Expert: Stephen Vantassel - 8/29/2006

Question
I live in an apartment style condo on the second floor of three.  I was watching t.v. one night and saw a mouse behind my t.v...I was shocked as I am on the second floor and keep my condo clean. How could it have gotten into my condo?  Can they climb vertically?  I always expected them on the first floor.  I was away for 10 days and noticed it afterwards.  My dishwasher has not been working for several months and I saw it run into the bottom part where the motor is.  Could a nest be in there and could the mouse/mice have damaged the dishwasher?  I set glue and snap traps.  I caught the mouse within an hour of setting traps in a glue trap.  I left the traps out on the advice of my boyfriend.  The next morning we noticed a snap trap upside down!  It got away although we never saw it.  That same night as I was reading in bed I saw another one run past my room!  I am confused as to why I was able to catch the first one (and the only one I thought) within an hour...how come this one is taking so long...same bait (Mars bar) and traps as the first.  Could the second mouse have wised up after being nearly caught in a snap trap (it was flipped over).  This whole situation started on a Friday and it is now Monday.  How long should I go before I call an exterminator?  I have put a call in about the dishwasher and told the repair company about the mice.  I don't want a nest and want them stopped before it gets out of control.  Please help!

Answer
Mice



Exclusion:
Tighten the building. As long as openings aren’t being used by insects or animals larger than mice, secure all of them ¼” or larger with caulk, ¼” sized hardware cloth or flashing.  Use caution around weeping vents as they need to remain open to drain water. Use aluminum mosquito netting to stop entry but still allow air and water flow.
Additional info is found at http://icwdm.org/Prevention/Default.asp
Exclusion also includes removal of harborage (piles of stuff and long grass) as well as bird feeders. As food increases so does mouse population.

Repellents:
Don’t waste your time. That includes those silly ultrasonic things that are very good at repelling money from people’s wallets.

Trapping:
Trapping is an excellent for controlling mice provided you use enough traps. Think dozens for a single family ranch house. More if the house is larger.  Mice need 21 days to create a new litter of mice. Failure to hammer the population means you will just have a rebound in about 2 months. More information on trapping techniques can be found at the link below. There are a variety of traps on the market. Snap traps work well if properly set. See the pdf page below for images on how to properly set and bait them.  Multiple catch and glue boards also work. The key is to use enough. There is no magic here. No quick steps.

Toxicants.
Toxicants are effective in controlling mice but you must 1. follow directions to the letter. 2. understand that NO ONE can promise you where the mice will die. If they tell you the mice will die outdoors looking for water DON’T believe them. We suggest trapping and exclusion and then and only then follow up with toxicants if necessary. For most situations it isn’t necessary if the trapping and exclusion were done properly.

Relocation of mice.  DON”T do it.  House mice are an invasive species. Kill them. Besides, contrary to popular mythology, relocation is rarely humane. Mice moved to new areas have to 1. find food, 2. find shelter, 3. avoid predators 4. All the while trying to get the lay of the land.   I haven’t even mentioned the trauma of any young that may be abandoned because “momma mouse was relocated somewhere else”.  Finally, there is the problem of moving a disease into a new area or a healthy mouse into a diseased area.

House Cats
Don’t bother. There is absolutely no evidence that house cats provide an effective control for mice or other rodents. In fact free roaming house cats are a major environmental menace, killing countless desired species of song birds and other ground rodents. Join the effort to put a stop to free-roaming cats to help protect our valuable and increasingly threatened wildlife species. For more info on the dangers of house cats visit http://icwdm.org/wildlife/housecat.asp

Disease precautions
Read the pdf file below.

Additional information can be found at
http://icwdm.org/wildlife/housemouse.asp
http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/epublic/live/g1105/build/g1105.pdf
http://icwdm.org/handbook/rodents/HouseMice.asp
If after reading this information you still need more assistance, by all means, please feel free to contact me.
Disclaimer: As with any activity, remember that animal damage control comes with its own risks and problems which can include but are not limited to legalities, health threats, and personal liabilities. Be sure to follow all state laws governing wildlife and make sure you have a thorough understanding on how to resolve the animal damage complaint. My advice is only as good as your understanding of me and my understanding of your situation. If you have any questions be sure to write back.