# Mice extraction possible?



## fwurlitzer (Nov 1, 2018)

Fiancé and I just purchased an 1840’s home with a stone foundation. Fall is here and we’ve seem to have some unwanted guests (mice). I’m currently focusing on extraction by examining the perimeter of the house. We have fields on 2 sides and road on the other 2 sides of the 0.75 acre plot. 

The house seems to be fairly well sealed from the naked eye as it has recently been re-sided with MDF wood siding and painted. I’ve started by sealing the gap where the siding meets the foundation with copper mesh and foam sealant. 

My next plan of attack is the foundation. Can mice get through the stone foundation if the inside (basement) is sealed? How deep can mice dig? The previous owner had a hard sealant painted/sprayed on the entire basement wall. I can’t see any obvious voids below where the ground meets the foundation. The red line in the picture notes where the ground level is. 

I’ve placed traps in the basement and kitchen and have caught about 10 adult mice in the past month with snap traps. 

I could just give in to the fiancé and get a cat, but I’m determined to rid them without the help of a cat. Plus, having no mice will decrease the likelihood of transmitting disease to the cat.


----------



## Bud9051 (Nov 11, 2015)

Unfortunately you can't crawl around into the places a mouse can so very difficult to find all of their entrances. I like to place snap traps around the inside and see which ones are catching the mice. conclusion is, their entrance is close. 

Add additional traps around the outside to reduce the total population. As their numbers grow they go searching for new homes, like yours. Fall is noted for mice moving indoors.

The fortunate part is they are easy to catch and keeping a few traps around after they numbers are down will catch new ones before they take up residency.

Bud


----------



## Guap0_ (Dec 2, 2017)

I was hired to seal a house. I was told to meet the exterminator so he could tell me what to do. We walked around the house the way a mouse would. He said that as soon as a mouse feels a warm draft, he makes a sharp turn into the house. All sealing has to be done from the outside. You have a stone foundation with no mortar between the stones. I don't know how you can mark that pic "no voids."


PS, I would get a cat either.


----------



## CaptTom (Dec 31, 2017)

I have a fieldstone foundation that's probably a few decades newer. Mine is mortared, but I suspect there are still small voids they can get in. I've closed many possible entrances over the years. I plugged a couple this year, and so far so good.

Hints that an inside gap leads through to an outside gap (not all do) include spider webs nearby, or dust and debris pushed aside, leaving a trail. And of course, droppings. For any suspect gap, push a tissue or part of a paper towel lightly into it. If later you notice it has been moved, you've found an entrance. Now go outside and see if you can find the gap it connects to on the outside.

Snap traps work well, but mix up styles. I like the old-fashioned ones with a wooden base, springs and metal snap bar, but there are some new plastic ones that will get those mice who've figured out the originals.

My favorite new style, however, is the "walk the plank" bucket trap. Best results I've ever gotten, although I've had a couple of mice learn to outsmart even that. I have a shed that's always had lots of mice, and with the plank trap they're almost all gone.


----------



## fwurlitzer (Nov 1, 2018)

Bud9051 said:


> Unfortunately you can't crawl around into the places a mouse can so very difficult to find all of their entrances. I like to place snap traps around the inside and see which ones are catching the mice. conclusion is, their entrance is close.
> 
> Add additional traps around the outside to reduce the total population. As their numbers grow they go searching for new homes, like yours. Fall is noted for mice moving indoors.
> 
> ...





Guap0_ said:


> I was hired to seal a house. I was told to meet the exterminator so he could tell me what to do. We walked around the house the way a mouse would. He said that as soon as a mouse feels a warm draft, he makes a sharp turn into the house. All sealing has to be done from the outside. You have a stone foundation with no mortar between the stones. I don't know how you can mark that pic "no voids."
> 
> 
> PS, I would get a cat either.


Great points and advice, thank you!

I believe there is mortar between the foundation stones.. there’s just a sealant over it on the inside. 

Funny how you mention how a mouse will follow a draft. There were small holes(tiny, not even a cm.) that I plugged from the inside that were missed by said foundation sealant. Whenever you ran your hand over it, there was a cold draft rushing in from the outside that was immediately noticeable. 

