Vermin problem

[Woodwould]

Following the recent cold spell, we (and our neighbours) are experiencing an annoying infestation of vermin (I'd like to say they're 50 kg rats by the noise they make, but I suspect they're nothing more than common house mice).

There's no evidence of them in our inner sanctum, but they're highly active within the wall cavity, creating a hell of a racket, especially from dusk to dawn. Banging manically on the wall at four in the morning only results in a moments cessation of their gnawing and scratching, but causes me much pain as the awakened Mrs. Wood lashes out at me.

In the good old days, one could purchase warfarin and other poisons that would cause the vermin to bleed internally and dehydrate, driving the critters outdoors in search of water, but the last time I bought mouse bait, the roof space ended up full of decomposing carcases whose stench pervaded the house for weeks!

Can anyone recommend a sure-fire way of quickly, cleanly and hygienically (I'm not that bothered about humanely anymore) getting rid of the little buggers - or could someone lend me a cat that I could sling up into the roof space for a week?

[jchappo]

A friend of mine has had excellent results with Pestrol (http://www.pestrol.com.au/pestrol-plug-p-72.html?osCsid=17a8c4739f7cd2b2b017104da5f27c99)

They pack their bags and move elsewhere :)

[Woodwould]

Thanks for the response. I thought someone might bring up the electronic angle. As far as I can tell, there's no scientific evidence that ultrasonic or electro-magnetic deterents work (http://www.michaelspestcontrol.com.au/page34.pdf).

Years ago, we bought a couple (different brands) and I actually have a photo somewhere of a mouse sitting on top of one of the units that was plugged into a wall socket and switched on (presumably for the warmth it generated)!

[Grumpy John]

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FOR SALE



One Useless Cat

[Woodwould]

:U Thank you, but no thank you!

[kiwigeo]

Woodwould,

I had a similar problem a few years back. The first thing I did was try and find out every access point the rats were using. In the end I discovered that the buggers were getting onto the roof from trees overhanging the house and then from there getting inside the walls. There was also one hole under one of the walls. I blocked up same and then placed traps in the roof cavity and under the floors. The traps in the roof cavity were all tied to long pieces of string laid back to the man hole so recovering the bodies was a simple matter of pulling on the strings.

For the rats that venture into my garden I arrange a target shooting session with a catapult made from a truck tyre and a large pile of acorns as ammo. So far Ive managed to pot 5 of the varmits.....the last one must have jumped at least a metre in the air and then landed dead with his feet in the air.....extremely satisfying but the neighbours think Im a nut case.

Cheers Martin

[chrisb691]

If you were in the USA......you could use a machine gun. :D

[Woodwould]

Woodwould,

I had a similar problem a few years back. The first thing I did was try and find out every access point the rats were using. In the end I discovered that the buggers were getting onto the roof from trees overhanging the house and then from there getting inside the walls. There was also one hole under one of the walls. I blocked up same and then placed traps in the roof cavity and under the floors. The traps in the roof cavity were all tied to long pieces of string laid back to the man hole so recovering the bodies was a simple matter of pulling on the strings.

I've seen rats squeeze through 3/4" chicken wire. I think it would be simpler to build a new house than attempt to locate and block up every 3/4" hole, but suggestion noted and appreciated.

If I'd had a shotgun last night, there would have been a few less vermin and some additional ventilation.

[tea lady]

:C We seem to have a healthy infestation too. Was doing the humane trap thing, but now leaning towards the idea of mass mouse murder. Maybe I could make off with my dads heart medication.:D

[cultana]

I heard this little bit on the local radio about eliminating the little things.

Nice lady rang in and said they used a bait, not sure if it was just grain or what, mixed with plaster powder. Once inside said eater of stuff, it would set and hence end of item.

[Woodwould]

As an irresponsible child, I used to make pellets by rolling carbide inside soft, fresh bread and throw it to the rats (and equally, up in the air at the seaside for the swooping seagulls to gulp down) and then watch them explode as the carbide became moistened in their gut and gave off rapidly expanding acetylene gas.

Sodium bicarbonate mixed with castor sugar will attract them and eventually kill them too, but I'd ideally like to prevent them expiring in the roofspace or wall cavities where they'll decompose and stink us out.

[RufflyRustic]

what about laying around some snake droppings? :?

[Woodwould]

what about laying around some snake droppings? :?
I don't fancy holding the snake by the head while I squeeze the crap out of it. Is snake poo the natural nemesis of the mouse?

