter works for me.  
I hate using bait as they always end up dead behind the fridge, under cupboards, or elsewhere inside the house.
This whole thing about "they go outside looking for water" is BS.  
Tried the bucket and various seesaw/roller setups but they outsmarted them too...   :Smilie:

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## METRIX

Get one of these

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## PlatypusGardens

> Get one of these

  
*flips welding mask up*  
I'm welding as fast as I can!

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## Tools

Well there certainly are some interesting suggestions above. 
I have just reloaded the smorgasboard and have 10 traps and a cage loaded with the following: 
1. Cheese
2. Cherry tomato
3.Grape
4. Peanut butter
5. Marmalade
6. and 7. Almond
8. Walnut
9. Cranberry
10. Fruit cake
11. and Chocolate being served in the cage. 
I have not left out any teasers so if they are hungry then they will just have to eat of a trap. If I am not successful in getting anything tonight then I will have an excuse to get some bacon for breakfast as well as some pumpkin seeds. 
Mudbrick,Nuts are loaded and half of the traps are old ones so smell shouldn't be an issue.
Moondog, it might just come to that!
Inter/Bob, interesting concept and might consider it if I don't have any luck in the next few days.
Bros,bacon is on the menu for me tomorrow morning, and for my furry friends tomorrow night.
Goldie, Will pick some up tomorrow.
Joynz, they don't appear to be eating anything apart from what I put out for them. I have not put out any teasers tonight, just in the traps.
Marc, I am trying to avoid poisons as I don't want them dying in some inaccessible place.
Errol, no chickens nor does anyone in the neighbourhood.
Renopa, I have chocolate in the cage tonight. My wife also suggested the same thing.
Smurf, I have the traps all along the wall and will look in to some sort of tunnel arrangement if I have no luck. Bunnies has a trap that is tunnel like and when the mouse sticks his head in a band contracts around his head and he chokes to death. Problem with that was though that I have one small and one big mouse ( that I know of) and I can't see that the big one would fit in. 
Platypus, how long did you male the tunnels?
Metrix, it's not out of the question at this stage! 
Tools

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## intertd6

You could have antechinus which don't eat any of those things.
regards inter

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## justonething

Get one of these The Big Cheese 1.2W Advanced Electronic Pest Repeller I/N 3010136 | Bunnings Warehouse or from ebay:6X Pest Repeller Electronic Ultrasonic Mouse RAT Mosquito Insect Rodent Pest RID | eBay, It is cheaper, not sure if they are the same. We have 2 cats, no mouse ever come near.

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## PlatypusGardens

Actually, for bait try macadamias.
Next door has a tree and I'm always finding collections of nuts and shells in odd places like under the beer fridge outside, under stuff I haven't moved for a while behind the shed etc.  
As for the "tunnels" I think I just made them a little bit longer than the traps, but I suppose you could get elaborate and make them with a couple of corners and junctions....   :Smilie:

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## ErrolFlynn

Whatever you do, you have to get rid of them quickly.  They will munch on your wiring.  It may result in a fire.  I had left an electrical power board in the roof space where I was putting down some floor boards.  Went to grab it one day only to find it had been nibbled.  They hadn't got to the inner cables, just the outer layer of insulation.  It wasn't the taste of plastic but the fact that their teeth keep growing and they have to gnaw on stuff to wear them away.  I wouldn't doubt for a moment that any house with rodents has electrical hazards developing because of this.   
Have a look at this: Rats Chew On Wires in Attic - Electrical Hazard
(I wonder what the fluffy stuff is in the photo they have for insulation)

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## Smurf

Rats have teeth which keep growing hence the need to chew things to wear them down. And so far as plastic is concerned, black seems to be their favourite colour. 
Mice don't have the teeth growing isssue, they'll really only chew things if they're hungry or to make a hole to get through. That said, they still like certain colours of plastic. I once made the mistake, when going away for a week, of leaving the mice with a big blue bowl (the cat's bowl at that) of food. In short, they ate the bowl itself and left most of the food untouched. Had it been a different colour, say yellow (which I have used since), they won't touch it and just eat the food inside.

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## ErrolFlynn

Why Do Mice Love to Bite Their Way Into Your House? - TSM Interactive  *Teeth that keep on growing*
Yes, mice love to gnaw on things, no matter if those things are edible or not. Gnawing helps these rodents create spaces to squeeze through, and it keeps their teeth in check. Since mice teeth never stop growing, they need to file them down by chewing on hard surfaces, in order to maintain a manageable tooth length.

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## Tools

Bloody hell! Despite the smorgasboard i provided for them last night the traps were all untouched this morning. I assumed that they had a sniff around and left empty handed.....until my wife found that they had been in the pantry and esten their way in to a packet of scotch fingers. Upon further investigation they had also eaten in to the bag of almonds that I bought yesterday as bait. That is the first time that they have eaten anything that wasn't left out for them (as far as I know!) So I have now added the following to the feast with two traps in the pantry:
12. Scotch finger biscuit
13. Pumpkin seeds. 
I also picked up some bacon this morning for the toasted rind suggestion, but unfortunately it didn't make it past the breakfast table. 
Justonething, I saw those electronic devices at the green shed buit didn't know if they were just a gimic or not. HAve you or has anyone used these effectively?
Inter, never heard of an antechinus before and had to google to see what it was. What I have certainly look like mice and they don't have the big ears of the antechinus.
Errol, I know what you mean about the wiring. They have been seen going under the fridge so who knows what they might be eating under there.
Smurf, At this stage they don't seem to have attacked anything but food. The damn things have been eating better than my kids over the past few weeks! 
Tools

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## PlatypusGardens

Youtube "electrocuting mouse traps"    :Smilie:

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## intertd6

> Bloody hell! Despite the smorgasboard i provided for them last night the traps were all untouched this morning. I assumed that they had a sniff around and left empty handed.....until my wife found that they had been in the pantry and esten their way in to a packet of scotch fingers. Upon further investigation they had also eaten in to the bag of almonds that I bought yesterday as bait. That is the first time that they have eaten anything that wasn't left out for them (as far as I know!) So I have now added the following to the feast with two traps in the pantry:
> 12. Scotch finger biscuit
> 13. Pumpkin seeds. 
> I also picked up some bacon this morning for the toasted rind suggestion, but unfortunately it didn't make it past the breakfast table. 
> Justonething, I saw those electronic devices at the green shed buit didn't know if they were just a gimic or not. HAve you or has anyone used these effectively?
> Inter, never heard of an antechinus before and had to google to see what it was. What I have certainly look like mice and they don't have the big ears of the antechinus.
> Errol, I know what you mean about the wiring. They have been seen going under the fridge so who knows what they might be eating under there.
> Smurf, At this stage they don't seem to have attacked anything but food. The damn things have been eating better than my kids over the past few weeks! 
> Tools

  I Have never paid much attention to their ears, but just know they are lightening fast runners, Id say at least twice as fast as a common mouse & they can jump up & down some extraordinary distances for their size.
regards inter

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## ChocDog

> We've done this outside with success previously. Used penut butter. Example from Google below.        
> Maybe you need to rig up infrared CCTV first and collect some data before deciding on your next move.

  That reminds me of this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9-rE5RBZvU

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## David.Elliott

If you've ever seen a mouse wander in amongst the chooks, it's scary to watch. The little buggers don't stand a chance...!

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## OBBob

> If you've ever seen a mouse wander in amongst the chooks, it's scary to watch. The little buggers don't stand a chance...!

  There you go ... get some chickens for your kitchen!

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## Renopa

....once the chickens do their thing with the mice, your next roast dinner is ready.   :Biggrin:

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## Jon

It will be a sad day if Tools ever catches his mouse.  The posts are quite amusing.
Kind of a text version of road runner v Wyle E Coyote

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## OBBob

Apparently snakes are good with mice too ...

