Deliver mice: that's why poison bait is senseless

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A mouse infestation in your own house, garage and even in the garden is really no fun. In addition, the infestation can quickly develop into a real nuisance. It is therefore important to quickly find ways to drive away the mice.

Unfortunately, many people rely on poison bait or death traps to get rid of rodents. But it should be said: This is not all that effective! You can find out why this is so and what is more effective here.

Recognizing a mouse infestation: These are the typical signs

Mice look cute to many people at first glance, but they have a tough time in the house. It is not for nothing that they are considered pests, as there are numerous problems as soon as mice have spread into the house, garden or garage. You should therefore not ignore the following signs of pest infestation:

Checked– Rodents’ front teeth grow constantly throughout their lives. That's why they have to sharpen their teeth and to do this they gnaw on hard materials. Anyone who discovers eaten boxes or cables at home should immediately look for other signs of mice.

Mouse litter– the rodent droppings are also a sure sign. If you see small, black droppings arranged along a trail, you are probably dealing with a mouse infestation.

Smear marks– it sounds as disgusting as it is: the mice's body fat and dirt form so-called smear marks on furniture and walls. These can be found along the paths that the mice often use.

Scratching noises- If you've ever been worried about a bat spreading in the attic, it's much more likely that you're dealing with mice. They scratch and scratch and of course make noises, especially at night.

stink– If there is a heavy mouse infestation, there is a typical mouse smell. Mice use urine to mark their territory. That's why they spread not only feces, but also urine along their paths.

This is why mice infestation in the house is dangerous

Since mice spread feces, urine, dirt and body fat everywhere they go, they pose a major hygiene problem. They also first run through the trash outside and then onto all surfaces in the house, especially in the kitchen.

Mice distribute like thisdangerous germsthroughout the house and contaminate food. In doing so, they pave the way for food pests and other parasites. They also spread pathogens that can cause typhus, salmonella, hantavirus and rodent plague.

In addition, mice often cause major property damage. Shedamage insulation, eat holes in windows, door frames and even ceilings. They bite through pipes, sharpen their teeth on bricks and damage wooden beams with their urine. They also like to eat cables, so it is not uncommon for electrical devices to suddenly stop working.

Mice can cause significant damage to property and health. Anyone who is dealing with a mouse infestation must therefore act quickly. The faster you react, the less time the mice have to reproduce. Since we are dealing with a race against time, effective means are needed immediately.

Why poison baits and snap traps are pointless

Unfortunately, many people rely on poison bait or snap traps to get rid of mice. The animal protection organizationPetasays very clearly:“The use of such deadly methods is cruel and useless”.

If a mouse eats poison bait, it dies because it either freezes to death or bleeds to death internally, but the remaining mice continue to cause damage. The same thing happens with a snap trap. The animal protection organization continues: “Free territories are quickly reoccupied and the losses in the population are compensated for by increased reproduction.” So killing mice doesn't help.

Another problem is that poison baits lead to a gruesome death, and not just for rodents. Poison is also dangerous to pets, wild animals and humans. Poisoned mice do not die immediately, but often only days later.

The reason for this is that mice are very intelligent animals. They first send one animal forward and if it comes back unharmed, the rest follow. Poison baits therefore have a time-delayed effect so as not to scare off the remaining mice.

A mouse that has eaten bait can still be chased and eaten by other animals. For example, if a free-roaming cat eats a poisoned mouse, the cat can also die.

The same applies to birds of prey or hedgehogs that have eaten the mouse carcass. You can find out more about this in this article:.

So it makes more sense to drive away mice. This is done through a combination of different measures.

Don't unknowingly attract mice

Hardly anyone consciously attracts mice. Yet we often do it unknowingly. Certain behaviors we do lead to perfect living conditions for mice. That's why the first step is to make sure that we don't do anything that attracts rodents:

  • Place garbage cans and compost piles as far away from the house as possible. They are a good food source for mice and rats.
  • Dispose of waste from the apartment immediately. An unhygienic home attracts insects and mice.
  • Anyone who keeps small animals should clean the cages often enough and carefully. Mice thrive in an unhygienic environment.
  • In general, pet owners should not leave food lying around. Both small animal food and dog food attract rodents. If possible, always feed just enough so that your pets can eat it straight away.
  • Mice stay where they can find food. Therefore, store supplies in closed containers made of glass or metal(here on Amazon)*. Flour, nuts, pasta and dried fruits in particular should be protected in this way. Rodents can easily eat through plastic packaging, paper or wood.
  • Mice also stay where they find shelter. They are prey animals and therefore need places to hide. Untidy garages and sheds, as well as ground cover plants near the house, therefore encourage mouse infestation. Growth on the house wall such as ivy can also help them get into the house.