[chrisb691]

I don't fancy holding the snake by the head while I squeeze the crap out of it. Is snake poo the natural nemesis of the mouse?
:roflmao:

[petersemple]

We had a rat problem disappear quite without any smell a while ago. The only problem was that once all the rats were gone the carpet snake moved into the bird cage. If you have no small pets then maybe try and encourage a carpet snake to take up temporary residence?

Peter

[Woodwould]

We had a rat problem disappear quite without any smell a while ago. The only problem was that once all the rats were gone the carpet snake moved into the bird cage. If you have no small pets then maybe try and encourage a carpet snake to take up temporary residence?

Peter
Does that mean I'll need to lay a carpet in the roof space. Gawd, these snake remedies are hard work!

[Fuzzie]

Gawd, these snake remedies are hard work!

Awhile ago this was fairly common in Queensland. I know of the 4 houses I've lived in in Queensland, ALL have had carpet python skins in the roof space, although I've never actually come face to face with a snake inside.

Just a thought. Are you sure it is not possums? They can make an awful racket going in and out during the night and if you've got them in the walls they can go scratchy scratch all day trying to get comfortable. :U

[Woodwould]

It could be possums. I assumed it was mice, or possibly rats. I know from past experience even mice can make a din like a hobnail boot-wearing army on manoeuvres. I haven't seen any poo one way or the other, so I can't be sure who the residents are.

[Fuzzie]

We had a nice tile roof on one 1940's Bungalow where the french tiles were not wired down. The possums had learnt to lift the tiles for egress and ingress. When I finally caught the little blighter, his nose was red raw from pushing the tiles up from below and there was a nasty looking patch on his tail where the tile fell down as he went through. :cool:

[RETIRED]

I don't fancy holding the snake by the head while I squeeze the crap out of it. Is snake poo the natural nemesis of the mouse?You big sook.:D

[jimbur]

No one has mentioned hiring a piper:D
Then again, surely Sheraton included at least one design:U
cheers,
Jim

[ajw]

WW, same problem at my place. I don't know how they get into the various wall cavities, but they make an awful racket. We've been woken several times in the last couple of weeks. I've now placed the rat baits around the house, and any day now I'm sure we'll have the stink of the decomposing bodies. For us, that's better than the noise and damage they cause.

If I ever build my own house, I'm going to make every effort to ensure that there is no way for rats & mice to run around.

We've also had a possum that gnawed its way through some cedar boards to take up residence in a wall cavity in our bedroom. I covered the hole, and it came back every night for weeks, scratching and trying to get back in. Drove us nuts. It still comes back every few weeks to try its luck.

All this wildlife almost makes me want to move to an apartment block, but I suspect the neighbours might complain about the table saw and dust extraction...

ajw

ps. My bigger problem is termites that don't make any noise. Had to rebuild several rooms with major termite damage.

[RufflyRustic]

:D Is there any chance of someone who does own snakes gather some of their snakepoo so that you can distribute it about the roof, and other places. The scent, I believe, could be a deterrent.....

I'm basing this on a previous thread here a few years ago.

[bsrlee]

Actually ferret poo is MUCH better than snake - just post a notice on the local community notice board 'looking for ferret owner' - you could let the ferret loose in the wall space - there will be a rumbling and you will see rats & mice bailing out in minutes. If the ferret owner does not want to take their pet out for a run, most will be happy to part with a bag or two of stinky ferret poo - just scatter it outside the house.

Used to be a great 'sport' - got to a warehouse with a ferret, several fox terriers, wheel barrow/s & pick handles. Toss ferret in thru' door, then wait for the fun. When the dogs got bored or tired of killing rats, use the pick handles to bat the rat.

If you are going to bait the rats, just place the bait outside, say under a pile of bricks or in a plastic box with a small hole that will stop other animals from getting to the bait - if you look round railway station you often see grey plastic boxes in the bushes - these are rat bait stations and never seem to be collected so you could 'recycle' some with help from the station staff.

[Grumpy John]

.........................................

Used to be a great 'sport' - got to a warehouse with a ferret, several fox terriers, wheel barrow/s & pick handles. Toss ferret in thru' door, then wait for the fun. When the dogs got bored or tired of killing rats, use the pick handles to bat the rat.

...........................................


Charming :((.