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## justonething

> Justonething, I saw those electronic devices at the green shed buit didn't know if they were just a gimic or not. HAve you or has anyone used these effectively?
>  Tools

  My neighbor has been using this kind of supersonic repellant for a number of years and he swears by them. The supersonic waves disturb the mice so they leave the area. It is important to have enough of them so the signals are strong enough everywhere in the house. The idea is that you have a number of them strategically located in the house,  once they have moved on, you will have to seal all the ingress paths to stop them from coming back inside. Then you relocate them under the house and/or in the roof space to chase them further away. I have not used them myself, but if I were you, I'll try ebay first as (1) they sell in a packet of 6 of something and (2) they are 2.5 w instead of 1.2w.  
My experience is that you'll never get rid of mice permanently by trapping them, because they are smarter than you think, and they have more time than you have available.

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## Tools

Well no luck again last night, but I did manage to get some video of the buggers and now I understand what the problem is:  http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...ft-46osoQ-VciQ  
Tools

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## phild01

Great ad.

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## Renopa

ROFLMHO~~~if the poor mouse had to work so hard to escape then he/she deserved the freedom!!

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## OBBob

Good camera setup,  multiple angles and a mouse that doesn't mind the spotlight! Get a rat trap... that'll sort him.

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## STX550

M........I'm loving it

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## Tools

Once again nothing to report from last night. I have revised the menu for this evening and it now includes macadamias and bacon rind. If I am still in the same situation by the weekend then I might have to knock up one of those water bucket arrangements. 
Tools

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## OBBob

They're probably currently calling all their little friends and inviting them over for dinner!

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## Jon

What wine are you thinking of serving?

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## phild01



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## PlatypusGardens

> Well no luck again last night, but I did manage to get some video of the buggers and now I understand what the problem is:  http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...ft-46osoQ-VciQ  
> Tools

  
Awww... 
did anyone watche the video with the geckos on that page?    :Frown:

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## Bros

> Apparently snakes are good with mice too ...

  
Not all. My mate keeps a pet snake and he has to stun the mice as the snake is to lazy to catch them.

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## OBBob

> Not all. My mate keeps a pet snake and he has to stun the mice as the snake is to lazy to catch them.

  Hmm, so you need to be careful in your choice. According to Google, chickens, snakes, foxes, cats, owls and Arnold Schwarzenegger are all appropriate predators for mice.

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## Smurf

The way this thread is going, we'll soon have to open up clinics to deal with all these stressed out, highly anxious mice. If a mouse had read all this, they could be excused for believing that the whole world is out to get them. 
Thankfully, one thing my mice don't have is an internet connection.  :Smilie:

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## PlatypusGardens

> 

  
that pic makes my skin crawl.  :Shock:                     
Who would throw away a perfectly good bike like that?   :No:

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## Tools

I have now added a water bucket arrangement to my arsenal but I am not swinging by my kerrys hoping it will work. They are just too clever and will eat anything that I leave out for them as long as it isn't in a trap so I suspect that they won't walk the plank over the bucket. My wife think that she saw 3 of them having a pow wow in the kitchen yesterday and one ran over my little girl's foot in its haste to hide. That makes it personal now so if there is no luck over the next 2 nights then I will reluctantly have to go down the poison route and deal with the consequences of them dying somewhere inside the house.I did look in to those electronic devices but you need one in each room for them to work as they don't work through doors or walls.   
Tools

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## Tools

Well the water trap didn't catch anything last night but there does appear to be a bit of mouse poo at the bottom so I assume that they at least took an interest and hopefully are planning a return visit. I did however finally get one in the spring trap, only a very small one but I will take what I can get at this stage. I reckon this is smaller then the 2 that I have seen so it might be the third one that my wife saw. 
Tools

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## goldie1

And the bait used was   ( drum roll please )

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## justonething

> That makes it personal now so if there is no luck over the next 2 nights then I will reluctantly have to go down the poison route and deal with the consequences of them dying somewhere inside the house.I did look in to those electronic devices but you need one in each room for them to work as they don't work through doors or walls.  
> Tools

  Get a cat then. it has a 100% success rate, you only need one no matter how many rooms you have and your kids will love their new pet.

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## Tools

> And the bait used was   ( drum roll please )

  Well that one had marmalade on it. Caught another one this afternoon as well and this was just as small as the one caught overnight. Not sure how quick or slow they grow but I don't think the 2 that I have seen were this small so maybe there are more than the 3 that my wife has seen. I will have to do an inventory on the traps to see what bait was on the second trap. 
Tools

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## Marc

I remember many years ago my daughter then 13, came home from school with a little white cat. She put it on the kitchen floor and was working on convincing us to keep it when the kitten leaped in a corner and came back with a mouse in her mouth. We did not even know we had mice.
Goes without saying the cat remained in the house for the next 20 years.

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## Tools

Nothing caught last night but the extra time I have had with these guys has let me get to know them a little better. Turns out that their surname is Focker. The mothers name is Martha. Martha Focker. Dads name is Philthy. Philthy Focker. And the two kids, well I didn't get to know them before their demise so I will just refer to them as the Little Fockers. 
Tools

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## goldie1

> Nothing caught last night but the extra time I have had with these guys has let me get to know them a little better. Turns out that there surname is Focker. The mothers name is Martha. Martha Focker. Dads name is Philthy. Philthy Focker. And the two kids, well I didn't get to know them before there demise so I will just refer to them as the Little Fockers. 
> Tools

   Considering mice reproduce in about 3 weeks you might have to come up with more  names 
for the little fockers

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## Tools

> Considering mice reproduce in about 3 weeks you might have to come up with more  names 
> for the little fockers

  That's not good to know...and I just saw another Little Focker running around. 
Tools

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## Tools

When I was making the kids a chicken roll for lunch today I thought I would put some chicken down to see if the mice would take it. I put it in the back of the cage and have just checked now and it is gone. So they have walked in to the cage to get the chicken but not taken the bait that would trip the cage. They are way too clever. 
Tools

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## ChocDog

> Nothing caught last night but the extra time I have had with these guys has let me get to know them a little better. Turns out that there surname is Focker. The mothers name is Martha. Martha Focker. Dads name is Philthy. Philthy Focker. And the two kids, well I didn't get to know them before there demise so I will just refer to them as the Little Fockers. 
> Tools

  !!!

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## goldie1

I think you might have to resort to poison. I used to live in a rural area and rats and mice were a 
common problem. I used to use those wax blocks wired to the bearers under the house and in the ceiling. 
Did it for years and never had a problem with one dying in the house. Occasionally find a body in the  
garden

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## ErrolFlynn

I've heard people talking about the smell.  Never experienced it so I don't know, but I wonder if its a myth.  Surely when the animal dies it will dry up like road kill.  Smells for a while like anything would in death, but after a while becomes an odorless hulk.  The urine of live rats is worse than dried up rats.  I had to clean up a heap of papers that had been stored in a cupboard in the shed that rats had made their home.  The smell made me dry retch.  On the other had I had a wood fire in that house and I stored my firewood logs in the shed.  I had inadvertently pilled a new load of firewood on top of the existing pile trapping a rat that had made its home in the pile.  Normally rodents are good at squeezing out through narrow gaps.  I can only assume the new load had crushed or pinned the poor thing in the wood pile.  Anyway, I never noticed a smell from the wood heap and only realized it was there when I found it dead and dried up about 8 months later.

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## woodbe

> I've heard people talking about the smell.  Never experienced it so I don't know, but I wonder if its a myth.