I’m trying to avoid exclusion straight from the outside. Once inside, the mice would have an abundance of places to take residence that are hard to get to from a human’s standpoint. 

I’ve considered investing in some 1/8” fine galvanized mesh, digging down 12” around the foundation, and apply the mesh to the exterior stone to prevent entry. Yes, I know, a lot work. 

The more and more I think about it, getting a cat is probably the easiest and most effective option. Happy wife, easy life..


----------



## fwurlitzer (Nov 1, 2018)

CaptTom said:


> I have a fieldstone foundation that's probably a few decades newer. Mine is mortared, but I suspect there are still small voids they can get in. I've closed many possible entrances over the years. I plugged a couple this year, and so far so good.
> 
> Hints that an inside gap leads through to an outside gap (not all do) include spider webs nearby, or dust and debris pushed aside, leaving a trail. And of course, droppings. For any suspect gap, push a tissue or part of a paper towel lightly into it. If later you notice it has been moved, you've found an entrance. Now go outside and see if you can find the gap it connects to on the outside.
> 
> ...


Love the suggestion on the paper towel/tissue paper!! I’ll have to try that. 

So far I’ve had success with snap traps and glue traps. I’m also trying out the “log roll” style of bucket traps (2 of them). Nothing yet, but my father swears by them. I’ve seen the “walk the plank” style ones and they look quite effective. I might invest in some if these log roll traps don't produce.


----------



## Guap0_ (Dec 2, 2017)

If you are going to dig, use a membrane for the simple reason that a membrane works for water as well as mice. Dig more than 12".


----------



## Bud9051 (Nov 11, 2015)

Unfortunately, some cats do and some don't. Well fed and they usually don't.

I use an infrared camera to locate cold air leaking in, but ironically I often catch myself confirming those leaks with my calibrated "back of hand". 

Bud


----------



## CaptTom (Dec 31, 2017)

fwurlitzer said:


> I’m also trying out the “log roll” style of bucket traps (2 of them). Nothing yet, but my father swears by them.


I've used buckets in the past with some success; just buckets with water and a little bait inside. But the last few times I've tried, they didn't work at all.

So I did a side-by-side comparison between the log roll and plank, one on each bucket. I have a spare security camera with night vision that I set up to watch the results.

The mice got pretty good at log rolling. They managed to reach the bait in the middle, and easily regained a grip when they started to roll off. I suspect it's only dumb luck if one occasionally falls in.

I only once saw a mouse defeat the plank. He somehow got his back legs around it, farther down the plank, and pulled himself back up to the base of it. I've since taken to rubbing a little peanut oil (good bait too, btw) on the plank to make it more slippery. One other time it sprung before the mouse got all the way down, and I re-adjusted it (there's an adjustment screw) to hold just a little longer before tripping. That never happened again.

Anyway, before you go thinking I'm some kind of expert, I should divulge my secret source of knowledge on this stuff: Search YouTube for "Mousetrap Monday" with Shawn Woods. He's my hero!


----------



## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

Bud9051 said:


> Unfortunately, some cats do and some don't. Well fed and they usually don't.
> 
> I use an infrared camera to locate cold air leaking in, but ironically I often catch myself confirming those leaks with my calibrated "back of hand".
> 
> Bud


You can fine tune your hand by taking a wet paper towel along to moisten the back of your hand occasionally. Isopropyl would work better except it evaporates too rapidly. With either, you and her would need to take a trip to Paris because I believe that's where the international calibration is accomplished. :biggrin2:Well, it was at one time back in _The Good Ole Days.
_


----------



## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

I built a -_Walk the Plank_- but gave it to one of my sons. He did return a pic of success. It was a hoot to build.

If I build a rolling log it will probably have a smooth metal log ( stainless, copper or brass ) and the peanut butter bait will be only 1 dab which will always be on the bottom side of the log. I just hate to think of being out foxed by a mouse.

Speaking of cats. A good outdoor cat will leave the food bowl to investigate rustling in the leaves. I've seen _Missy-Starbright-Goldylox-Butterbut_ leave the bowl to catch a small snake in the grass. Maybe that cheeeeep cat food does it.:biggrin2:


----------