[tea lady]

As an irresponsible child, I used to make pellets by rolling carbide inside soft, fresh bread and throw it to the rats (and equally, up in the air at the seaside for the swooping seagulls to gulp down) and then watch them explode as the carbide became moistened in their gut and gave off rapidly expanding acetylene gas.

Sodium bicarbonate mixed with castor sugar will attract them and eventually kill them too, but I'd ideally like to prevent them expiring in the roofspace or wall cavities where they'll decompose and stink us out.Exploding mice in the roof could be a littel harder to clean up than intact ones.:C :think: Although they mightn't stink much till summer. :rolleyes::D

Rat baits around the garden could be an idea, Although I'm fairly sure I have also seen some sort of small native thing here, so maybe not. :doh:

I'm moving house anyway so its not my problem any more. Not a solution every one can do of course.:U

[Woodwould]

Actually ferret poo is MUCH better than snake - just post a notice on the local community notice board 'looking for ferret owner' - you could let the ferret loose in the wall space - there will be a rumbling and you will see rats & mice bailing out in minutes. If the ferret owner does not want to take their pet out for a run, most will be happy to part with a bag or two of stinky ferret poo - just scatter it outside the house.

Used to be a great 'sport' - got to a warehouse with a ferret, several fox terriers, wheel barrow/s & pick handles. Toss ferret in thru' door, then wait for the fun. When the dogs got bored or tired of killing rats, use the pick handles to bat the rat.

If you are going to bait the rats, just place the bait outside, say under a pile of bricks or in a plastic box with a small hole that will stop other animals from getting to the bait - if you look round railway station you often see grey plastic boxes in the bushes - these are rat bait stations and never seem to be collected so you could 'recycle' some with help from the station staff.

I thought ferrets were for stuffing down your trousers after a half dozen pints of Yorkshire Bitter.

[tea lady]

I thought ferrets were for stuffing down your trousers after a half dozen pints of Yorkshire Bitter.Yes! But do you ever have a mouse problem in your trousers? .........No? .......... See ! It works.:D

[kiwigeo]

I thought ferrets were for stuffing down your trousers after a half dozen pints of Yorkshire Bitter.

Only if you're Richard Gere :D

[jimbur]

I thought ferrets were for stuffing down your trousers after a half dozen pints of Yorkshire Bitter.

Nay lad, tha doesn't keep beer down thy trousers, does tha?:D

[mike48]

Hi

if the problem is actually mice, I have seen mouse traps at my local Produce Shop designed to be left around grain and feed bags to catch multiple mice.
Most seem to be made from wire mesh with a top trap door, or a constricting conical entry.

You bait it, leave it for a few days, then drown the "catch" in water.

Some traps can take up to 20 or more.

In the mouse plagues of yesteryear, bulk traps for mice were made from a large metal drum with a baited overbalancing strip of wood. Mice just fell into the barrel, and were disposed of by fire or drowning.

Dont let the blighters die inside a wall cavity; the smell is unbelievable.

cheerio, mike

[AlexS]

As an irresponsible child, I used to make pellets by rolling carbide inside soft, fresh bread and throw it to the rats (and equally, up in the air at the seaside for the swooping seagulls to gulp down) and then watch them explode as the carbide became moistened in their gut and gave off rapidly expanding acetylene gas.


Back in the 1930s when crocodiles were considered vermin and their skins were valuable, my father (Petersemple's 2nd cousin twice removed or somesuch) used to get crocs the same way. Set a carcass (usually wild pig) with a parcel of carbide inside. When it went off inside the croc's stomach, it would come out of the water to die, and could be skinned.

Another bit of family history, Peter.

[Woodwould]

Nay lad, tha doesn't keep beer down thy trousers, does tha?:D
Ha! I fell into that one! I should have inserted "you've downed" shouldn't I!

[tea lady]

Back in the 1930s when crocodiles were considered vermin and their skins were valuable, my father (Petersemple's 2nd cousin twice removed or somesuch) used to get crocs the same way. Set a carcass (usually wild pig) with a parcel of carbide inside. When it went off inside the croc's stomach, it would come out of the water to die, and could be skinned.

Another bit of family history, Peter.:C I nearly feel sorry for them.

[Woodwould]

Hi

if the problem is actually mice, I have seen mouse traps at my local Produce Shop designed to be left around grain and feed bags to catch multiple mice.
Most seem to be made from wire mesh with a top trap door, or a constricting conical entry.