  Not a myth! It has a use by date when all the fluids dry out but if it's in an inaccessible place and you have a meeting or birthday party etc in the house tomorrow there isn't much you can do about it! By the time you smell it, I reckon you have about a week before the odour starts to recede...

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## Tools

A few years back I had some scratching in the roof so lifted a roof sheet and put one of those throw packs in for their dining pleasure. Days later I had this incredible smell throughout the house that appeared to be coming from the ducted heating so I assumed that something had got in to the ducts and dropped off the perch. I sent a dunny diver camera down but couldn't see anything but the smell was still there and worse when the heating was on. With no subfloor access I thought I was going to have to pull the ducts apart and somehow worry about reinstalling them later. I went to the room where the smell seemed to be worst and I removed the register and boot there was a great big dead mofo rat cuddled up against the duct to keep warm. Of course he had eaten the delicacies I had left for him in the ceiling so he was dead as a door nail and stunk like an absolute bastard. I was just lucky that he wasn't inside the ducts. 
Tools

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## PlatypusGardens

> By the time you smell it, I reckon you have about a week before the odour starts to recede...

  Oh they stink.
 For more than a week. 
Believe me.

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## Tools

I think I am on to something with the chicken as bait. After the bait disappeared from inside the cage yesterday I changed one of the traps to chicken and this morning the chicken was gone but he trap didn't go off. I have changed all but 2 of the traps to chicken now and one of the traps has just gone off. Nothing caught but the chicken is gone so at least I have found something that they will go for in a trap. 
Tools

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## mudbrick

When you set the traps do you balance the plate right on the top of the Spring ...

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## Tools

> When you set the traps do you balance the plate right on the top of the Spring ...

  Not sure what you mean. I have a number of different types/brands of trap but they all work on the same general principle. I set them so that it shouldn't take too much movement to release them. The Little Fockers are pretty small though so I suspect that is what got the chicken last night. Not such a bad thing though as it will build their familiarity with the traps and then it is only a matter of time... 
Tools

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## Renopa

Make sure there isn't a burr on the end of the hold-down bar and it's set with the end 'just' in the catch.   ;=))

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## phild01

This type of trap worked great for some visiting rats I had.  The bait worked and once depleted, tin tuna was used with great results.  Trap is easy to use and re-usable: The Big Cheese Ultra Power Mouse Trap - 2 Pack I/N 3010130 | Bunnings Warehouse

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## goldie1

Success with marmalade then with chicken perhaps you could whip up a tasty apricot chicken and  
give that a try  :Smilie:

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## ErrolFlynn

> the smell was still there and worse when the heating was on.

   Your comment of the heating reminded me of an experience I had with an old car I had.  I laid up an old car, for about a year or more.  It was parked next to the chicken coup; not that I thought that was a problem at the time, as the drive was some 3-4 meters distant.  When I removed the car cover to get the car ready for use again there was rodent muck everywhere.  It took quite a bit of cleaning, but the biggest surprise was after I thought it was ship shape clean and tidy and I turned the heater on.  I was driving and getting cooler with winter approaching I opened the vent for the heater and switched the fan on to be showered in muck.  The rats/mice had got inside the heater, dragged straw and paper inside to make it comfortable, and it was now being blown onto me.  Though, that wasn't the biggest problem.  The heater worked okay but that sour noxious smell that blew out was unforgettable.  It was quickly turned off never to be put back on again.

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## notvery

> Actually, for bait try macadamias.
> Next door has a tree and I'm always finding collections of nuts and shells in odd places like under the beer fridge outside, under stuff I haven't moved for a while behind the shed etc.  
> As for the "tunnels" I think I just made them a little bit longer than the traps, but I suppose you could get elaborate and make them with a couple of corners and junctions....

  I would be VERY surprised if it were mice that did the maca nuts. We have a tree and they all get eaten by native rats. apparently they are about the only things that can get into them. Ive got to the point where im happy for them to eat the lot i cant open the shell of a macadamia with anything less than a club hammer and a specific "macadamia nut cracker" costs about 250 bucks. sigh...  
mind ive got some good ideas from this thread for solving my mouse problem... thanks.

----------


## Muzza40

If you decide to go the poison route then i have been told by a few people that after eating poision they immediatly look for water to drink, so what they used to do was set bait in the roof and then leave a dish of water nearby so they head for that and usually die near the water. Helps to find them rather that having them run off somewhere you can't find them.

----------


## PlatypusGardens

> If you decide to go the poison route then i have been told by a few people that after eating poision they immediatly look for water to drink, so what they used to do was set bait in the roof and then leave a dish of water nearby so they head for that and usually die near the water. Helps to find them rather that having them run off somewhere you can't find them.

  
Never worked for me.
They always seemed to look for a warm cosy place to snuff it.   :Frown:

----------


## Tools

Bloody things. They set off one trap last night and took the chicken. It was the same trap as a couple of days ago and it is a rat trap rather than a mouse trap.  
Tools

----------


## PlatypusGardens

> a specific "macadamia nut cracker" costs about 250 bucks. sigh... 
> .

  Is that the gold plated one made by Bugatti or something?   :Shock:   
Try this Bonk Nutcracker - 420g | Nutworks 
You could make one of them for nothing as you probably have the required bits in your shed.
(assuming you have a welder of course) 
Or a lever kind setup which wouldn't even require welding....    :Biggrin:

----------


## notvery

> Is that the gold plated one made by Bugatti or something?

  dont you buy everything from Bugatti? sheez no class come people. 
mate that nut cracker would enable me to crack nuts between my fingers by the time i had done a trees worth...haha or be in hospital.. but the TJ on the same link looked more like it... little on the small side but could be taken on holiday. and a more reasonable price. 
no i dont have any welding gear just yet.. but that is the next toy after the wood chipper...the the metal in the shed will be scared!

----------


## mudbrick

Just put them in a vice, the maccas don't stand a chance.
some good vice grip pliers can do the job too, or if on holiday we just find some rocks... The Kids love watching- and eating the spoils!
now back to catching mice

----------


## Tools

Renopa, the ends are pretty smooth and I have made sure that the pin is only just holding so should be pretty sensitive.
Phild, I have some of those traps and that is what caught the 2 little fockers so far. Pretty good trap and easy to set.
Goldie, I may as well as I have fed them everything else! 
Tools

----------


## PlatypusGardens

After a bit of digging through the "Misc" folders I finally found it.
The double whammy tunnel of death.      :Shock:

----------


## goldie1

Which one died first

----------


## PlatypusGardens

> Which one died first

  
Well that's the million dollar question.
Did the one on the left make it past the first trap somehow (remembering that the tunnel had a lid) OR did he walk over his dead mate to get to the peanutbutter? 
I would assume that it was option two as from memory the traps were placed right next to eachother when I set them....    :Smilie:

----------


## Renopa

PG....you are a barrel of laughs!!  Good one!  ;-)))

----------


## OBBob

I would've expected your traps to include more cast iron... and teeth.

----------


## Renopa

....and possibly circular?  LOL

----------


## OBBob

... with an old whipper snipper motor incorporated? LOL

----------


## Renopa

...that has been through the dishwasher!!  LOL

----------


## PlatypusGardens

Hahaha nah just plain ol traps. 
Given how long I take to build stuff the mice would have walked off with our furniture and TV before I got it finished.    :Rofl:

----------


## OBBob

... and plays blipp blopp music when it is triggered!! LOL.

----------


## Renopa

Roflmho!!

----------


## PlatypusGardens

You guys are nuts. 
maybe Tools should use you for bait?

----------


## Renopa

OBBob's got the music ready...let him go first!

----------


## OBBob

> OBBob's got the music ready...let him go first!

  Vermin party at Tools' house!  :Woot:

----------


## PlatypusGardens

> Vermin party at Tools' house!

