Help the mice are eating my seeds

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Annette99

New Member
I have a mouse problem,don't really want to use poison or traps of any kind, the little buggers are invading my seed starting area and eating the seeds right out of the containers they are supposed to sprout in. off the propagation mats. Digging up newly planted seedlings and chewing off seedlings right at soil level, I've put plastic wrap and rubberbands on most of the seed containers. That seems to help some. Have a few spots to stuff steel wool into the ceiling area this weekend. It's all in my basement. Any suggestions? Thanks
 

swindy

New Member
You have to get rid of them anyway you can, poision or organic. they won't stay in the basement. Do you have any cats? Or have friends with cats. If I was closer to you I would loan you my cat Missy --she would do a quick clean up of that problem, she is some mouser.
 

Annette99

New Member
Oh, thank you for your offer. I do have 2 old(over15) cats, Pickles and Merlin, and they don't seem to find them, it's mostly the top shelves that are being afffected. I went out and bought some mouse poison today.I wonder how many dead mice I will have to fish out of the water down there.
 

swindy

New Member
Be careful with the cats and the poision. if the cats find the dead mice and eat them , they will be in trouble.
 

plantlover

New Member
What about moth balls? They aren't so great for the environment, but the smell is supposed to be an incredible deterrent. I can't stand the smell of them. I wonder whether putting something like a sharp metal wire on the shelf would deter them.
 

Randy

Super Moderator
Staff member
They cost a little more money, but there are traps that will catch the mice alive. Since my graddaughters are so soft-hearted, they don't want me to kill the mice, so they make sure I take the trap to the pasture fence and let them go there. I just put a little dry cat food in that trap and if there are mice around, they will go after the cat food and spring the trap. Actually, springing the trap just means the doors close keeping them inside.
 

Flower4Yeshua

Super Moderator & vegemm
Staff member
Also if you put down dry rice or dry mash potato's.... they eat the this and then go look for water...as they drink it expandes and ...well....poof they are gone...Now I just read this ...I have never done this...in the big old house we had this trouble...but hubby just set traps for them..
 

Dor

Active Member
I had some mice and rats in the garage and attic after my neighbor had her siding replaced and cleaned her garage they flocked over here. They didn't make it inside the house because of my dogs. The moth balls didn't work and I didn't want to see them so my friend's husband that is an exterminator gave me some poison that I put up high away from my babies and I haven't heard them in a while. I didn't every smell them either so the poison embombed them too.
 

Annette99

New Member
the mouse poison has been carefully put out now for 36 hours, the mothballs strategically placed in the flats with the most damage, they love the lupines, dusty miller and dianthus. I'm not sure if I want to feed them rice and potatos, anyway this morning there was no new damage. Keeping my fingers crossed. Thanks for all your help.
 

Papa2mykids

New Member
The rice and instant potato thing is a myth, virtually everything swells up, retains moisture when eaten,


A hot pepper spray will at least deter them from feeding/eating.

You best option is to trap them some how, dead or alive and get them before you have real problems and need to call some one in to get rid of them.

Ron
www.gardening-for-wildlife.com
 

Kya D

Active Member
I have mice in my chicken coop. It works out really well for the stinkin rodents cuz they only come out at night and the hens are asleep. So the hens don't see them. I can't poison them because the hens will eat it. Grain is so expensive and I can't afford to feed the mice.
 

Randy

Super Moderator
Staff member
I know we have mice and rats in the barn, but we also have a bait station out there. I caught a rat in my skunk trap out by the chicken pen and ended his existence.
 

Annette99

New Member
I survived the mice as did the rest of my plants, Have found 5 dead mice around my planting area and no new damage. Got rid of the moth balls, they really smell bad. The poison I used was decon. Thanks for all of your input.
 


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