Replies

1. 
   NickNukeEm | Dec 16, 2003 06:41pm | #1

   Go to the animal shelter and pull a mature cat from the jaws of death.  Lock cat in basement.  Ensure cat has water and dry cat food (balanced meal.)  Release cat when he is too fat to move, or all the mice are gone, whichever comes first (dependent on mice population.)  See the movie 'Mouse Hunt" (I think, with Nathan Lane.)

   Seriously, get a cat.  I have 3.  No mice, no rats, no chipmunks, no baby birds, no baby rabbits, and NO MOLES.  It may be a baren wasteland for a yard, but at least it's rodent-free.

   I never met a tool I didn't like!
2. 
   csnow | Dec 16, 2003 07:05pm | #2

   Regarding mice:

   One of the 'charming' aspects of old house living.

   I have had excellent results with ordinary spring traps baited with a hunk of Reeses Peanut Butter Cups.  I did not choose this bait- the mice did when they raided my pantry and went for these over all else.  The Reeses folks should use this in their advertising!

   Recently switched to plastic spring traps (called "The better mousetrap", I think.. sold at Walmart), which are easier to set, reload, and clean.  Seem to work just as well on the mice, but less likely to bite your fingers.  Once you find the right location, you will thin out the population quickly.  With a dirt floor and stone walls, there is little chance you will ever be able to block all means of entry, so you are working against the 'neighborhood' population.

   When cleaning up mouse nests and debris, always use a N100 respirator.  Seal off the area as best you can. Mist the debris to keep the dust down.  If you vacuum, use one with a HEPA filter.  Hanta virus is rare, but not worth the gamble... plus there are other less serious diseases one can pickup in this way.

   http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hanta/hps/index.htm 

3. 
   user-5880422 | Dec 16, 2003 07:31pm | #3

   for moisture barriers, polyethylene will degrade over time so I would suggest you look at Moistop. There are a variety of products for different applications that will work, I happen to like Moistop a lot, it won't degrade, it's puncture resistant, and it's resistant to mold and rot.

1. 
   dIrishInMe | Dec 17, 2003 05:20am | #12

   Re the moisture check out Tu-Tuff vapor barrier.  It is considerably more durable than regular Poly sheeting.    Pouring concrete on top of it would be ideal, and I think you could probably get by with a 2.5 or 3" thick slab, since I would guess that nothing real heavy is going down there.  You may want to extend the vapor barrier up the walls too, and staple it to the mud sills.

   Matt

1. 
   AdamB | Dec 19, 2003 06:42pm | #15

   had a, well for lack of words a mouse trail, in my garage one time... put some of those electronic anti-mouse things (you know the ons that make subsonic noise the mice arn't supposed to like) in... no change

   thought maybe they were to far away... nope  the mice would run over them or use the cords to climb or whatever.......

   had a mouse chew into one and build a nest in one onetime, and it was on the whole time...

   no I don't believe they work.... but maybe it's just the mice in my area.

   got 2 cats.... fed them enough for one cat = no mice... 2 fat cats

   Christmas is coming..... should I buy the wife that new tablesaw ....hmmmm

   Edited 12/19/2003 12:59:01 PM ET by AdamB

4. 
   jc21 | Dec 16, 2003 07:46pm | #4

   My 2 cents ..........the basement needs to be dry. If neglected, there's a very good possiblity you'll be looking at rotted sills not to mention mold/mildew problems down the road, if they don't exist already. Depending on how much water there is and how it gets in, just laying poly on the floor may not be the answer- you may find yourself with a nice little pond for a basement. I think the first step is to keep the water from coming in in the first place. Runoff from downspouts should be carried away from the house. Grades should  do the same. Worst case scenario, depending on the severity of the problem, you may have to excavate around the exterior of the foundation, install perimeter drainage, repoint and waterproof. In the interior, a perimeter drain leading to the outside and/or a sump pump. Cover the drain/floor with crushed stone and then the poly- it will give any water that gets in a place to go.

1. 
   Sphere | Dec 16, 2003 11:33pm | #5

   " The SECOND mouse gets the cheese"..

1. 
   johnnyd | Dec 16, 2003 11:53pm | #6

   He also gets to eat the first mouse...I know it's disgusting but that's what happened Sunday in my workshop.  The mice like the heated slab too, but there's nothing to eat in there.

   DW said there's a mouse in the trap Sat PM, I forgot to empty.  By Sunday there wasn't much left of the first one.  Reset the trap, got a big fat one almost right away.  My cat really appreciated it.

1. 
   Sphere | Dec 17, 2003 12:04am | #8

   ROFL..Now thats funny. I have said that line many times over the yrs. I have never heard a drumroll cymbal crash come back!!!I can picture it now...even a blind chicken gets a pc. of corn now and then..got a follow up? still laughin...

1. 
   johnnyd | Dec 17, 2003 12:18am | #10

   ...and a blind hog finds a root

2. 
   RichBeckman | Dec 17, 2003 02:19am | #11

   So no one likes the plug in "ultra sonic" sound producers that chase mice away???

   Rich Beckman

   Another day, another tool.

5. 
   BossHog | Dec 16, 2003 11:57pm | #7

   Mice sure are a pain. We have them really bad in the office where I work. They often climb up and down the network cables right behind my desk.

   I've used all sorts of traps over the years. Most of them work if you keep after it. But emptying and re-baiting them sure is a pain. We've used poison with fairly good success. Haven't had much trouble with them dying in the walls.

   The suggestion about a cat is a good one. Just don't overfeed it, so it's always a bit hungry. I've seen mice run right underneath a fat, happy cat and hide out in it's fur.

   .

   On the basement moisture thing - A concrete slab with a vapor barrier and 4" of gravel will make the basement a lot more useable, and keep moisture down. And that afords you the opportunity to put in drain tile and a sump pump to get ground water out.

   The infamous Bob Walker has said many times that basement moisture can migrate up through the structure and become a moisture problem in the attic. So this might be worth some serious thought.

   I have no idea what to suggest doing with the stone walls. The only thought is the standard suggestion around here that water drainage away from the foundation is more important than anything you'll do in the basement.

   BTW - I swear - This was the next tag line in my list. I didn't make this one up:

   Why isn't there mouse-flavored cat food?

1. 
   Heatherington | Dec 17, 2003 12:14am | #9

   My cat would prefer chipmunk flavor! Once she discovered chipmunks she started ignoring mice.

   I must say that all my reading and experience in a dry climate subject to torrential rains says dig drainage outside

6. 
   andybuildz | Dec 17, 2003 04:01pm | #13

   you will "always" have mice. There aren't just half a dozen mice in your yard.

   You most definatly need a frisky cat.

   I have lots of woods around my house and its old with tons of areas I wouldn't be able to fill with steel wool like in an apartment.

   Poison like wafrin in throw bags or boxes works but like you say.they'll go into the walls looking for water pipes cause it burns their stomachs...echhhh.and die in there stinking up your house.

   I know this cause my ex FIL used to own an exterminating company many years ago. I even took a corse in entimology....wasn't for me...lol...!

   Best he could do after the stink was to send one of his men with a tiny bottle of an odor mask you'd put drops around the house with.

   Traps are the great but cats are better.

   BE Micky & Felix

                andy

   My life is my practice!

   http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM

1. 
   jako17 | Dec 17, 2003 04:42pm | #14

   Nothing beats the ball bearing mousetrap -THE  TOMCAT. Now to stop the  s.o.b. spraying!

1. 
   rez | Dec 19, 2003 08:59pm | #16

   ROAR!

   Good one.