  
I'm on my way

----------


## Smurf

I'll be keeping my mice very well away from such devices. Looks like a major mouse hazard..... 
They've done some cleaning last light. Bedding removed from the mouse house and dumped in the corner, replaced with new bedding (shredded paper) from elsewhere in the cage taken into the mouse house. They've been busy, must have taken an hour or two of solid work by the mice. Based on past experience, they'll probably do the tunnel tonight.  :Smilie:

----------


## Tools

At the beginning of this whole saga I had heard some very light scratching in the ceiling above the lounge so lifted a roof sheet and put in a baited trap and a throw pack of ratsak. I hadn't checked it again until today and the trap has disappeared and the throw pack has been nibbled in the corner. 
A coupel of days ago I removed my water trap and built the tunnel of terror with traps inside to see if that works. No cigar, as the intern said to the president. I haven't seen anything for probably 3 days so, nor have I heard any more scratching overhead so am wondering if my problems are over. I would have preferred to have caught them in a snap trap to be sure, but beggars can't be choosers. Might leave a bit of cheese out tonight on the floor and see if it disappears. 
Tools

----------


## phild01

Maybe look for evidence where their runs are and place the traps there rather than just anywhere, if not already.

----------


## Tools

> Maybe look for evidence where their runs are and place the traps there rather than just anywhere, if not already.

   I have placed the traps where they have been seen taking control of my house. ie near the fridge and along the kickers of the kitchen cupboards. Also a couple in the pantry where they chewed through a bag to get in to some pumpkin seeds. 
Tools

----------


## Tools

Looks like I spoke too soon. just saw one of the Fockers...

----------


## phild01

> Looks like I spoke too soon. just saw one of the Fockers...

  Get a trap with pumpkin seed and put it where you saw it.

----------


## PlatypusGardens

Our Staffy just caught a big rat in the backyard! 
I'd say it was about 200mm long minus the tail.....

----------


## Tools

> Get a trap with pumpkin seed and put it where you saw it.

  I will relocate a trap before I hit the hay. 
Tools

----------


## Tools

> Our Staffy just caught a big rat in the backyard! 
> I'd say it was about 200mm long minus the tail.....

  Bloody hell!  
Tools

----------


## phild01

I remember chocolate also working well.  I use to melt it onto the trap flap so it wouldn't come away.

----------


## Tools

I have tried the chocolate but I didn't have any luck. The issue I have is not that they don't like the bait but rather that they wont touch it when it is on a trap. It is as if they have some street smarts somehow. 
Tools

----------


## Smurf

Heck you're having trouble with these mice. 
No trouble with mine thankfully.  :Biggrin:  Working in the garage today and had a mouse running around in an exercise ball. All good, lots of exploring to do although it did run straight into the cat at one stage. Cat observed presence of mouse poking around, decided that was no problem and went back to sleep.

----------


## PlatypusGardens

> Bloody hell!  
> Tools

  
That's what I said! 
She came running across the yard to the corner and after a couple of seconds she came back with something in her mouth.
I thought it was a toad at first so made her drop it and saw it was a rat.
Already dead when she spat it out. 
Must have snapped its neck straight away.   :Shock:

----------


## phild01

I remember my sister's dog bringing a rat into the house.  Clever dog we thought heaping praise on her, 
 ....until she dropped it....full of maggots!

----------


## PlatypusGardens

Hmm lovely...

----------


## Tools

Well the one I saw last night (Martha or Philthy) didn't touch the trap that I had relocated for their convenient dining pleasure. As a last ditch effort I have removed all but 4 of the traps and re-baited them in selected locations. Turns out that the sneaky Fockers had still been getting in to the pantry. I had 2 traps set in there next to the bag of almonds that I had purchased as bait and that they had previously gnawed their way in to. I have been checking these traps daily without touching them and it was only today when I moved the microwave to clean under it that I discovered they had been getting almonds out of a hole in the bag of the bag and eating them behind the microwave. I hope they come back for more tonight as I have set the bag up in a rat trap that will cut them in half if it goes off! 
Tools

----------


## ChocDog

This thread cracks me up! Sorry tools, I hope you never catch them cause these antics are just way too much fun to follow!

----------


## Tools

Chocdog, I am sure that one day I will look back and laugh too but at this stage that day is a long way off!  
Who would have thought that it would be so difficult to catch them and that it would drag on for so long. At least these Fockers are friendly and sociable. What I didn't say is that the one I saw last night actually came in to the lounge where I was watching the idiot box and ran under the couch opposite me. I didn't see it come out again so we had a pleasant evening watching tv together. I hope it is back tonight as I have a special surprise under there tonight. 
Tools

----------


## phild01

Can you think about renaming one of those mice :Annoyed:

----------


## PlatypusGardens

> Can you think about renaming one of those mice

    :Rofl:

----------


## Renopa

> Can you think about renaming one of those mice

  
Suggestions????   :Confused:

----------


## phild01

Martha is just fine, need to think about the other one although Arthur comes to mind!

----------


## Tools

Far can thing. One of the Little Fockers came in to the lounge a few minutes ago and went under the couch again. I don't know why they keep going under there. I have a trap under there so was waiting to hear it snap shut but the Little Focker only stayed a few minutes before running back out and somewhere down the hallway. Buggered if I know where it came from or went to. 
Tools

----------


## woodbe

Borrow a cat...

----------


## phild01

...and plug all holes and voids.

----------


## Tools

> Borrow a cat...

  My neighbour 2 doors up has a cat but the damn thing is so lazy the mice could run over the top of him and he wouldn't flinch! 
Tools

----------


## mudbrick

Get some of that expanding foam and seal up the gap under the couch. It will look fantastic and save you time vacuuming in future!

----------


## Tools

These Fockers are really shifty. Just checked the rat trap loaded with the almond bag and they have taken some almonds but not set off the trap. There are still more almonds in the bag so as they get to the bottom of the bag it will be....BANG....all over!Tools

----------


## ChocDog

They're toying with you. Clearly your antics amuse THEM. I bet they get on their version of a forum every night and recount with joy how they spent the day running circles around you.again. My advice; time to ramp this up as notch: wire your traps/tunnel up to a car battery. That WILL stop them... ;-)

----------


## PlatypusGardens

> They're toying with you. Clearly your antics amuse THEM. I bet they get on their version of a forum every night and recount with joy how they spent the day running circles around you.again.

  
Hmmm, do their computers have a little human to move the cursor around on the screen?

----------


## phild01

> These Fockers are really shifty. Just checked the rat trap

  rat trap or mouse trap?

----------


## Tools

> rat trap or mouse trap?

  I set one rat trap but only because I had it. All of the others are mouse traps. 
Tools

----------


## Renopa

A few weeks ago a rat got into the under-sink cupboard in the kitchen...heard a noise, listened and it didn't repeat so didn't investigate, but should have!  Next morning opened the door to put something in the bin and shock, horror the rat had removed a chicken bone from the bin and eaten it on the floor of the cabinet.  He/she had come up through the wall cavity from underneath the house then through the hole where the hot/cold water pipes enter...the @#$% plumber didn't block the hole and the cover plate was pushed forward, giving plenty of space for the rat to get in.  When the new kitchen was installed I specifically asked the plumber to block the hole and attach the cover plate to prevent this happening, but he knew better and said 'a rat/mouse will NEVER come in there'!!   
Supermarket plastic bags bundled behind the bin allowed him/her to get up into the bin and retrieve the bone...apparently was the noise I heard the previous night was the bone dropping into the base of the cabinet.  Lots of mess in the 1500mm cabinet but fortunately it's isolated from other cabinets, so rat left via the same route he/she used to get in.   
After cleaning up the mess, I dropped a couple of bait blocks down the cavity and stuffed some moth balls just behind the hole in the wall, then filled the hole with expanding foam.  Next night still raining outside so guessed the rat would still be under the house to keep dry...then heard a sneeze......apparently he/she didn't like the smell of the mothballs either.  Got a good laugh out of that one!!   
;-)

----------


## goldie1

Time to get serious cam up night vision goggles a 410 shotty and lie in wait.