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Block the mice's access

If you have mice in your house, it's best to look for the starting source straight away. The mice have found a way into the house and it needs to be blocked. These can be leaky windows, joints, door gaps, small holes in the house wall, shafts and even open basement windows.

It's best to search the house and seal all potential entry points. But be careful: If you suspect that a hole in the wall of the house is the problem, you first have to make sure that there are no more mice in the wall. Sometimes their nests are found in isolation.

If you fill the hole, even though there are mice inside, they will starve to death. Then there is also an unpleasant smell of decay.

Of course, you can't simply seal open basement windows. But you don't have to forego ventilation. Just buy a metal grille for the window. Mice cannot eat through metal.

However, they can squeeze through surprisingly narrow holes and cracks. That's why it's best to use a metal fly screen(order now here on Amazon)*.

Tipp:If you have a small animal enclosure in your garden, you can also protect it from mice with the metal mesh. However, rabbits and guinea pigs could gnaw through the grille, which is why it should also be attached to the rabbit-proof enclosure from the outside and embedded slightly into the ground.

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Drive away mice with scents

Mice are so easily attracted to garbage because they have extremely good smelling organs. They basically always follow their noses. However, you can also use this to scare away mice.

However, it must be said that mice avoid smells that are unpleasant for them, but once they have already made themselves comfortable in their territory, they are not so quickly driven away by scents.

  • Peppermint oil– Drip a few drops of peppermint oil onto a cotton cloth and stick it into the hole where you think the mice are. You can also spread the oil along the walkways if the material is not sensitive, or you can put a small bowl of peppermint oil(here on Amazon)* on.
  • Vinegar– Vinegar is also an effective remedy against mice. In addition to packing supplies in mouse-proof containers, you can also wipe down drawers and cabinets with vinegar. You can also soak a cotton cloth in vinegar and put it in the mouse hole.
  • Turpentine– The smell of turpentine is also said to have a deterrent effect on mice. However, turpentine should not be used in living spaces. This can be used to deter mice in the garage or basement.

Danger:It is sometimes recommended to use spices to drive away mice. Chili and cayenne pepper are recommended in powder form. However, this leads to severe respiratory distress in mice and tortures the animals.

Ultrasonic devices against mice in the garden

Ultrasonic devices scare the little rodents and drive them away – initially. However, they come back very quickly. If the entry points and food sources have not been eliminated by then, they remain. Mice are adaptable. They get used to the sound waves.

Danger:Depending on the frequency, ultrasound devices also harm hedgehogs, cats, dogs, foxes, martens, deer, bats and even birds. The animals often find the noise not only disturbing but painful, and even loss of hearing is possible. Animal lovers therefore prefer to avoid such devices.

Cats (including the neighbors' cats) drive away mice

The most reliable remedy against mice comes from nature: cats. The mere presence of a cat is enough for mice to look for their territory elsewhere. They avoid cats' territories. If you don't have a cat yourself, you shouldn't chase the neighbor's cat off the property. Cat poop in the garden is annoying, but it keeps mice away.

Maybe just ask your neighbors for help, as used cat litter is also an effective way to drive away mice. You can place it in a bag in front of the mouse holes in the house and then simply put it away.

You can also distribute used cat litter to mouse hot spots in the garden. However, you should make sure that conventional cat litter is not biodegradable.

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In these cases, live traps make sense

Live traps do not eliminate a mouse plague, but they can be useful if a mouse has strayed into the house. Place the live traps in the places where you suspect mice.

Place the bait at the very end of the trap, otherwise the mouse's tail will get caught when the trap snaps shut. It is also important to check the trap every hour. If this is not possible, the trap should be deactivated for the period. Otherwise the mice could die despite the live trap.

The trap means great stress for mice and they can die from it. Mice also dehydrate quickly. Another risk of death: if you release the mice in an unknown environment.

If you want to use live traps, you should check the trap every hour and release the trapped mouse about 100 meters from the house as quickly as possible.

Last resort: The exterminator

You shouldn't try to drive the mice on your own too long. A single mouse can give birth to more than ten young several times a year. Then suddenly became 100 from a mouse. The mice can then cause considerable damage to the building.

If you want to prevent a mouse plague, or have already struggled with one, you should therefore contact the chamber hunter.