You bait it, leave it for a few days, then drown the "catch" in water.

Some traps can take up to 20 or more.

In the mouse plagues of yesteryear, bulk traps for mice were made from a large metal drum with a baited overbalancing strip of wood. Mice just fell into the barrel, and were disposed of by fire or drowning.

Dont let the blighters die inside a wall cavity; the smell is unbelievable.

cheerio, mike

I seem to remember dozens of those platform traps around the place when I was a youth.

[Woodwould]

Back in the 1930s when crocodiles were considered vermin and their skins were valuable, my father (Petersemple's 2nd cousin twice removed or somesuch) used to get crocs the same way. Set a carcass (usually wild pig) with a parcel of carbide inside. When it went off inside the croc's stomach, it would come out of the water to die, and could be skinned.

Another bit of family history, Peter.

I'd want to see the croc disembowel itself before I'd go within ten yards of the thing.

[RedShirtGuy]

The Schwarzenegger solution:

:minigun:http://www.animalcontrol.com.au/photos/Lotsofmice.jpg

[Woodwould]

My dearly beloved picked up some poison on Sunday and (Sod's Law) we haven't heard a single squeak or scratch since.

[kiwigeo]

My dearly beloved picked up some poison on Sunday and (Sod's Law) we haven't heard a single squeak or scratch since.

It generally takes a few days for the bodies to start decomposing :D

One method Ive used for getting rid of rodents is as follows:

1. get a shoe box and build a ramp leading up side of same. Place large piece of Rochfords cheese in the box and leave next to mouse hole.
2. Repeat step 1 for 3-4 nights.
3. glue a razor blade on the top of the box side at the top of the ramp.
4. place the box outside the mousehole as before but this time dont put in any cheese.
5. mouse runs up ramp to top of same. Mouse nods head from side looking for the cheese....razor blade neatly chops off mouses head which then plops into the box. :2tsup:

[Woodwould]

It generally takes a few days for the bodies to start decomposing :D

No, no, no! We haven't even opened the packets of poison. The blighters must have sensed we'd bought poison and just buggered off. If they stay away, herself will likely return the poison for a refund.

[rhancock]

From the Backyard Poultry forum, where they're nearly as passionate about their chooks as woodies are about wood:

[RETIRED]

No, no, no! We haven't even opened the packets of poison. The blighters must have sensed we'd bought poison and just buggered off. If they stay away, herself will likely return the poison for a refund.Don't do that!

To quote Arny " They will be back" as soon as you do.:wink:

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

A mate of mine has had success with plugging one o' those ultrasonic doovers into a power-point in his roof.

He reckons it works a treat... as it doesn't kill them, just makes them uncomfortable so they move out and become somebody elses' problem. So no mess to clean up before the maggots move in.

Perhaps you could try stapling a few bats to the rafters for a trial run before investing any pennies in an electronic fake?

[Woodwould]

There was a hell of a racket this evening and when I investigated, there was a rat scratching inside the wall cavity at about skirting height and a Fox Terrible going demented on the room side of the wall. She could hear and smell the rat and her head was twisting from side to side so rapidly I thought it was going to come off.

I stuffed the Missus up into the roof to distribute the poison and told her not to come down until she had all of the noisey buggers' carcasses.

[cultana]

I stuffed the Missus up into the roof to distribute the poison and told her not to come down until she had all of the noisey buggers' carcasses.

What all by herself?
Didn't you throw the dog up there as well??

[Woodwould]

Didn't you throw the dog up there as well??
No, I like a bit of company you know!

[Sebastiaan56]

I used the poison wax blocks from the big B. The active ingredient is Brodifacoum. As far as I know there is no resistance to it. There are also pellets and little sachets full of pellets. The sachets are good where there are other animals around.

To make it more attractive to the little buggers I add some peanut butter to the packet / block. They sniff it out from miles away. I learnt that from a pro pest controller. The placement of baits is important as well. Rats and mice run along walls by preference so sticking it out in a open space will not be as good as putting it next to a wall. The bin traps work well as does an inverted "t" section of PVC pipe with the bait dropped down the leg. I dont know of any other way that is really effective. Ultrasonics have been discredited. And if you dont get the corpses they smell while they are decomposing. But I dont know what else you can do if they are in the walls.

This year I added weather seals to the bottom of the doors, that seems to have worked so far. I agree with Martin about sealing off ingress.