----------


## Tools

Renopa,
Your story reminds me of many years ago when my wife said something had been in the fruit bowl. One of the plums had a small bit of skin torm=n and she said it was teeth marks. I said no, it has just shrunk or whatever due to surface tension in the skin. That was the best BS I could come up with at the time. So I took that plum to work in my lunch. Next morning I got up to get ready for work and there was a plum half stuck under the door to the front room. The rat had gone in to the kitchen and grabbed the plum and taken it all the way down the hallway but couldn't get it under the door as it was too big! He didn't last long after that.... 
Tools

----------


## Tools

I actually got the Focker on video last night as he ran in to the room. I just have to work out how to edit it so I can post. 
Tools

----------


## Renopa

Tools, that just proves how cunning they are.  A few days before Easter there was 'something' in the house, droppings looked like rat or large mouse, laid baits but none nibbled, not a thing was eaten/chewed anywhere, each morning the droppings were in a different place.  Rainy and overcast over those few days and got to thinking that whatever it was, had been shut in the house, maybe entered via the garage or back deck.  Thought maybe a lizard but whatever was in the house was nocturnal, so lizard ruled out...opened all the doors to let 'it' escape as, like yours, traps/bait/etc were all being ignored, but still nothing was being eaten, the 'only' evidence anything was in the house were the droppings in a different place each morning.  
Anyway, after opening all doors, it's now gone, sighted droppings on the back deck but nothing in the house.  It wasn't the rat from the kitchen because I made sure the cupboard doors were closed and there are no gaps around the doors....there was too much time between them and the droppings were different.  Still don't know what it was, but it's gone and that's all I really care about. 
Looking forward to seeing your video.  Sneaky little b*st*rds!!!

----------


## ToneG

> I actually got the Focker on video last night as he ran in to the room. I just have to work out how to edit it so I can post. 
> Tools

  And then the little focker can show it to all his mates on Mousetube - and become a star of the mouse world

----------


## Tools

Cunning isn't the word for it Renopa. I just checked the trap with the bag of almonds and they have somehow managed to get the last 2 nuts out of the bag without setting off the trap. II have relocated another trap baited with an almond to the same spot, but this one has the almond glued to the trap! I was thinking the other night when one of the little Fockers came in to the room where I was that I should have closed the door to contain him and punch on to the death. Not sure how I would have done this but at least the thought makes me feel like I am the superior on in the relationship! 
Tools

----------


## woodbe

Haha! 
We had a mouse running around our family room once. The cat was chasing him and I closed all the exits but he was too clever for the cat. Eventually, I figured he was hiding behind the leg of some furniture next to the wall, so I just rammed the furniture to the wall, then pulled it back so kitty could get the prize. Teamwork helps.  :Smilie:  
Get a cat.

----------


## Smurf

Had a rat in bed once. Literally. Woke up with it's front feet on my nose as it investigated the humans. 
Long story short, took about two hours with both of us running around trying to catch the thing. Ended up getting into a pattern, then abruptly changing the pattern which tricked the rat and enabled its' capture. 
Rat was released outdoors after being caught. 
As for mice though, well I just keep them as pets. They're smarter than you might think and lots of fun.  :Smilie:

----------


## OBBob

> Had a rat in bed once. Literally. Woke up with it's front feet on my nose as it investigated the humans. 
> Long story short, took about two hours with both of us running around trying to catch the thing. Ended up getting into a pattern, then abruptly changing the pattern which tricked the rat and enabled its' capture. 
> Rat was released outdoors after being caught. 
> As for mice though, well I just keep them as pets. They're smarter than you might think and lots of fun.

  That's enough to leave you with nightmares!

----------


## Renopa

Oh Smurf that is almost too much!!  Think I would wear skin off trying to wash that off!!  Yuck!

----------


## notvery

When sharing a house with a mate, who was on the larger side, a few years back i put a loaf of some bread that weighed about a kilo on the table.next morning i woke up to find the 2 crusts left in the bag and the bag fairly neatly ripped open at one end. i was thinking greedy b@@@@rd as i went and visited the loo. as i sat there wondering how one person could eat a loaf of this ultra dense bread in one go i noticed the vanity door wasnt shut so i pushed it closed, wouldn't shut.upon closer inspectiom there was a slice of bread keeping the door open and the rest of the slices from the loaf all under the vanity as well as a large hole chewed into the wall. 
I just can't believe thay my house mate thought he had to store his stolen bread under there why not just put it in the fridge? never did work out why he made a hole in the wall tho.

----------


## PlatypusGardens

:Rofl:

----------


## Tools

So they were not able to remove the almond that I had stuck to the trap - instead they decided to dine in and eat the bllody thing in the trap! They ate the top half of the nut  without the trap tripping. The trap is pretty sensitive so it makes me think that whatever ate it is small. They certainly love the nuts so I have put another couple of almond laden traps in the same location to see what happens tonight. 
Tools

----------


## Renopa

Oh how frustrating!!  LOL

----------


## woodbe

Here's a way of seeing what is really happening:  Acornguard 12MP HD Game Trail Scouting Cam Hunting Deer Camera Records Sound | eBay

----------


## Smurf

> Long story short, took about two hours with both of us running around trying to catch the thing.

   Note that "both of us" is two humans trying to catch one rat. 
Funniest thing was me and Mrs Smurf running head first into each other amidst all that. Both focused on catching the rat and looking down whilst running around the house. All good then - boom! Funny in hindsight but caused quite a headache (literally) at the time.

----------


## Tools

4 traps set baited with almonds - 3 with the almond glued to the trap and one with the almond bag and 2 almonds inside. Guess which one they ate? The bloody one with the bag and the loose nuts and the trap didn't go off! Now I have glued the bag to the trap and the almonds to the bag. Surely tonight is the night! 
Tools

----------


## jimfish

We use these .http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CM859OA/...tzapper.org%2F
They are awesome. In the last 8 weeks the one in our laundry has cooked 5 rats and probably 3 mice a week.

----------


## Tools

Time 3.37 am, trap goes off and I hear some rattling around for a few minutes. It obviously wasn't a clean kill but after about 10 minutes it all went silent. Went back to sleep and at 5.30 it was time to start the day and have a look to see what had happened. The trap was half under the fridge and started to move again as I got closer. The mouse had got trapped in the pantry, fallen 1m to the floor then dragged it 2m to the fridge. I pulled the trap out not knowing what I would see. It turned out to be a small one, much smaller than what I had previously seen so I suspect I still have more to catch. The Little Focker had been trapped by his leg and was still alive which was a great way for me to start the day. The trap was one of 5 in the same area, all baited with almonds. Once again they had nibbled one of the other almonds without setting off the trap. 
Tools

----------


## PlatypusGardens

Ugh, that's never good. 
I recall snagging one by the tail and having to get up in hte middle of the night, taking it outside and drowning it in a bucket of water...    :No:

----------


## notvery

Some one needs to invent a trap that catches them and then takes them outside never to be seen again. like the opposite of what most cats do!

----------


## PlatypusGardens

> Some one needs to invent a trap that catches them and then takes them outside never to be seen again. like the opposite of what most cats do!

  
Hmmmm....  
Incinerator....

----------


## Tools

I was doing some work behind the cubby house on the weekend and saw a couple of different types of crap on the ground. One looked like possum even though I have never seen a possum in nearly 40 years but the other was smaller. So I set my cage trap baited with an almond and today I have a captive. Not sure if it is a rat or a big mouse, but it is more in line with the size that I had seen inside the house recently. So now I have this live rodent in a cage and don't know what to do with it. There are really only 2 options one being to drown the bugger but I don't know that I have the heart to do that. The other is to take it across the road to the park and release it a few hundred metres away. It goes a bit wild when I pick the cage up so walking a few hundred metres with it should be a barrel of laughs. Any other suggestions? 
Tools

----------


## Tools



----------


## Jon

Not absolutely sure about this but i think a rats tail is longer than its body.

----------


## Tools

Jon, it does have a tail much longer than its body. 
Tools

----------


## woodbe

Drop it off where it belongs: Parliament House. That's where all the rats hang out.  :Biggrin:

----------


## Tools

Well I am not far from state parliament so that shouldn't be too hard! 
Tools

----------


## woodbe

Here you go:

----------


## Tools

Yep, I reckon it is a rat. About this time last year there was one in my neighbour's creeper on the fence. As soon as my mandarins were ripe the bastard ate them all on the tree. They are just ripening now so glad to get this Focker off the streets. 
Tools

----------


## Tools

I decided overnight that I didn't have the heart to kill the rat, despite the fact that he is a rat and I don't want to share my space with him. I was going to take him to the river a couple of km away and let him go to begin a new life elsewhere. Alas when I got up this morning the Focker was dead in the cage. He was pretty wild when I went near the cage so I can only think that he beat himself to death against the cage in his efforts to get out.  
I don't know if this is one of the Fockers that has been in the house. My woes are not over yet though as I saw another Focker run across the door as I sat in the lounge again last night. I only see them at night and always around 9.30 for some reason. Let's see what tonight brings! 
Tools

----------


## Smurf

> Here you go:

  Another way - get a wheel. All mice absolutely love wheels for some reason and even a mouse that has never seen one before will be running on the wheel in no time. 
Another thing mice like is holes. Give them something like paper or cardboard and they'll put a mouse-sized hole in it. Give them plastic with pre-drilled small holes, and the mice will make one of them large enough to fit through. If you need a hole in something, ask a mouse..... 
They're nocturnal too, hence seeing them mostly at night. Most of their wheel running, hole making and attempts at structural engineering are done in the dark. 
Mice can be trained too (presumably the same with rats?). Can even be toilet trained if you want to, thus removing the need to clean most of the cage apart from one corner too often.

----------


## Tools

Gee Smurf, the last thing I want to do is build a rodent Luna park that will encourage the Fockers to stay longer! 
Tools

----------


## PlatypusGardens

> the last thing I want to do is build a rodent Luna park that will encourage the Fockers to stay longer!

     :Rofl:   :Rofl:

----------


## PlatypusGardens

Athough...  
"Wheel of death" 
"Tunnel of terror" 
"Endless maze"  
Hmmm...

----------


## Marc

still battling mice?
Get a wind up multiple mice trap Humane Mice Trap Wind UP Mouse Catch Master | eBay

----------


## PlatypusGardens

> still battling mice?
> Get a wind up multiple mice trap Humane Mice Trap Wind UP Mouse Catch Master | eBay

   
"*One setting of six turns will allow you to capture up to 15 mices."* *  *

----------


## Marc

Yes, hopefully the trap is better than their grammar.

----------


## notvery

it just goes to show you how hard the buggers are to catch that there are so many products out there that a 100% guaranteed to catch all mice and yet...

----------


## Marc

Well ... I can only talk from what I've seen.
My neighbour was Dutch and loved birds so he built 200 m2 of aviary and housed probably hundreds of birds, from the biggest to the smallest and all need a feed, and the feed drops and the mice come in. He ... we... had millions of the little bastards. 
I battled on my side with organic warfare, cats was my weapon of choice.
He armed himself with a couple of wind up traps. Every morning he would go and check the traps and they were full of mice. a bucket of water terminated them and ready for the next genocide. The battle went on for years and the mice started to dwindle after the first year but never disappeared completely. Only when he passed away and the birds went to another place did we have peace.
No more _mices_ and no more Dutchman ... gee I miss the bastard.

----------


## Tools

I have got a Little Focker under the couch next to me as we speak. If only I was quick enough to catch him! 
Tools

----------


## notvery

I had one sit outside my house and have 8 people stand around it watching it clean itself and dig up grubs and eat them a couple of weeks ago. We were about 1000mm away from it.  It did hop so i assume it was native. The only time it moved from us was when i tried to pick it up i got close enough to touch it before it moved away. Didn't go quick just hopped off. I had suggested to the missus i get the shovel but that suggestion was the only thing that got squashed that day. 
Them fockers are just messing with you

----------


## Tools

> IThem fockers are just messing with you

  That's an understatement. I am sure these Fockers get together for a daily debriefing and laugh at me. 
Tools

----------


## Jon

We are all waiting on the latest installment from the House of Mouse

----------


## Renopa

Maybe the mice took a holiday and respected Anzac Day?

----------


## phild01

Maybe Tools is caught in one of his traps waiting for help!

----------


## Renopa

...do you think so??   today is the 4th day, maybe you are right?  should we send help?

----------


## phild01

I'd rather go north and enjoy mudcrabs at PG's.

----------


## Jon

> Maybe Tools is caught in one of his traps waiting for help!

  Maybe the mouse set their own trap. 
"Look, a shiny new drill"      then     SNAP

----------


## phild01

> Maybe the mouse set their own trap. 
> "Look, a shiny new drill"      then     SNAP

   :Laughing1:

----------


## Renopa

What a brilliant idea Phil....you and Jon can collect me on the way north, just have to keep fingers crossed that PG has lots of crabs when we get there?   :2thumbsup:

----------


## goldie1

Are those fockers dead yet. This thread is getting bigger than Quo Vardis

----------


## PlatypusGardens

> I'd rather go north and enjoy mudcrabs at PG's.

  
Hehe

----------


## Tools

In my younger days I used to deliver papers morning and night for many years. I was really good at folding and throwing papers on to door steps without them opening up and going everywhere. I thought I would relive those times a few nights ago so armed myself with the daily rag and took up position in my recliner. I was feeling a little gung ho and planned to close the door to trap any Fockers that came in and went under the couch and launch a page three girl at them to at least stun them and let me finally get rid of them. Alas I had no visitors. The following evening I did get a visitor under the couch but was feeling a little lazier so didn't attempt any hand to hand combat. 
I haven't seen any Fockers over the past couple of nights so am not sure what the state of play is. Here is a summary of events so far: 
3 small mice caught and sent to the great big nut bag in the sky.
1 rat (I think) caught outside behind the cubby house
1 Little Focker seen a few nights ago but nothing since.
1 throw pack of Ratsak tossed in to the ceiling had the corner of the bag eaten - no noise heard from the ceiling over the past week or so.
Philthy Focker/Martha Focker not seen for a few weeks, but possibly could have been the rat caught outside.
Traps still set and loaded with almonds but don't seem to be getting touched 
No real indication that they are visiting the kitchen - no trail of crap anywhere apart from a few droppings in the under sink cupboard (not sure if these are old) 
So as far as I can tell I still have at least 1 Little Focker to deal with, but he is making himself scarce, or maybe working the late shift after I go to bed. 
They do have me jumping at shadows abd I think I see things often but ib reality there is nothing. I usually walk around the house in bare feet  and only have to brush against something that the kids have left lying around on the floor to almost crap myself in the dark. Silly thing is I am not scared of them per se and will happily sit here watching TV while they are under the couch next to me, but I don't want to touch them or have the touching me! 
Whilst there is at least that one Little Focker cohabiting with me, it is not over yet!' 
Tools

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## PlatypusGardens

Tools:      :Biggrin:

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## phild01

He looks related to the one Metrix put up, check the eyes.

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## Tools

Yip, I'm a hunting me some critters! 
Tools

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## Smurf

Mice are doing just fine here.  :Smilie:  
A nice fine weekend coming up, not too warm, and I'll be out in the garden. Might let a mouse out for a run - all quite safe as mouse is safely protected from cats and any other predators inside plastic mouse ball so can safely explore. It's important to not have them out when it's too warm and sunny, as a plastic ball will heat up like a greenhouse inside - not good to have a baked mouse. 
In other squeaky news, two more have arrived. Spotted them this morning when putting food in the cage, two little baby mice. Could be more but only noticed two. Eyes aren't open yet but that will happen in due course. Just have to keep them well away from any Tools as they're somewhat of a mouse hazard it seems.

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## Tools

Getting ready for work this morning and I was sure I saw a Little Focker run out from under the couch, see me and run back again. I picked up my weaponry (as detailed above) closed the door in the lounge and went a hunting. However I could not find anything so either I was seeing things or it had found somewhere to hide while I loaded up. I am going to sprinkle a bit of talcum powder around before going to bed tonight and see if the Fockers leave me any tracks. 
Tools

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## notvery

Just move. it will be easier in the long run

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## PlatypusGardens



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## Tools

> Just move. it will be easier in the long run

  Now that made me laugh! 
I sprikled talcum in a number of locations previously haunted by said Fockers. However I could see anything that was discernable as mouse tracks. One of the traps I have set with an almond had tripped yesterday and I assumed that the kids had knocked it with something during the day. The almond bait was on the floor next to it and I hadn't bothered to reset it abd this morning the almond was gone. So some Focker has been in overnight yet avoided the talcum. I have reloaded with almond and a second trap with cheese so hopefully tonight will bring some action! 
Tools

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## PlatypusGardens

> hopefully tonight will bring some action!

  
When I hope for "evening action" it usually doesn't include catching mice.....

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## Tools

> When I hope for "evening action" it usually doesn't include catching mice.....

  Some of us hope for any sort of action that we can get! 
Received a text message the other morning from my little girl to say the "rat" had eaten in to my little boy's breakfast cereal in the pantry. So I knew that there was at least one around and I saw the Little Focker that night going through the kitchen. I chased the Focker with a newspaper but he disappeared on me again. I put my nuts on the line on a few more traps but nothing. Last night the good lady wife saw 2 of them together going under the fridge. So I have at least 2 of them still to deal with!. Re-baited the traps but as per usual they didn't touch them. They don't appear to have touched anything else either which is a positive. Haven't seen Martha Focker and Philthy Focker for some weeks so I assume it is just the little ones that are still around. 
Tools

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## phild01

> I put my nuts on the line on a few more traps but nothing.  
> Tools

   :Cry:  :Weeping2:

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## Tools

One Little Focker has just run under the couch. I am going to arm myself and catch this Focker!!!!!!!

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## Tools

Well bugger me. I went to the other end of the hall to get a stick, newspaper and my work boots (coz they make me invincible) all the while watching the lounge room door to see if anything came out. I came back and closed the door and moved both couches but couldn't find it. Put the stick under a couple of bits of low furniture but nothing came out. I am buggered if I know where the Focker went to. The only other way out of the room is through the heating duct but surely the Focker wouldn't go down there when it is blowing out hot air??? 
Tools

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## PlatypusGardens



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## Tools

PG, that pretty much sums up who is in charge in this house! 
TOols

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## phild01

Have you upturned your couches to see if they are living in comfort!

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## Tools

> Have you upturned your couches to see if they are living in comfort!

  I rattled them around pretty violently. I might flip them to check they haven't eaten a hole in the bottom and nested inside. 
Tools

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## PlatypusGardens

Tools & Jerry    :Rofl:

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## Tools

Nope, no holes. The only other way out of the room is through the heating duct. Surely they wouldn't go down there when it is blowing hot air??? 
Tools

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## PlatypusGardens

Our Staffy just intercepted this in the backyard      :Smilie:

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## Tools

> Our Staffy just intercepted this in the backyard

  Now now, let's not turn this in to a pissing contest! 
Tools

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## PlatypusGardens

> Now now, let's not turn this in to a pissing contest!

        
.....sorry......          
...

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## notvery

Seriously PG that is one huge rat you have living under your sofa you need to get some advice from tools about catching that thing. I'm not sure a normal tap will do the job you might need to contact ACME get them to send you something in a large wooden create

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## PlatypusGardens

> Seriously PG that is one huge rat you have living under your sofa you need to get some advice from tools about catching that thing. I'm not sure a normal tap will do the job you might need to contact ACME get them to send you something in a large wooden create

    :Rofl:

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## Marc

That is a lovely dog!

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## PlatypusGardens

She is a good mutt.  
And I'm most impressed with her rat catching skills.
This is the second one in a couple of weeks.   :Smilie:

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## Marc

My son in law has a dog that looks very similar to yours. He leaves it with us from time to time to play with our Spoodle and invariably he catches something in the backyard, the other day he was running around with half a bird sticking out of his mouth. The energy this dog have is amazing

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## PlatypusGardens

Staffy x something.
not sure.
Found her wandering the streets.   :Smilie:  
But yeh she's all muscle.
20kg last time we checked. 
We should start a dog thread perhaps?   :Smilie:

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## Marc

That would be cool!
Better than mice any day ... may be a cat one too just to be politically correct ?

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## PlatypusGardens

> That would be cool!
> Better than mice any day ... may be a cat one too just to be politically correct ?

  
Just make it a general "pets" thread and we'll be fine.    :Smilie:

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## Smurf

> Just make it a general "pets" thread and we'll be fine.

  What if the pet in question just happens to have 4 legs, a long tail and likes running on wheels? Otherwise known as a MOUSE.... 
Mice may be struggling elsewhere it seems, with all sorts of hazards ranging from toxic pellets through to dogs and spring loaded traps but mine are doing just fine. Three mouse houses, wheel, plenty of food, plastic pipe for a tunnel and they all seem happy. Just mixed up a new batch of food too - various seeds, dried fruit, sultanas, corn, oats and also they'll be getting a dog "bone" tomorrow - they're good for sharpening teeth etc although it takes a while to eat when the bone is twice the size of a mouse. 
Also have other pets too - cat is the main one, plus there's a wallaby that roams around the backyard and a big lizard which sleeps under a pile of leaves with both being somewhat tame.

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## Marc

I get a bush turkey scratching around the reserve next door, now that is a funny one. I found him as a chick and saved his neck from being chopped off by the dog. he/she has since grown to 20 times the size and still sticking around. Sometimes makes it on the roof and sleeps there.

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## Tools

Last we knew there were two Fockers left as they had been seen together by my manager in the kitchen. As per my recent posts they have been coming in to the lounge room whilst I sit here and going under the couch. Well after those posts I decided that given that the Fockers were too smart to touch any of my multiple traps around the place that the only way I could finalise this is to actively chase them. So I covered the heating register with my cage trap and armed myself ready for a fight. One of the Fockers is like lightning and the other runs a little before stopping for half a second then repeating. He seemed to be more my speed. He came in a couple of nights ago but I did not have my weaponry with me as he came earlier than the usual 9.30 time slot. Less than a minute later he went out again and down the hall. I got up to see where he went but alas he was gone.The heating duct is still covered with the cage so I am now sure that the Fockers had been going down the heating duct behind one of the couches. They must be using the ducts as some sort of rodent freeway system. Not sure where they go to but I suspect they have made holes under the floor somewhere which is not accessible to me. Since that night a couple of days ago I haven't seen anything, traps are untouched and no other signs of activity.Maybe I have upset them and they have done an Elvis and left the building! 
Tools

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## Renopa

Aha....maybe they might surprise you with a new little family soon??   LOL

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## Tools

Little Focker! I was just sitting here minding my own business watching The Bucket List when in strolled one of the Little Fockers. I wasn't armed so just watched it for a few seconds as it went under couch 1, through to couch 2, back under couch 1 then bugger me up on to the couch and under the cushions! I quickly went and collected my arsenal and it was on for young and old. I pulled the cushions off the couch one by one until it finally emerged and I took aim and fired the first shot but missed the Focker. It ran under the couch and under couch 2 and I lost sight of it. I spent the next 15 minutes moving everything in the room, shaking the curtains and even printing a blank page in case it got in to the printer but nothing! I still have the door closed but I am buggered if I can find where it is hiding! 
Tools

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## phild01

Still reckon the couch has a secret hole in it :Biggrin:

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## Tools

These Fockers are just taunting me. Just saw one go from the kitchen in t the passage I was 3 seconds behind it with my arsenal but couldn't see where it had gone. And this was the slower one that I thought was more my speed! 
Tools

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## Marc

I opened the cutlery draw the other day only to see a mouse jump out of it and run under the side of the dishwasher. I pulled out all the draw to find a hole in the wall lining right behind the draws that gives access to the powerpoint for the dishwasher. 
I had one of those little plastic traps with flat jaws of sort. A bit of peanut butter took care of two in one go, one was dead inside the jaws and the other next to it. I also dropped a cube of poison wax in the cavity and that was the end of the mice. For now anyway. A plywood cover with 4 screw will block the hole.

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## mudbrick

Hmmm when I ripped out our old kitchen I al discovered a mouse hole beside the power point for the dishwasher. There could be something fishy going on between mice and electricians.

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## NAIL IT

RATSAK.. good, old fashioned ratsak, they eat it, it makes them bleed internally, they get extremely thirsty, dissapear in search of water, and die, away from the house ..unless you have a scret underground pond

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## Renopa

Mudbrick in my case it was the plumber who had joined forces with a rat!!!  A cover plate is easily moved forward by a rat coming in from under the house then into the wall cavity.  Dropped a couple of moth balls into the wall cavity (hate the smell of those things) then blocked the hole with expanding foam....that night heard a little sneeze!!!  Goodbye rat!!

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## PlatypusGardens

> RATSAK.. good, old fashioned ratsak, they eat it, it makes them bleed internally, they get extremely thirsty, dissapear in search of water, and die, away from the house ..unless you have a scret underground pond

  
Myth 
Every time I use bait they end up dead inside the house.
Nowhere near water.   :Frown:

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## Tools

I told you not to touch my nuts! Dom Focker! 
Just caught one in the trap under the couch. I had seen him last night when he came in to the lounge, saw me and bid a hasty retreat. I followed him out with my weaponry but couldn't find him. My wife said he waltzed in to the lounge mid morning this morning. I was armed this evening and didn't even see him come in, just heard the trap go off. I tried to upload a pic but it wouldn't let me so I assume that 1.3mb is too big? 
Tools

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## PlatypusGardens

Pic might be too big...if you're on phone or tablet do a screenshot.
Quick way to resize.  
Also it seems sometimes pics don't work in "Quick Reply"     :Smilie:

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## woodbe

just upload it to postimage.org and paste the link here.

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## Tools

Here tis!     
Tools

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## Tools

I had tried peanut butter before with no luck. I had used Dicks Nuts (Dick Smith) and thought I would try another brand. Kraft seemed to be the poison for this Dom Focker. 
Tools

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## renov8or

Reading these reminds me of two encounters I had. Once when I was about to go on 6 weeks holidays to WA I heard a noise in the bathroom one night and went in to see what it was - nothing. The window is always open a few inches. An hour later I tought I saw a (not puddy cat) but something else run across the floor in the lounge room. Nah, just dreaming! Then it happened again. I got up to look around and saw some rodent or marsupial run behind some furniture. Not wanting to harm it in case it was a marsupial I was hesitant to attack it but after a while not being able to corner it and confirm what it was I found myself throwing shoes and anything else within reach at it. Argh ....... it was a bit like a Tom and Jerry cartoon and I could see myself demolishing the lounge room so stopped. Then I lost him. Did I mention that I was leaving for hols in 2 days and the house would be locked up with all windows closed = dead smelly creature on return! Next day I went looking and found it again, ran under a cabinet with a base a couple of inches off the carpet and closed in on all but the back side. Trapped at last, but how to get him out! I cordoned off one end of the gap between back of cabinet and wall, and placed a cardboard box at the other end to block escape. Cut a small hole in bottom side of box so "most wanted" had what he thought was an escape route, placed a rat trap with a piece of chocolate as bait in the box and folded the top flaps closed. Bingo, by next morning he had fallen for my trap - in both ways! Twas a rat after all, so no guilt. Went away on hols the next day. 
Wouldn't ya believe it, I had a similar experience while I was away in the car.  :Shock:  I had traveled from Sydney to WA and up as far as Exmouth (1/2 way up the west coast). One day I noticed the end of a packet of ginger nut biscuits had been worn away - at least that is what I thought. Figured it must have been rubbing on the boot torsion spring under the back shelf. Relocated biscuits. Next day I noticed more worn away including some of the biscuits, but it wasn't rubbing on anything -  :Cry: . Moved again. Next day more worn away  :Annoyed: . By now I am suspecting something is in my boot, possibly got into one of my boxes when I had it out of boot on the ground. All I had was some fly and surface spray. Unpacked the boot checking all boxes as removed, closed it, emptied one of the cans into the boot through the back seat/boot access hole and then passenger area, closed the car up for an hour. That should have choked anything within. Repacked car but left some biscuit in an obvious spot to monitor. Next afternoon it had been eaten. Bugger this, wizzed down to the nearest hardware in Freemantle 1 minute before closing time and bought a mouse trap. Placed in boot overnight with biscuit for bait. Next morning - one dead freeloading mouse. It had hitched a ride with me for about 1300kms. 
Frustrating - you don't have to be big!

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## notvery

this one has spent all afternoon trying to get in the front door.  Another one thought it would be fun to headbutt the back windows and 2 more were in the paddock but got reported when they were found wandering on the road. 
They're are times when a mouse problem wouldn't seem such a bad thing to have. 
I'm thinking the neighbors need to upgrade their goat fencing.

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## Smurf

Woke up at 2am this morning with the cat poking around the bedroom and acting strangely. I concluded that "something" was in the room that shouldn't be so got up to investigate, expecting to find a mouse, rat or something like that. 
To my surprise, under the bed was a cat. Yes, a cat. The bed's only a few cm off the ground but that didn't stop a cat getting under there. Picked up one end of the bed, removed cat, put bed back down and placed the stray cat outside. Then back to bed. 
Mice I can understand getting in but a cat? I assume it just came in through the cat door and took fright when either my cat or me was spotted or heard and thus decided to hide under the bed. At least now I know why the cat biscuits have been disappearing so quickly...

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## Tools

Bloody hell Smurf, send that stray around to my place! My wife saw another mouse a couple of days ago and it came in to the lounge room last night. I am buggered if I know why they are so fascinated with going under the couch as there is nothing there to attract them. 
Tools

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## Tools

Far kme. Hadn't seen anything for about a month so last weekend I put away all the traps. Now I have just seen another little focker run under the couch and back out in to the kitchen! 
Tools

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## PlatypusGardens

Haha was just wondering what was going on with this thread

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